Caritas Finland is participating in the Youth Empowerment for a Stronger Europe (YES) project, which aims to increase young people’s participation in democratic processes at both the local and European levels. The project particularly focuses on empowering young people from vulnerable backgrounds, such as those with migrant backgrounds, members of ethnic minorities, or those at risk of social exclusion, by providing them with the tools, skills, and opportunities to engage in social issues, develop social innovations, and promote their implementation.
Now the call of Youth Advocates for YES project is open. “We are looking for 3-4 volunteers to join us in this project. During the project, we will visit Prague, Berlin & Brussels. All travel costs (flight tickets, accommodation & food) will be covered by EU!” says project coordinator Meisa Dano.
Apply as soon as possible by June 17th. Read more about appication process here. YES-project Call for youth advocates
The YES project is coordinated by Caritas Czech Republic. Other partners include Caritas Europa, Caritas Slovenia, Caritas Finland, and the YES Forum. The project is grounded in core EU values: human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, and human rights – values that are also strongly endorsed by the Caritas network. The project seeks to amplify young people’s voices and encourages them to build a more just and inclusive Europe.
Caritas Finland is responsible for producing the final report of the project’s Young Advocates network and plays an active role in supporting youth advocacy. In this project, Meisa Dano serves as the project coordinator and the youth expert Elina Tuusa started her job in the beginning of July. They support young people through training, campaigns, and international collaboration.
The project’s activities are structured into work packages to ensure the effective implementation of its goals:
WP2 – Social Innovation Academy: Development of tools to support youth-led social impact and a training for young people to be held in Prague in autumn 2025.
WP3 – Youth Advocates: Building a youth advocacy network and organizing a training in Berlin in spring 2026. In addition, young people will lead local and national campaigns and engage with policymakers.
WP4 – Communication and Visibility: Led by Caritas Europa, this work package focuses on sharing the project’s activities and results. All partners contribute to content creation and dissemination, and young people themselves are involved in producing content, especially on social media.
Upcoming highlights include the training sessions in Prague and Berlin, a visit to the European Parliament in Brussels in 2026, and the project’s closing conference in Helsinki in spring 2027.
The YES project builds bridges between young people, youth work professionals, and decision-makers. It offers concrete pathways for youth to participate, influence, and create change – together and in a sustainable way. Follow the project’s progress and help support young voices for a more just and inclusive Europe!
