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Meet Liofyllo, YOUTHSoftPOWER’s WP3 Leader! (30.08.2026)
12 August | International Youth Day (30.08.2026)
We have created this News Page to share with you our international collaborations and achievements within the scope of Erasmus+ projects. Here, you can follow important updates about the projects we are running, developments in the Erasmus+ program, and global news related to this field.
ROMA-GEM Eğitim Programı Eylül 2026'da Başlıyor: Bağlanın, Öğrenin ve Güçlenin
Eylül 2026'da ROMA-GEM projesi, İspanya, Bulgaristan, Yunanistan ve Türkiye'de uygulanacak kapsamlı üç günlük bir Güçlendirme ve Girişimcilik Eğitim Programı aracılığıyla genç Roman kadınları ve topluluk mentorlarını bir araya getirecektir. Erasmus+ KA220-YOU projesi “Roma Kızlarının Mentorluk Yoluyla Güçlendirilmesi – ROMA-GEM” (Proje No. 2025-1-ES02-KA220-YOU-000357478) çerçevesinde geliştirilen eğitim programı, katılımcıların özgüvenlerini, girişimci zihniyetlerini, dijital yetkinliklerini ve pratik planlama becerilerini güçlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Ulusal eğitim faaliyetleri, katılımcıların deneyimlerini paylaşabilecekleri, kişisel güçlü yönlerini belirleyebilecekleri, girişimcilik fırsatlarını keşfedebilecekleri ve topluluklarının ihtiyaçlarına cevap veren pratik fikirler geliştirebilecekleri kapsayıcı, destekleyici ve etkileşimli bir öğrenme ortamı sağlayacaktır.
Meet Liofyllo, YOUTHSoftPOWER’s WP3 Leader!
Based in Patras, Greece, Liofyllo connects sustainability, social innovation & education, leading the Youth Advocacy Guide and youth-focused training resources.
12 August | International Youth Day
12 August | International Youth Day Young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow — they are shaping change today. Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals requires more than knowledge. It also requires the skills to communicate ideas, work with others, understand different perspectives, question misinformation and turn concerns into action. Through YouthSOFTPOWER, young people strengthen key soft skills such as: Communication Teamwork Empathy Critical thinking Leadership These skills help young people participate more actively, advocate for fairer communities and contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable future. Which skill will you use to create positive change? Choose one and put it into action this week.
Blending Digital Learning & Mentoring for Young Roma Women
In ROMA-GEM, learning does not stop when the workshop ends. A core element of Work Package 4 (WP4) is creating a continuous, supportive learning environment that extends well beyond face-to-face sessions. Through a blended approach, we combine digital tools with hands-on support to ensure young Roma women receive ongoing guidance, motivation, and community encouragement throughout their development journey. What Makes the WP4 Learning Model Unique? Our approach relies on four interconnected pillars: ? E-Learning Platform Access: Flexible digital modules designed to reinforce workshop concepts. ? Continuous Mentoring & Peer Support: Ongoing connection with mentors and fellow participants. ? Interactive Discussion & Reflection: Spaces to exchange ideas, give feedback, and reflect on personal progress. ? Practical & Gamified Tools: Engaging learning formats that turn complex concepts into actionable skills. More Than an Online Course: A Guided Learning Hub The ROMA-GEM platform is designed as an interactive hub for confidence-building, business idea development, active participation, and long-term empowerment. By integrating workshops, e-learning, and mentorship, WP4 enables participants to: Build Practical Skills: Master key concepts in business and digital literacy. Develop Ideas: Turn creative insights into concrete project proposals. Grow in Confidence: Gain the agency and self-assurance needed to lead. Stay Connected: Remain an active part of an inclusive learning community. Together, we are building a stronger ecosystem of inclusion, education, and opportunity. Join the Conversation Do you believe mentoring can make a lasting difference in a young person’s future? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
WP4 Is Now in Action in ROMA-GEM: Empowering Young Roma Women Through Learning and Mentorship
As ROMA-GEM enters its final implementation phase, Work Package 4 (WP4) is bringing together learning, empowerment, entrepreneurship and mentorship through a practical three-day training programme for young Roma women and girls. The training programme is designed to strengthen participants’ personal, entrepreneurial and digital competences while encouraging them to develop and transform their own ideas into concrete actions. The programme consists of six interconnected modules: Personal Empowerment and Entrepreneurial Mindset – developing self-confidence, motivation and an entrepreneurial perspective. Social and Green Entrepreneurship – exploring how entrepreneurial ideas can contribute to social inclusion and environmental sustainability. Digital Skills for Entrepreneurs – strengthening participants’ ability to use digital tools and technologies in entrepreneurial contexts. Fundamentals of Business Planning – introducing the key elements of developing and structuring a business idea. Financial Literacy and Sustainability – developing basic financial knowledge and understanding the principles of sustainable entrepreneurship. From Idea to Action – supporting participants in transforming their ideas into practical and achievable steps. The training follows a non-formal education, active participation and experiential learning approach. Rather than focusing only on theoretical knowledge, participants are encouraged to learn through workshops, practical activities, reflection, teamwork and peer interaction. Mentoring support is also an important element of the programme, creating a safe, inclusive and encouraging learning environment where young Roma women and girls can strengthen their confidence, identify their potential and explore opportunities for their personal and professional futures. Through WP4, ROMA-GEM aims to move beyond knowledge transfer and create opportunities for learning to become action. By combining entrepreneurship, digital competences, financial literacy, green and social perspectives, the programme supports participants in taking meaningful steps towards greater empowerment and participation. The three-day training represents an important stage in the ROMA-GEM journey, helping young Roma women and girls develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to shape their own ideas and future opportunities.
Democracy Matters to Gen Z
Ukraine’s young generation has a deep commitment to democratic values and civic rights. They highly value living in a democracy and having a say in decision-making – even as they push for improvements in how that democracy functions. Over 91% of Ukrainian youth say that living in a democratic country is important to them. ?? Likewise, 84.4% agree that citizens should have the right to influence national and local decisions. This strong pro-democracy stance comes despite low satisfaction with the status quo – only about 27% are satisfied with the current state of democracy in Ukraine, indicating youth want a better functioning democracy.
Youth Back European Future
Ukrainian youth overwhelmingly support European integration and values — they see their future aligned with Europe and view EU membership as a pathway to peace, democracy, and new opportunities An impressive 83% of young Ukrainians support Ukraine joining the European Union ??. This near-consensus shows how strongly the youth aspire to a European future — reflecting core European values of democracy, freedom, and cooperation (For context, youth support remains extremely high, only slightly down from 84% the year before.)
YouthSOFTPOWER Partners Gathered in Greece for the Second In-Person Transnational Meeting
The YouthSOFTPOWER project partners came together in Greece on 9–10 June 2026 for the project’s second in-person transnational meeting, hosted by Liofyllo Social Cooperative Enterprise. Over two intensive and productive days, the partnership continued its joint work to empower young people across Europe by strengthening their soft skills, increasing their awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, and encouraging active participation in global and local development processes through ODA-related learning. The meeting brought together representatives from the partner organisations: Consulta Europa from Spain as project coordinator, University of La Laguna from Spain, Ecological Innovation Association – ECO-IN from Türkiye, Keuropa ry from Finland, West Ukrainian National University – WUNU from Ukraine, and Liofyllo Social Cooperative Enterprise from Greece as the host organisation. During the meeting, partners reviewed the progress achieved so far and discussed the next steps for the development of the project’s main educational and communication outputs. A key focus of the discussions was the design of the Youth Advocacy Guide, which will support young people in understanding advocacy, civic engagement, participation, and the role they can play in promoting sustainable and inclusive change in their communities. Another important topic was the development of the SDG Digital Toolkit, which will provide practical learning materials and resources related to the Sustainable Development Goals. Partners exchanged ideas on how to make the toolkit accessible, youth-friendly and useful for educators, youth workers and young participants. The discussions also focused on how to connect the toolkit with real-life examples, interactive learning methods and digital tools that can encourage young people to take action. The partnership also worked on the planning of new dynamic digital content, including podcasts, vlogs, webinars and short videos. These materials will be designed to reach young audiences in an engaging and creative way, while raising awareness about soft skills, sustainability, youth participation and global responsibility. Partners discussed possible formats, themes, target groups and dissemination strategies to ensure that the content will be attractive, inclusive and easy to use across different national contexts. In addition, the meeting included detailed discussions on the future digital educational platform of the project. The platform will host learning resources, educational materials and interactive content developed within YouthSOFTPOWER. It is expected to serve as an open and accessible space for young people, educators and youth organisations interested in strengthening skills, promoting SDG awareness and supporting active citizenship. The two-day meeting also created an important opportunity for partners to strengthen cooperation, clarify responsibilities and align their work plans for the upcoming project period. Through collaborative sessions, partners exchanged views, shared experiences and contributed to the planning of the next project activities.
Development of the Digital Mentoring and Empowerment Hub
The ROMA-GEM partnership is currently implementing Work Package 4, focusing on the development of the Digital Mentoring and Empowerment Hub - an online learning platform that will serve as the project's central educational environment. The platform will host all learning resources developed throughout the project, including educational videos, interactive quizzes, learning games, the Training Curriculum, and the Mentorship Toolkit. To maximise accessibility and impact, all materials will be translated into the languages of the project partners and made available through the platform. The Digital Mentoring and Empowerment Hub will become a key resource for the upcoming pilot training activities, which will be organised in the partner countries—Bulgaria, Spain, Türkiye, and Greece. During these training sessions, participants will have the opportunity to explore the platform, engage with its learning resources, and strengthen their knowledge, skills, and confidence through innovative educational and mentoring activities. By providing open access to high-quality multilingual educational materials, the platform will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the ROMA-GEM project and support the empowerment, education, and social inclusion of young Roma girls and women across Europe. Learn more about the ROMA-GEM project: https://romagemprojecteu.com/
