The project entitled Public Dialogue (PD) for Youth is an Erasmus+ Small-Scale Partnership in the field of youth (KA210-YOU), implemented within the framework of the 2024 Call, Round 3. The initiative is coordinated by the Polish organisation Stowarzyszenie Aktywność Współpraca Rozwój (AWR) in cooperation with two partner organisations: Radosas Idejas from Latvia and Plataforma de Alternativas Sostenibles y Solidarias (PASOS) from Spain. The project will run for fifteen months, from March 2025 to May 2026, and has been awarded a total Erasmus+ grant of sixty thousand euros. The working language of the project is English, and the responsible National Agency is the Polish Foundation for the Development of the Education System (PL01).

The overarching objective of the Public Dialogue for Youth project is to empower young people to become active citizens and constructive agents of social change by fostering mutual understanding, tolerance, inclusion and a sense of responsibility for the social and environmental challenges facing Europe today. The project takes inspiration from the methodology developed by the Norwegian Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue, adapting its principles to the context of youth education. It promotes dialogue as a tool for understanding rather than confrontation, teaching young people to listen, empathize, and find common ground when discussing socially complex or controversial topics.

The specific objectives of the project include the creation of an educational framework based on the Nansen methodology; the empowerment of at least 144 young people to demonstrate tolerance, social sensitivity and civic participation; the promotion of awareness about pressing social issues such as migration, inequality, and environmental degradation; and the dissemination of the public dialogue approach within partner communities to foster inclusive and democratic participation. Each of these objectives is linked to a tangible result: the development of a comprehensive PD curriculum and toolkit, the enhancement of participants’ civic engagement and empathy, the increased awareness of social and environmental challenges among youth, and the broader use of dialogue as a unifying community practice across Europe.

The project primarily targets young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in Poland, Latvia, and Spain, including Ukrainian war refugees, youth from economically lagging regions, and young people facing social or economic barriers such as unemployment or exclusion. A secondary target group includes the project staff and trainers who will develop, test and deliver the PD curriculum, benefiting from professional development opportunities and cross-cultural learning.

The partnership represents a balanced consortium of organisations from different European regions—Eastern, Northern, and Southern Europe—each bringing distinct expertise. AWR, based in Poland, focuses on youth activation, refugee integration, and personal development. Radosas Idejas from Latvia specialises in culture, education, and social integration, particularly in rural areas and among migrants. PASOS from Spain is experienced in non-formal youth education and sustainability-oriented initiatives. Together, they will co-create a programme that merges educational innovation with practical community impact.

The project’s implementation is structured around four interlinked activities. The first phase, dedicated to project management, monitoring and dissemination, will be led by AWR and will establish the project’s quality framework, communication channels and dissemination plan. The second phase, led by Radosas Idejas, will focus on co-creating and testing the public dialogue curriculum through a collaborative design process and a five-day train-the-trainer session in Poland. The third phase will involve the delivery of training programmes in all three partner countries, reaching a total of ninety young participants. These sessions will provide opportunities for dialogue on themes such as ecological sustainability, equality, identity, and community engagement. The final phase, coordinated by PASOS, will apply the acquired skills in practice through local community actions and pilot public dialogues organised and led by young participants themselves. The outcomes of these pilot initiatives will be collected in a comprehensive catalogue of good practices and methodologies for further dissemination.

The expected impact of the project is multifaceted. On an individual level, participants will develop self-awareness, leadership, empathy, and critical thinking skills. On an organisational level, the partner institutions will enhance their capacities in non-formal education, facilitation, and intercultural collaboration. On a community level, the project will contribute to the creation of more inclusive, tolerant, and participatory societies, where young people play an active role in addressing local and global challenges. The project will also contribute to broader European priorities by promoting inclusion and diversity, civic engagement, conflict prevention, and the integration of refugees and migrants.

Monitoring and evaluation will be ensured through a quality plan and digital project management tools such as the Adminproject platform. Progress will be assessed through indicators including the number of dialogues implemented, participant feedback, learning outcomes, and engagement statistics. Dissemination will take place continuously through local events, social media, and European platforms such as SALTO and the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform, ensuring visibility and the transferability of results to other contexts.

In summary, Public Dialogue for Youth is a transnational initiative that combines educational innovation with civic engagement. By adapting a proven peace dialogue methodology to youth work, it provides young people with the competences, values and motivation necessary to build bridges across cultural and social divides, transforming dialogue into a powerful tool for mutual understanding and democratic participation in contemporary Europe.

The Public Dialogue (PD) for Youth project defines a clear and coherent set of objectives that align with the Erasmus+ priorities in the field of youth, particularly inclusion, civic participation, and the promotion of common European values. Each objective is supported by specific expected results and connected to the broader aim of empowering young people to become active, tolerant, and socially responsible citizens.

The main objective of the project is to empower young people to become active agents in fostering mutual understanding, tolerance, social sensitivity, and awareness of the critical issues shaping modern societies, including social exclusion, inequality, cultural intolerance, and environmental challenges. The project seeks to equip them with the skills and mindset needed to engage in constructive public dialogue, transforming potential conflict into mutual understanding and cooperation.

In order to achieve this overarching aim, the project establishes four specific objectives (SO), each accompanied by concrete and measurable results (R).

Specific Objective 1 (SO1) is to develop a new educational framework based on the methodology of the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue. This framework will provide innovative, structured, and practical tools to empower young people to act as facilitators of dialogue and agents of change. The expected result (R1) is the creation of a comprehensive and collaboratively developed programme, including a curriculum and toolkit, dedicated to the effective construction of public dialogues among young people. This programme will enable discussions on complex social topics within multicultural environments and will serve as a model for similar initiatives in the future.

Specific Objective 2 (SO2) is to promote a change in mindset among young participants by strengthening mutual understanding, tolerance, social sensitivity, and civic engagement. Through their direct participation in public dialogues, one hundred and forty-four young people from Poland, Latvia, and Spain will be encouraged to express their views, listen actively to others, and develop empathy and respect for different perspectives. The expected result (R2) is an observable increase in young people’s active participation in society, a greater capacity for dialogue, and enhanced awareness of their role as citizens in democratic communities.

Specific Objective 3 (SO3) is to raise awareness among young people about the pressing social and environmental challenges of contemporary Europe. By co-selecting relevant topics—such as migration, social barriers, environmental threats, and cultural diversity—and engaging in guided dialogue sessions, participants will deepen their understanding of these issues and their interconnections. The expected result (R3) is that young people will become more conscious and active in addressing these challenges, both individually and collectively, applying dialogue as a means of finding solutions and fostering community engagement.

Specific Objective 4 (SO4) is to disseminate and embed the public dialogue methodology within local and multicultural communities. By testing and promoting this approach through training, youth-led pilot initiatives, and community actions, the project seeks to popularize dialogue as an alternative to debate—one that unites rather than divides people of diverse opinions and interests. The expected result (R4) is the growth of a network of young facilitators and community members who adopt dialogue as a constructive tool for communication, thereby enhancing social inclusion, mutual respect, and democratic participation.

Collectively, these objectives ensure that the project contributes directly to key Erasmus+ priorities: inclusion and diversity, civic engagement, and active citizenship. They also support the long-term goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the European Green Deal by promoting awareness of sustainability, equality, and peace-building. The Public Dialogue for Youth project thus combines educational innovation with social responsibility, using dialogue as a means to empower young people and strengthen European communities built on empathy, cooperation, and shared values.

The Public Dialogue (PD) for Youth project is structured around a carefully designed sequence of four main activities. Each activity contributes to the overall objective of empowering young people through dialogue and builds logically upon the previous one, ensuring continuity, coherence, and progressive learning. The activities are implemented in three partner countries—Poland, Latvia, and Spain—and combine training, practice, and dissemination components. Together, they form an integrated cycle that moves from project setup and curriculum creation to training delivery, local implementation, and community impact.

The first activity, entitled Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Dissemination, will take place between March and May 2025 under the leadership of Stowarzyszenie Aktywność Współpraca Rozwój (AWR) from Poland. Its purpose is to establish the administrative, organisational, and communication framework necessary for the smooth execution of the project. During this phase, a detailed Gantt chart will be developed, outlining the project timeline, milestones, and responsibilities of each partner. A partnership agreement will be signed to define roles and ensure transparency and accountability. A quality plan will also be prepared, including risk analysis, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and inclusion strategies to guarantee equitable participation. The partners will use a shared digital management platform—Adminproject—to track progress, exchange documents, and communicate regularly. Monthly online meetings will be organised to review implementation, supported by continuous reporting and feedback. Dissemination will begin in this early phase through the publication of project information on partners’ websites, social media platforms, and the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform. The expected results include improved coordination and communication among partners, strengthened project governance, and increased visibility at the local and European levels.

The second activity, Co-creating and Testing the PD Curriculum, will be led by Radosas Idejas from Latvia and will run from May to July 2025. This phase is dedicated to the development of the project’s main intellectual output—a comprehensive educational framework and toolkit for conducting Public Dialogues. The curriculum will be co-designed through a participatory process involving all partner organisations and their trainers. A series of online co-design workshops will be organised to share expertise, brainstorm ideas, and build consensus on the curriculum’s content and structure. This will be followed by a Train-the-Trainer session held in Poland, where two representatives from each country will meet for an intensive five-day programme. The training will cover key topics such as the principles of the Nansen methodology, facilitation techniques, active listening, conflict management, empathy-building, and the difference between dialogue and debate. Nature-based learning and mindfulness activities will be incorporated to strengthen participants’ self-awareness and connection to their environment. The outcome of this activity will be a validated, multilingual curriculum accompanied by practical materials—guides, templates, and exercises—that will serve as the foundation for the next stages of the project.

The third activity, Training Programme Delivery in Spain, Poland and Latvia, will take place between August and December 2025, again under the coordination of Radosas Idejas. The aim of this phase is to implement the developed curriculum with groups of young people in each partner country. Thirty participants per country—ninety in total—will take part in national training programmes facilitated by the newly trained staff. These sessions will be conducted in a stationary, interactive format and will focus on dialogue-based exploration of issues relevant to young people, such as equality, self-identity, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion. Each dialogue will bring together participants from diverse backgrounds, including migrants, to ensure intercultural exchange and understanding. Reflection sessions and informal meetings will allow participants to process their experiences and strengthen peer connections. This activity will generate tangible outputs, including presentations, educational handouts, and recorded dialogue sessions, as well as informal peer-support networks and messaging groups. The expected outcomes include the empowerment of young people as dialogue facilitators, improved leadership and communication skills, and enhanced awareness of civic and environmental responsibility.

The fourth activity, Further Practice in Spain, Poland and Latvia: Community Actions, will be implemented from January to May 2026 and will be led by Plataforma de Alternativas Sostenibles y Solidarias (PASOS) in Spain. This final stage translates the training into real-life community impact. It begins with a four-day international workshop in Spain, where selected participants from all countries—four young people and one trainer per partner—will come together to exchange experiences, identify local challenges, and design pilot Public Dialogues to be implemented in their home communities. After returning to their countries, these youth multipliers will form teams and organise at least three local PD sessions in each country, addressing personal, economic, and ecological themes. Example topics include work-life balance, entrepreneurship, gender equality, and environmental awareness. Local experts and mentors will support these youth-led actions, ensuring both quality and relevance. The outcomes will be documented in a final Catalogue of Pilot PDs, which will include descriptions of implemented dialogues, lessons learned, and recommendations for future use.

This phase has strong dissemination and sustainability components. The pilot dialogues will engage local communities, schools, and organisations, extending the project’s reach and promoting the PD methodology beyond the initial participants. The partners will use the results to strengthen their educational practices and networks, while young people will gain leadership experience and confidence in initiating social change.

Collectively, these four activities represent a progressive learning and implementation process: the first establishes structure and quality assurance, the second develops the educational foundation, the third empowers participants through experiential learning, and the fourth transfers knowledge into community practice. The activities ensure that the Public Dialogue for Youth project achieves both immediate educational outcomes and long-term social impact by equipping young Europeans with the competences, empathy, and sense of agency necessary to build inclusive and democratic societies.

Coming soon.

The Public Dialogue (PD) for Youth project is designed to create a multidimensional impact at individual, organisational, community, and European levels. Its influence will extend beyond the immediate participants and duration of the project, promoting long-term cultural and educational change. The project’s impact is anchored in the adaptation and dissemination of the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue methodology, which positions dialogue as a transformative tool for civic participation, conflict resolution, and inclusion. Through this approach, the project contributes directly to key Erasmus+ priorities—such as inclusion and diversity, civic engagement, and youth participation—and to broader European and global agendas, including the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal.

At the individual level, the project’s impact will be most visible among young participants. At least one hundred and forty-four young people from Poland, Latvia, and Spain will acquire practical competences in dialogue facilitation, empathy, critical thinking, and intercultural communication. Participation in Public Dialogues will help them build self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and resilience. They will learn to engage with others respectfully, express their views clearly, and approach complex issues—such as migration, equality, and sustainability—with openness and responsibility. These competences will empower them to take on leadership roles in their communities and act as multipliers of the Public Dialogue approach. Young people will also experience personal growth: greater confidence, a strengthened sense of belonging, and a clearer understanding of their role as active European citizens. For those from disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds, such as refugees or youth from rural areas, the project will offer new opportunities for inclusion, participation, and empowerment.

At the organisational level, the project will strengthen the capacities and international visibility of the three partner organisations. Each partner will acquire new methodological tools and expertise in using dialogue for educational and social purposes. The process of co-creating the curriculum, organising international training, and facilitating Public Dialogues will enhance their project management, pedagogical, and evaluation competences. The cooperation will also foster mutual learning between a newcomer organisation (AWR) and more experienced Erasmus+ actors (Radosas Idejas and PASOS), contributing to capacity building within the youth sector. As a result, all partners will be better equipped to design, manage, and disseminate transnational projects in the future, extending the life and influence of this initiative.

At the community level, the project will generate tangible benefits through the youth-led Public Dialogues and community actions implemented in the final phase. These events will engage young people, local authorities, educators, and citizens in meaningful discussions on topics relevant to their social and environmental realities. By encouraging participants to listen, reflect, and find common ground, the project will foster a culture of mutual understanding and civic responsibility in local communities. The dialogues will serve as practical examples of how respectful communication can bridge divisions and address social tensions. The final catalogue of pilot Public Dialogues will document these experiences and offer inspiration for replication, ensuring that the project’s impact continues through other schools, youth centres, and organisations. In the long term, the project will contribute to building communities that are more inclusive, cohesive, and democratic, where diversity is perceived as a resource rather than a barrier.

At the European level, Public Dialogue for Youth will promote cross-border cooperation and the exchange of innovative educational practices. It will demonstrate how dialogue-based education can strengthen European identity and social solidarity across different cultures and regions. The project will disseminate its results through European platforms such as SALTO, the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform, and Up2Europe, ensuring visibility and accessibility for organisations across the continent. In this way, it will contribute to the wider recognition of the Public Dialogue methodology as a valuable pedagogical and social innovation that supports the objectives of Erasmus+ and the European Education Area.

In terms of long-term sustainability and multiplier effect, the project is expected to have a lasting influence on both its direct participants and the wider youth sector. The newly trained facilitators and youth multipliers will continue to use the Public Dialogue approach in their future educational, professional, and civic activities, extending the project’s reach well beyond its completion date. Partner organisations will integrate the methodology into their ongoing programmes and may develop follow-up initiatives or partnerships inspired by the project’s results. Furthermore, the catalogue of pilot dialogues and the toolkit will remain as open-access resources that can be used by educators, trainers, and NGOs to replicate and adapt the approach in other contexts.

The project’s impact will be continuously monitored through a quality assurance system coordinated by AWR and supported by the Adminproject platform. Indicators such as the number of implemented dialogues, participant satisfaction, engagement rates, and social media reach will provide quantitative and qualitative evidence of success. Surveys conducted before and after training activities will measure improvements in participants’ competences, attitudes, and sense of civic engagement. The partners expect that at least eighty percent of participants will report increased confidence, communication skills, and understanding of social diversity.

Ultimately, the impact of the Public Dialogue for Youth project lies in its capacity to transform the way young people relate to one another and to society. By replacing confrontation with empathy, debate with dialogue, and division with understanding, the project nurtures a generation of active citizens capable of contributing to peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable communities across Europe. It strengthens both individual agency and collective responsibility, demonstrating that meaningful dialogue is not merely a method of communication, but a cornerstone of democratic life and social cohesion.

More info coming soon.

More details about the study visit to Poland will be available soon.

More details about the training programme delivered in Spain, Poland and Latvia will be available soon.

More details about further community actions in Spain, Poland, and Latvia will be available soon.

More details about the visit to Spain will be available soon.