YouthVoices Insights Report is Out!

We are proud to share the findings of our latest research report:

YouthVoices Insights: Understanding Young Perspectives on Politics and EU Awareness

Developed within the Erasmus+ KA210-YOU project YouthVoices: Empowering Political Engagement, this report brings together research conducted in Denmark, Spain and Greece through focus groups and an innovative emoji-based emotional analysis.

What did we discover?

Across countries, young people are:
• Interested in politics — but disillusioned
• Motivated by justice, fairness, and societal impact
• Lacking confidence in their political knowledge
• Frustrated with national politics and political polarization
• Emotionally distant from EU institutions — yet strongly positive about EU youth opportunities like Erasmus+ and ESC

One of the most striking findings:
– Political content triggered anger, fatigue, and distrust.
– EU mobility opportunities triggered enthusiasm, hope, and excitement.

This contrast tells us something important:

Young people do not reject democracy, but they reject systems that feel distant, complex, or unresponsive.

The report directly informs the development of the upcoming YouthVoices Learning Program, designed to:

– Rebuild democratic self-confidence
– Simplify political and EU processes
– Strengthen media literacy and critical thinking
– Create safe spaces for dialogue
– Connect EU values with everyday life

This research confirms that youth are not apathetic, they are searching for meaningful, accessible ways to engage.

We invite policymakers, educators, youth workers, and organizations to explore the findings and join the conversation on how to strengthen youth civic participation across Europe.

Read the full report here