Youth Network

A UNIQUE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
OF local CHANGEMAKERS

The ACT NOW Youth Network

The ACT NOW Youth Network is a community of young citizens from Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa between the ages of 18 and 30. The network provides young people with the necessary tools to become local changemakers and support them in their common goal of strengthening social cohesion and improving how we live together in communities, as well as taking action against division and polarisation.

JOIN the Network NOW!

#actnowyouth

Throughout the year, the network offers free sessions for all the knowledge and skills young changemakers need to turn their ideas into reality, make themselves heard and get their projects off the ground. Members are invited to participate in a variety of free interactive workshops, training sessions, networking and exchange opportunities as well as other events and activities.

We decide together which topics we want to discuss, what skills we want to learn, what stories we want to hear. In free monthly workshops, we learn new tools and share knowledge to be better equipped in improving our living together and develop solutions for our communities.

our mission

Strengthening Democracy: By giving young people a voice and involving them at a young age, the willingness to engage later on increases, and it helps them establish a connection between their lives and democratic processes and institutions (e.g. participation and democratic discourse).
Fostering innovative political problem-solving and new approaches by bringing together young people with decision-makers to share ideas, perspectives and experiences.
By supporting young people in actively shaping local circumstances and letting them experience this inclusive and cohesive community, we hope to not only inspire the politics of tomorrow – but also the politicians of tomorrow.

our actions

Education

Members participate in a variety of free training activities to develop and improve their skills, and learn from each other, experienced trainers and our pool of best practices.

training Activities

The activities are designed to prepare, support and guide members in relation to their goal of initiating local action, engaging in dialogue with decision-makers and advocating for their pressing issues and needs.

Experiencing democracy and participation

The network provides its members with opportunities to become engaged, exchange points of view and have their voices heard. The network also organises dialogue events where members can engage with politicians, experts and civil society representatives on an equal footing.

Encounters

Members meet virtually, physically, locally and globally to share ideas and experiences with each other, with decision-makers and civil society experts, which builds up their international contacts and enhances their opportunities. They become part of an international community, receive support, become inspired, gain knowledge and make friends.

Hands-on support

Members receive support and assistance with their own initiatives in their communities through access to the networks’ expertise and pool of best practices.

our voices

The atmosphere during the programme was great! Fun and hard work go hand in hand, and during the ACT NOW Youth Programme there was a good combination of both. I met many great young people!

This ACT NOW Youth Programme not only taught me ways to share my voice through a series of group activities, but it also connected me with young people all over Europe with similar interests in change-making! I enjoyed the programme as it was perfectly suited for people my age with lots of bonding time and don't forget the pizza of course ;). It's so important that there are programmes like this that are accessible to young people and encourage us to be a changemaker in our communities!

The ACT NOW Youth Programme was a call for action, showing us that there is no specific moment to wait for to voice our ideas, because the moment is NOW! Activists, politicians, and young people from different countries presented their grassroots initiatives in this shared and international space. It was the communication achieved through this interactive environment that equipped us, the participants, with practical ideas to bring back and implement in our respective communities!

Apart from gaining knowledge and interacting with people with different mindsets and different cultural backgrounds, attending the ACT NOW Youth Programme in Vienna was an excellent opportunity to make our voices heard for peace, for bringing communities together, and for resolving conflict. One of the things that impressed me the most was the space that was given to the young participants; bearing in mind that youth has a tremendous ability to create meaningful social change in the world.