By Kaja Wehrhahn
Benicàssim, Spain | 25–26 September 2026
The European project Enhancing Youth Work Through Artificial Intelligence Approaches has reached the end of its first year! To reflect on the progress made so far, share experiences and prepare for the next stages of the project, partners gathered in Benicàssim, Spain, on 25 and 26 September 2026 for a two-day Evaluation Meeting.
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The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to look back at the work carried out during the first year, exchange ideas with our international partners and jointly explore how artificial intelligence can better support youth workers in their daily practice.
Day 1: Sharing experiences and identifying needs
On Friday, 25 September, the meeting began with status reports from each project partner.
These presentations offered valuable insights into the different approaches, activities and processes developed across the partnership. By sharing experiences and perspectives, partners strengthened their understanding of one another's work and opened up new opportunities for communication and collaboration.
A key part of the first day was the presentation of our survey results. These findings provided an important starting point for developing a needs analysis focused on how artificial intelligence can support youth workers. Understanding their needs, challenges and expectations is essential to ensuring that the project's activities and resources are relevant, practical and useful.
This exchange also helped us identify shared interests and consider how AI can contribute to innovative approaches in youth work while keeping the needs of young people and youth workers at the centre.
Day 2: Looking ahead to the next steps
On Saturday, 26 September, the focus shifted towards the future of the project. Building on the discussions and insights from the first day, partners explored the next steps and began looking ahead to the upcoming Training of Trainers (ToT) in Spain.
As the project enters the planning phase for this next milestone, the outcomes of the evaluation meeting will help guide the preparation of the training and ensure that the knowledge gained during the first year is put to good use.
The upcoming ToT in Spain will be another important opportunity to strengthen youth workers' competences, exchange good practices and explore the potential of artificial intelligence in non-formal education.
Moving forward together
The Evaluation Meeting in Benicàssim marked an important moment in our European cooperation. It allowed us to assess our progress, learn from our partners and establish a shared vision for the next phase of the project.
As we move forward, we remain committed to exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance youth work in meaningful, responsible and accessible ways. By working together across countries and sharing our knowledge and experiences, we can help create new opportunities for youth workers and young people in an increasingly digital world.
One year of collaboration, shared learning and new ideas and we are just getting started!
