European Understanding - Mobilising Awareness through Training, Trust, Engagement, and Representation

forthcoming

EU-MATTER (European Understanding - Mobilising Awareness through Training, Trust, Engagement, and Representation) is a transnational civic education and engagement initiative addressing the rising disconnection of young people from the EU's institutions, policies, and democratic life. Anchored in a growing awareness of declining political participation, distrust in institutions, and the spread of Euroscepticism and disinformation among youth, EU-MATTER aims to bridge the gap between young citizens and the EU by fostering civic literacy, critical thinking, and structured dialogue on EU priorities and values. The project targets young people aged 18–29, including at least 30% from vulnerable backgrounds (e.g., NEETs, rural communities, youth with disabilities or migrant heritage), and is implemented by a consortium of NGOs, CSOs, and educational institutions from 7 countries (Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Spain, Serbia, and Albania). EU-MATTER is structured in two sequential phases. Phase 1 focuses on theoretical grounding through blended seminars on EU institutions, policymaking, policy areas, civic participation, and democratic resilience. These 5 thematic seminars—delivered in-person in each partner country—are interactive, expert-led, and supported by tailored visual and digital learning materials. Phase 2 adopts an experiential approach, engaging participants in a series of national Policy Labs, culminating in a 3-day transnational Civic Hackathon in Naples. Through co-design, simulations, and collaborative drafting of policy proposals, young participants are empowered to rethink EU policy from a youth perspective and share their vision for Europe’s future. A digital platform will host training content, a Civic Barometer, an AI chatbot, and a Digital Agora for cross-border debate, while a strategic focus will be placed on youth-oriented communication strategy, through popular format including podcasts, reels a documentary and memes.