LEADERS FOR CHANGE: YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOPING IDEAS FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE EUROPE

By Cesta rozvoje/ILÊWASI

 

From 14 to 23 February 2026, Cesta rozvoje organised the international Youth Participation Activity Leaders for Change, bringing together 30 young people from the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Spain and Portugal for an intensive learning journey in Ochoz u Brna and Brussels. 

 

 

 

The project was designed as a space where young people could not only learn about European democracy, but also actively experience it. During the first part of the programme in Ochoz u Brna, participants built an international learning community and engaged in non-formal educational activities focused on civic engagement, inclusion and leadership. In the second part, the group travelled to Brussels, where they connected their reflections to the real environment of European institutions.

 

One of the highlights of the project was the visit to the European Commission, where participants attended two sessions that helped them better understand how the European Union works in practice and how equality policies are developed. 

 

What made this project particularly meaningful was that it did not end with reflection alone. Participants worked in international teams and produced a set of policy proposals 

The project also showed how international learning can widen perspectives. By bringing together participants from five countries with different backgrounds and experiences, Leaders for Change created space for dialogue that was both personal and political.

 

 

Our team share great moments in this YE as the typical intercultural night.

 

Participants’ policy proposals

 

During the final simulation, participants worked in international teams to develop policy proposals on inclusion, participation and equality.   The result was not only a stronger understanding of European institutions and democratic processes, but also a deeper reflection on equality, dignity and belonging in contemporary Europe.

 

 

We have included a link to our radio programme in VOX UJI which features testimonies from the Spanish participants in the project. 

https://www.radio.uji.es/play.php?tipo=P&id=29123 

 

 Leaders for Change was more than an international mobility project. 

 

 

 

Acknowledgement
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Czech National Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.