Empowering Youth Through Social Circus: Cultivating Leadership and Inclusion Across Europe

forthcoming

Caravan is an international youth and social circus network. It is composed of 39 members among which 26 are members based in Erasmus + programme countries. These circus schools all advocate for the positive impact of circus in the field of youth and are all different shapes and sizes. Caravan is structured around 4 guiding principles and work packages. These form the common core for all Caravan members and all of Caravan’s work. The network acts as: 1. A Community for building capacity, solidarity and mutual aid
 2. An Expert in developing innovation and delivering increased quality in youth and circus education 3. A Catalyst for youth participation, youth leadership and civic participation
 4. An Advocate for a more fair, sustainable, recognised sector This proposal aims to strengthen the role of Caravan, the European network for youth and social circus, as a key civil society actor promoting inclusion, leadership, and engagement among young people across Europe. Through capacity building, policy engagement, knowledge sharing, and transnational cooperation, Caravan empowers youth—particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds—by supporting the professionalization of social circus as an innovative non-formal education method. Over the course of the Framework Partnership, Caravan will implement a coordinated work programme to: - Support the development of inclusive youth work practices, - Foster youth leadership and participation in democratic life, - Reinforce the capacity of its member organizations across Europe, - Contribute to EU policy objectives through structured dialogue and advocacy. The activities directly contribute to the objectives of the Erasmus+ Work Programme, particularly by enhancing the impact of youth organizations, promoting civic engagement, and ensuring the inclusion of all young people in European society.