DonateThe GENEQ project has officially launched!
BATIK International and its European partners have come together to collaboratively develop more inclusive tools and methods to support young people on their path to empowerment. A few weeks later, three young people from Marseille participated in the “Youth Voices from Rural Europe” event at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where they presented recommendations based on their own realities and experiences.
Two key moments that illustrate the project’s ambition: empowering young people and promoting more inclusive participation in decision-making forums across Europe.
GENEQ: Strengthening Equality and Youth Empowerment at the European Level
The GENEQ project officially kicked off in Marseille with a seminar bringing together the project’s European partners from France, Italy, and Spain. For four days, teams from BATIK International, Nexes Interculturals de Joves, Dedalus Cooperativa Sociale, the Les Bourrely Social Center, and the Ligue de l’enseignement 13 worked together toward a common goal: to develop more inclusive tools and practices to support young people on their path to independence.
This kickoff event provided an opportunity to share experiences from the field, toanalyze gender and inclusion issues in social and educational work, and collaboratively develop the project’s methodology. GENEQ’s goal is to sustainably strengthen the practices of youth workers in order to promote more equitable and inclusive participation by young people in various European contexts.
A few weeks later, this momentum continued in Strasbourg. On May 12 and 13, three young people from Marseille participated in the “Youth Voices from Rural Europe” event organized by the MFR at the European Parliament, alongside delegations from other European countries.
After preparatory work carried out with BATIK International and the Les Bourrely Social Center, they took part in workshops, discussions with European decision-makers, and the voting on recommendations addressing issues that directly affect young people.
Much more than just an institutional visit, this experience allowed them to transform their realities and personal experiences into concrete policy proposals. Understanding how European institutions work, speaking out in a political forum, and advocating for collective ideas are essential steps toward empowering young people and strengthening their role in decision-making processes.
Through GENEQ, BATIK International and its partners hope to continue developing spaces where young people can not only express themselves, but also become active agents of social and democratic change.