YES Forum - Empowering young people - READY - Raising EU Awareness through accessible Documents for Youth

Context:

The European Union as we know today is the result of seventy years of development and treaties. Although the treaties are translated into all the languages of the 27 member states of the EU, that does not ensure everyone understands the text. They are all written in “legalese”. So how do we ensure that the importance of the European Union is recognized by young people if its texts are far from their reality?

With READY we want to raise EU awareness in young people by making relevant provisions from EU treaties understandable to them. We want to raise literacy competencies in young people, so they can better understand the meaning of these treaties and the importance that they have over their lives.

Objectives:

READY aims at raising literacy competencies in young people, who are furthest away from political awareness.

The main objectives are:

To ensure that the language of the relevant provisions to young people present on European Union treaties and policies are accessible to them.
To bring young people closer to understand what the European Union is.
To trigger the interest of young people so they appropriate the text of EU treaties.
To promote knowledge of the real impact of the European Union in the daily life of EU citizens.
To foster a better quality youth work using innovative and creative approaches
To improve the skills and competencies of youth workers and future youth workers

Results

An easy-to-understand compilation of the most relevant provisions to young people from EU treaties. We have selected themes and topics which are significant in the everyday life of youth: Understanding the European Union, Non-discrimination and citizenship of the Union, Free movement of persons in the area of freedom, security and justice, Employability and social affairs, Environment and Euro.

The use of infographics is a powerful educational tool that can transmit complex information into visual easy-to-understand messages. For this reason, we have focused on creating infographics on complex EU themes with and for young people.

This publication gathers key messages and policy recommendations specifically aimed at youth and social workers, organisations, education institutions, and policymakers on a local, national, and EU level. The focus is on improving communication about the EU and its effects on daily life for young people.

Here you can reach and download complementary material that was produced by the READY project in addition to its main outputs.

Infographics

Here you can download and use all the infographics created as part of the “EU READY to SEE” publication.

English Croatian French German Greek Italian

Guidelines to create infographics

As part of the READY local activities, these guidelines were developed to create easy-to-understand and high-quality infographics for the use of young people and youth and social work professionals.

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Understanding the European Union

On 11-17 December, young people with diverse backgrounds met in Strasbourg to learn about Europe and the policies of the European Union on the one hand, and how to design efficient infographics on the other hand. They were brought together by the READY partners, coming from Croatia, France, Germany, Greece and Italy.

The training was designed to provide participants with the necessary knowledge to achieve the next steps in the READY project. However, the young participants learned and discovered a lot more as it was the first time abroad and/or participating in such an international meeting for many of them.

This first training focused on helping the participants understanding the European Union and its policies. They also prepared to design “youth-accessible” infographics during the next phase of the project!

Watch the video!

Strasbourg's training report

Explaining the EU with infographics

On 2-7 July, young participants and youth workers from Croatia, France, Germany, Greece and Italy met in Lucca to take a new step in the READY project together: finalise infographics explaining the European Union and draft recommendations to improve the European institutions' communication with young people.

The draft infographics that were first sketched in the Strasbourg Training, and then digitalised during local activities, were improved to create a set of “EU visuals” adapted to a young audience. The group feedback and the working sessions ensured that they are understandable for all.

The participants also agreed on several “Key Messages” intended to the European Union institutions, as a recipe to help these improve their own communication towards youth.

Watch the video!

Lucca's training report

Fostering discussions on inclusive communication

Multiplier event in Brussels (14 November 2023)

The YES Forum presented READY project’s results and activities in Brussels on 14 November, as part of an event attended by a diverse audience comprising young people, youth and social workers, civil society representatives, and the Member of the European Parliament, Salvatore De Meo.

The READY project aims to enhance the understanding of the European Union among young people. The collaborative efforts of youth and social work professionals and young people from project partner countries (Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, and Italy) have been instrumental at every stage.

This concept was also maintained at the event: young participants formed a dynamic panel together with the project coordinator and the trainer. The speakers not only explained the project but also showcased their active involvement in its development. The young representatives introduced examples of the infographics they created, explaining the learning and creative processes.

Exchanges with MEPs

Beyond project specifics, the session served as a platform to share the perspectives of young people on the European Union's communication strategies.

Salvatore De Meo, an Italian Member of the European Parliament, lent his presence to the discussion, contributing with an enriching political perspective. The exchange with him added depth to the discourse, offering valuable insights into the potential impact of such initiatives on the inclusion and active participation of young people in European political processes.

The session highlighted the project's achievements and underscored the significance of empowering young voices for a more inclusive and participatory European future.