• +30 6970072475
Facebook Linkedin

Social inclusion & Migration

Empowering Rural Youth

by

EMPOWER+ Empowering Rural Youth: Establishing and Strengthening the Rural Youth Parliament in Sub-Saharan Africa Project Name: EMPOWER+Programme: Erasmus+ Capacity Building in YouthPriorities: Empowering Youth and Strengthening Participation, Capacity Building of Youth Organizations, International Cooperation and Knowledge TransferProject ID: ERASMUS-YOUTH-2025-CB-SSA – 101243075Website: Coming soon Social media: Coming soon Duration: 24 monthsTopics: Green Transition and Sustainable Development, Inclusion and Diversity, Digital Transformation Project Description The EMPOWER+ project is aimed at fostering the development of rural youth parliaments in Sub-Saharan African countries, promoting youth participation in democratic processes, and ensuring that young people in rural areas are equipped with the skills and resources to contribute meaningfully to their communities and beyond. With partners from Europe and Africa, the project seeks to achieve objectives aligned with the EU Strategy, supporting non-formal learning and promoting engagement in rural development. Project Consortium Project Coordinator:ASOCIATIA GRUPUL DE ACTIUNE LOCALANAPOCA POROLISSUM – Romania Partners Connectus IKE – Greece A ROCCA – Italy CENTRES D’ENTRAINEMENT AUX METHODES D’EDUCATION ACTIVE DE MADAGASCAR – Madagascar Fédération des Maisons Familiales Rurales de Maurice et Rodrigues – Mauritius SYSTEM STRATEGY & POLICY LAB LTD – Nigeria Tlokweng District Council – Botswana JOSEPH MWELWA CONSULT PROPRIETARY LIMITED – Botswana Project Results WP1: Project Coordination, Management and Assessment WP2: Youth Policy Framework WP3: Youth Participation Activities (YPA) WP4: Impact and Dissemination Our role Connectus plays a central role as the leader of the Youth Policy Framework work package (WP2), the main mission of which is to build the foundation for establishing Rural Youth Parliaments in Sub-Saharan Africa. We are responsible for developing a comprehensive policy framework, mapping existing youth participation resources, and identifying best practices that can support rural youth engagement. We also coordinate the creation of an online repository and an interactive digital platform that will connect young people, policymakers, and organizations from Europe and Africa. Through these actions, Connectus ensures that the project has strong policy support, digital tools, and a sustainable structure to empower rural youth participation and democratic engagement. Impact The EMPOWER+ project aims to create a lasting impact by strengthening youth participation and democratic engagement in rural areas across Sub-Saharan Africa. By establishing Rural Youth Parliaments and connecting them with European partners, the project empowers young people to influence policies that affect their lives and communities. It promotes inclusion, digital transformation, and environmental awareness, ensuring that rural youth have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to become active citizens and agents of change. In the long term, EMPOWER+ contributes to building more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable rural societies through cooperation between Africa and Europe.

ARTIVISM

by

ARTIVISM Bridging Art and Migrant Voices for a Peaceful Future Project Name: ARTIVISMProgramme: Erasmus+Priorities: Promoting active citizenship, young people’s sense of initiative and youth entrepreneurship including social entrepreneurshipProject ID: Coming SoonWebsite: Coming soon Social media: Coming soon Duration: 25 monthsTopics: Creativity, arts and culture, Inclusion, promoting equality and non-discrimination, Reception and integration of refugees and migrant  Project Description Artivism is a creative initiative that uses art as a tool for activism and social change. Focused on empowering young migrants and refugees, the project fosters inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and self-expression through collaborative, arts-based activities. By creating safe, participatory spaces for artistic exploration, Artivism helps individuals navigate identity, build resilience, and connect across cultural divides. The project demonstrates how art can challenge discrimination, promote human rights, and strengthen democratic values—proving that creativity is not just a form of expression, but a powerful force for social transformation.  Project Consortium Project Coordinator:Traces&Dreams AB – Sweden Partners PRISM IMPRESA SOCIALE S.R.L. – Italy Connectus – Greece Fundacja Rozwoju Aktywnosci Miedzynarodowej i Edukacyjnej (FRAME) – Poland Grupo DSG Consultores, Formación e Innovación S. L. – Spain Project Results WP1: Project Management WP2: The Artivism gallery: Fostering connections and collective narratives across communities  WP3: Building Artivism: Art event management and artistic techniques for social change  WP4: Becoming Artist for peace: Implementation of local art-based events  WP5: Communication and Dissemination Our role Connectus plays a key role in the Artivism project by leading the development of digital solutions, communication strategies, and inclusive educational tools. With strong expertise in digital education and EU policy research, Connectus is responsible for creating the project’s online platforms and interactive resources, including digital galleries, pedagogical toolkits, and multimedia content that amplify the voices of young migrants and refugees.The organization also oversees the project’s branding, social media presence, and promotional campaigns, ensuring consistent messaging aligned with the project’s values of inclusion, diversity, and social justice. In addition, Connectus contributes to the design of training materials aimed at upskilling youth workers and supporting vulnerable groups, particularly in areas such as digital skills, entrepreneurship, and intercultural dialogue. Through its strategic and technical contributions, Connectus ensures that the project’s impact extends beyond physical events, creating sustainable, accessible tools that foster participation, learning, and long-term social change. Impact Artivism is designed to create lasting social impact by using art as a catalyst for inclusion, dialogue, and cultural understanding. Through creative engagement, the project supports young people—particularly those with migrant and refugee backgrounds—in expressing themselves, connecting with others, and feeling a stronger sense of belonging.  By fostering collaboration between communities, artists, and cultural practitioners, Artivism contributes to breaking down stereotypes, reducing social isolation, and building more inclusive, empathetic societies. Its approach not only enhances individual confidence and communication skills but also strengthens the social fabric by promoting mutual respect and intercultural exchange.  The project’s impact will be reflected in personal growth, stronger community ties, and a deeper recognition of art’s role in driving positive social change. Through ongoing reflection and assessment, Artivism aims to leave a sustainable legacy that inspires future initiatives at both local and international levels. 

UNITY: Uniting youth power against intolerance

by

UNITY Uniting youth power against intolerance​ Project Name: UNITY: Uniting youth power against intolerance​Programme: Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV)Priorities: Protecting EU values and rights by combating hate speech and hate crimeProject ID: 101213562-UNITY-CERV-2024-CHAR-LITIWebsite: https://unityproject.eu/ Social media: Coming soon Duration: 24 monthsTopics: Hate speech, hate crime, youth perpetrators, prevention of hate speech & hate crime, support for victims of hate speech & hate crime, policy development on hate speech & hate crime, awareness-raising Project Description This project tackles the rising challenge of hate speech and hate crime in six EU countries—Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Romania. Despite EU-level guidance, national responses remain limited, with gaps in legislation, victim support, education, and public awareness. The project takes a comprehensive approach, combining research, education, victim support, advocacy, and public campaigns. It aims to prevent hate among youth, support affected individuals and organisations, and promote stronger, more inclusive policies. Civil society plays a central role, both as a driver of change and as a group needing protection from hate-based threats. Project Consortium Project Coordinator:Bucovina – Romania Partners BOLD – Bulgaria Connectus – Greece EDUGEP – Portugal LSS – Netherlands Mvidee – Netherlands Open Education Hub – Belgium Project Results WP1: Project Management WP2: Knowledge and Education WP3: Support and Empowerment of Victims WP4: Multi-stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy WP5: Communication and Dissemination Our role Connectus will lead the WP4 that contains two activities from the call, namely supporting the enforcement of existing legislation and creating/activating national coalitions and action plans through effective advocacy and working with public authorities. We will help organize and facilitate coalition meetings, contribute to the creation of joint policy recommendations, and assist in planning and promoting advocacy events. Additionally, Connectus will play a key role in enabling cross-country collaboration and the exchange of best practices among project partners.  Also,  Connectus will host the second project meeting in Greece, welcoming two representatives from each partner organisation. The meeting will focus on reviewing the completed country studies, planning the next phases of the project, and sharing good practices on victim support, training, advocacy, and coalition building. Impact The project will build knowledge and capacity among experts, educators, CSOs, and policymakers to better understand and address hate speech and hate crime, particularly among youth. In the short term, it will improve access to data, educational resources, victim support services, and policy insights across six EU countries. Medium-term impacts include the use of these tools in real-world settings, stronger national coalitions, more informed policy proposals, and improved support systems for victims. In the long term, the project aims to reduce the prevalence of hate speech and hate crime, enhance victim protection, and contribute to greater social inclusion, equality, and respect for fundamental rights.

Mothers looking ahead!

by

Mothers looking ahead! Project Name: Mothers looking ahead!Programme: Erasmus+Priorities: 1. Creating upskilling pathways, improving accessibility and increasing take-up of adult education. 2. Improving the competences of educators and other adult education staff. 3. Inclusion and diversity in all fields of education, training, youth and sport.Project ID: 2022-2-SK01-KA220-ADU-000100115Website: https://motherslookingahead.comSocial media: LinkedIn – FacebookDuration: 01/02/2023-01/02/2025Topics: Creating upskilling pathways, improving accessibility and increasing take-up of adult education, Improving the competences of educators and other adult education staff , Inclusion and diversity in all fields of education, training, youth and sport. Project Description The problem of mothers dropping out of education and facing difficulties in going back to education or training or entering the labour market with low qualifications is still a larger scale problem in Europe. The evidence suggests that being a mother usually means less education and lower future family income. International Labour Organisation statistics show a trend that basic and intermediate levels of education for women are associated with lower and declining employment over time. The high rates of unemployed mothers in Europe as well as the drops outs from education inspired us to create the Mothers Looking Ahead project which aims to create support measures for mothers who are not in education or training (also mothers who come from marginalised communities whether they be ethnic minorities, migrant communities or in many instances the general wider community) for them to get back to education and training and improve their chances in (re)entering the labour market and education in the new norma that Covid-19 has created with the distance learning and working. Mothers Looking Ahead will support educational and professional inclusion of mothers, by pursuing (raising their motivation) to rethink to re-entrer education or training in the new era of trainings provided in Europe by providing them support services (including career orientation, empowerment, motivation, soft skills, basic digital skills, job preparation training) to continue and finish the education or training and find a job. Project Consortium Project Coordinator:Newport Group, a.s- Slovakia Partners The Square Dot team – Belgium Connectus – Greece Spectrum Research Centre CLG- Ireland Rightchallenge Associação – Portugal Project Results WP1 – Project Management WP2 – Development of a framework for the establisment of the motivational programme for supporting the educational and professional inclusion of mothers WP3 – Development of training curriculum for the design and delivery of the Mothers looking ahead motivational programme WP4 – Delivery of a series of transnational mentoring forum in project countries WP5 – Dissemination and Exploitation Activities Our role — Impact The Mothers looking ahead project will benefit all partners active in educational programms of reskilling/upskilling of their trainers/staff/educators are going to participate both during the identification and the design of the training materials and its testing application combined with the implementation of the transnational mentoring forum enabling to broaden into the developed materials and transfer them to their trainings in their daily work through training their own staff and to investigate potential areas of establishing it. Other groups or organisations that will benefit; Mothers (either mothers who wishing to pursue a career in self-employment/entrepreneurs or find a job or looking into further professional development – with a special focus on mothers with fewer opportunities, living in rural and remote areas, facing socio-economic difficulties or any other potential source of discrimination and those with a migrant background) -Adult trainers/tutors/career coaches Secondary target groups: -Stakeholders and policy makers in the field of women integration into EU education and labor market -Training organisations and trainers in professional development and entrepreneurship (incl.VET, formal and non-formal training providers) -Organisations promoting women employability and entrepreneurship/self-employment (public, private,third sector of economy, including local and regional authorities at governmental level

EMBRACE

by

EMBRACE Project Name: EMBRACE Programme: Erasmus+Priorities: 1. Increasing quality, innovation and recognition of youth work. 2. Environment and fight against climate change.Project ID: 2022-3-LT02-KA210-YOU-000094023Website: https://www.embrace-climate.eu/Social media: Facebook page l LinkedIn pageDuration: 01/02/2023 – 01/06/2024 Topics: Green skills, New learning and teaching methods and approaches, Physical and mental health, Well-being. Project Description The EMBRACE project aims to better understand the feelings, thoughts, and impacts associated with climate change among young people (aged 16-29) in Lithuania, Italy, and Greece and to equip youth workers (educators, social workers, teachers, and others) with the necessary knowledge, skills, tools, and competencies to properly educate and prepare young people to tackle climate anxiety. Project Consortium Project CoordinatorART+INN – Lithuania Partners Connectus M.IKE – Greece CULTUM – Italy Project Results Activity 1 Project management and coordination Activity 2 ‘EMBRACE’ analysis of youth’s emotions in relation to climate change Activity 3 ‘EMBRACE’ digital map of EU and local climate action measures and best practices Activity 4 ‘EMBRACE’ microteaching modules for youth workers Our role CONNECTUS, will merge all the information into one final international state-of-art report, which will be translated into all partner languages under activity 1. Connectus will also contribute to develop a centralised digital map of EU and national climate action tools and best practices in Lithuania, Italy and Greece as well as to the development of the 45 microteaching modules based on joint analysis, implementation of training activities for youth workers and the final conference. Impact 300 young people (aged from 16 to 29) will be surveyed in partner countries to develop state-of-the-art report, ‘EMBRACE’ digital map will be created, consisting of at least 45 strategies, initiatives, and best practices from EU and partners countries, 45 microteaching modules for youth workers will be developed, 30 youth workers from partner countries will take part in national training events, 45 youth workers outside the partnership, will take part in the final online conference.

Activism Against Ableism

by

Activism Against Ableism Fostering political participation and activism of differently abled young citizens Project Name: Fostering political participation and activism of differently abled young citizens Programme: Erasmus+Priorities: 1. Inclusion and diversity in all fields of education, training, youth and sport. 2. Common values, civic engagement and participation. 3. Promoting active citizenship, young people’s sense of initiative and youth entrepreneurship including socialentrepreneurship.Project ID: 2022-1-DE04-KA220-YOU-000087327Website: https://aaa-eu.euSocial media: Facebook page l Instagram l TwitterDuration: 01/09/2022 to 31/08/2024 Topics: Promoting active citizenship, young people’s sense of initiative and youth entrepreneurship including social entrepreneurship. Project Description Activism Against Ableism aims to foster social awareness on ableism and the challenges it creates for differently abled people preventing discrimination and fostering inclusion, empower Young European citizens with disability to become socially/politically active, promote their advocacy activism regarding disability policies through collaborative/participatory strategies, train youth workers on these strategies, develop networks to foster awareness and inclusive intervention and influence policymaking in the area. Project Consortium Project Coordinatoriserundschmidt GmbH – Germany Partners Rightchallenge – Associação – Portugal FUTURE IN PERSPECTIVE LIMITED – Ireland Exeo Lab Srl – Italy SYNTHESIS CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION LIMITED – Cyprus Connectus M.IKE – Greece AYUNTAMIENTO DE QUART DE POBLET – Spain Project Results WP1 Project Management WP2 Establishment of a European network and National ecosystems WP3 Methodology to promote the political participation of differently abled young citizens WP4 Activism Against Ableism” for youth workers WP5 Promoting “Activism Against Ableism”   Our role CONNECTUS will be responsible for the development of the quality assurance plan which will map out strategies to monitor and assess the quality of project activities and results, ensuring they respond to participants’ needs and so promoting the project’s impact potential under WP1. Connectus has expertise in curricula development for vulnerable populations, digital education tools and project management and so will be the leader of WP4 – Activism Against Ableism for youth workers and will work on creating the Handbook. Impact Activism Against Ableism will foster social awareness on disability and ableism by supporting Young European citizens with disability to become socially and politically active, promoting their participation and activism regarding disability policies and challenging social, cultural and employment policies that favour ableism – the discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities that favours able bodied people. It also aims to prevent discrimination and to promote the empowerment, civic engagement and political participation of youth, focusing on differently abled young people to contribute to policymaking in this area.

Copyright 2022 – Connectus

Privacy policy • Cookie policy • Disclaimer • Terms and Conditions • Child protection policy