Learning together: European youth and education projects meet in Copenhagen 

These were some of the questions discussed at a recent kick-off seminar organised by Villum Foundation for the recipients of the 2026 Enabling Capable Citizens grants. 

The six projects, based in France and Italy, have received a total of EUR 5.4 million to equip young people with the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to participate actively in society. 

The seminar brought the grantees together at the beginning of their projects, giving them the opportunity to get to know one another, exchange knowledge and approaches explore synergies and reflect on what they hope to achieve. 

Opening the seminar, Nicolas Schunck, Grant Area Director for European youth and education at Villum Foundation, outlined the ambition behind bringing the projects together: 

“We want you to get to know each other and have the opportunity to reflect together on what you want to achieve and how to get there. Our long-term goal is to support systemic change that can make a real difference for young people across Europe beyond the individual projects.” 

Giving young people a voice 

The six projects work with young people in very different local and educational contexts, but they share an emphasis on inclusive, practical, hands-on learning and active participation. 

Many stressed the importance of working with young people rather than for young people and ensuring that the young people themselves take part in identifying the problems, developing ideas and creating solutions. 

In Italy, LEARN2ACT, led by CESVI Fondazione, is working with a number of local partners to engage students in developing solutions to environmental challenges. Its approach is designed to move from knowledge to action, ultimately giving young people the opportunity to develop and test their own ideas. 

In Grigny, one of France’s poorest cities, the Learning Planet Institute is developing an Educational Success Lab that brings young people’s perspectives into education and wider decision-making. They also strive to serve as a convener between youth movements, teachers, municipalities and other actors, all the way up to the UN. 

As Asma Berkane, Partnership Manager at Learning Planet Institute, said: “We try to bring youth engagement and vision into the world of philanthropy.” 

Using environmental activities to build engagement and trust 

A challenge shared by several of the projects is a lack of trust in the education system among students and their families. 

“Children don’t believe in school, they don’t believe in authorities,” said Mariagiulia Manzella, Project Manager at Per Esempio ETS and representative of the Urban Roots project in Italy. 

Working with pupils from five neighbourhood schools, their teachers and families, the project seeks to address educational inequality and social vulnerability in Palermo’s Albergheria district. As part of their activities, the project organises week-long stays in nature, using non-formal learning to strengthen students’ motivation and environmental awareness. 

“These kinds of activities bring them closer to school,” stressed Mariagiulia Manzella. 

Adriana Di Conca from Plastic Free, one of the partners in LEARN2ACT, sees similar potential in engaging young people by involving them in concrete, environmental actions: 

“Environmental education goes beyond providing knowledge. It is about developing a shared pedagogical approach that fosters youth agency. A clean-up, for example, is a simple way for students to make a tangible contribution and develop a sence of ownership over their local environment.” 

Teachers and schools under pressure 

Another challenge raised across the projects is the pressure already facing schools and teachers. Participants discussed the risk of new initiatives being perceived as simply “one more project” by teachers who are already stretched. 

The projects are therefore developing the activities together with teachers and exploring ways to integrate new approaches into existing teaching rather than adding another layer of extracurricular activity.

Another example of how to reduce some of the pressure on schools came from Urban Roots. The project has established helpdesks that create a bridge between schools and the public healthcare system. The aim is to help schools refer children and families in critical situations to relevant public services, including the paediatric hospital. 

As Mariagiulia Manzella explained: 

“Today, there is no direct link between the schools and the public healthcare system. If the school does not have support from the outside, it’s difficult.” 

When it comes to engaging teachers who are already stretched, Francesca Napoletano from Istituto Universitario Pratesi highlighted the importance of starting small. Representing the project Social-Emotional Learning: A Systemic Framework for Developing Capable Citizens in Calabria, she explained that building trust with teachers is central to introducing new approaches in schools. 

“The key is trust. Usually, you will find two or three highly motivated teachers, and then you can expand to other teachers. Subsequently, you can involve more and more teachers in active training designed not only to strengthen their professional skills and social and emotional competencies, but also to ensure that they become partners in the research process. This helps them remain motivated to continue as researchers even beyond the project and to feel part of a professional community that learns and cares,” she said.

Turning individual projects into lasting change 

A final challenge running through the seminar was how to demonstrate impact and ensure that promising approaches continue to create value beyond the lifetime of an individual project. 

Evaluation, knowledge sharing, teacher resources and training and building alliances with other organisations are among the ways the projects hope to extend their impact and contribute to broader change. 

But the discussion also highlighted another important aspect of learning: being open about what does not work. 

As Pramod Kumar Shamar, Senor Director of education at the Foundation for Environmental Education pointed out, learning also means being open about what does not work. Through the project Capable Youth, Connected Communities, the organisation works to empower young people across France and Italy to become active changemakers in their schools and communities. 

“Learning is also about looking at our failures too. Often, we just look at success. But it is equally important to look at the things that did not work and evolve in every iteration,” he said.  

Offering an opportunity for the participants to do just that, the seminar was the first step in creating a community of learning among the projects, as they move from plans into practice.  

Read more about all six projects here: Supporting youth engagement and skills development in France and Italy | Villum Fonden