Awero team
European Youth Goals Awards Winners
20 Dec, 03:24
The European Youth Goals Awards celebrate exceptional projects that empower young people to create meaningful change within their communities. This year’s awards spotlighted initiatives aligned with the 11 European Youth Goals, focusing on inclusivity, sustainability, youth participation, and innovation.
The jury evaluated projects based on their impact, creativity, and potential for long-term change. Three remarkable projects emerged as winners: The Starving Artist’s "Rural Revolt" and Madrid Outdoor Education’s "Ultreia Lab" (joint first place) and NextGen Advocates’ "The Future We Want" (third place).
Here’s a closer look at these innovative projects and the impact they’ve achieved.
Joint First Place: Rural Revolt by The Starving Artist
"Rural Revolt" amplified the voices of rural youth through an innovative art exhibition and collaborative workshops. Spearheaded by The Starving Artist in partnership with Young Scot and the European Youth Card Association, the project showcased the artistic expressions of young people from non-urban areas aged 18–26. It addressed issues such as geographic isolation, limited access to cultural opportunities, and the underrepresentation of rural voices in mainstream platforms, empowering participants to share their narratives and challenge stereotypes.
The creativity of the project shone through its use of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) installations, allowing visitors to experience the artwork in interactive and emotionally engaging ways. By combining traditional art forms with cutting-edge technology, the initiative reached a wider audience and gave rural youth a platform to express themselves in a powerful and modern medium.
Central to the project was the transformative Rural Youth Camp, held in Cazorla, Spain, where 50 young participants from across Europe worked on solutions to rural challenges through workshops and collaborative dialogue. These efforts culminated in a roadmap of recommendations presented to policymakers and local organisations.
Hailey Ciantar, a young curator and climate activist from Malta, brought sustainability to the heart of the initiative, ensuring that the artistic expressions remained rooted in community-driven change. One of the project’s young evaluators highlighted the strength of the project by saying: “the project places young people at the heart of its design.”
Joint First Place: Ultreia Lab by Madrid Outdoor Education
"Ultreia Lab," led by Madrid Outdoor Education, used outdoor education and theatre to empower young people aged 17–30, many of whom came from highly vulnerable backgrounds. The project spanned Spain, Italy, and Poland, with at least 50% of participants identified as having fewer opportunities, such as migrants, unemployed youth, and those facing economic hardships or intellectual disabilities.
The project’s innovative structure stood out. It involved three distinct phases: identifying community challenges through outdoor education in Spain, conducting local community actions, and evaluating and scaling solutions during a second mobility in Italy. Activities such as forum theatre workshops, peer evaluations, and intercultural events encouraged participants to take the lead in crafting solutions.
Creative highlights included organising events like community beach clean-ups and intercultural dinners, which brought together diverse groups and fostered a sense of community ownership. Participants also engaged with local policymakers through dynamic and interactive activities, ensuring their voices reached decision-makers.
With 154 participants directly engaged and over 200 more impacted through community outreach, "Ultreia Lab" exemplified the transformative power of experiential learning. One participant shared, "Through Ultreia, I found my voice and realised my power to create real change."
Third Place: The Future We Want by NextGen Advocates
NextGen Advocates’ "The Future We Want" focused on educating and mobilising young people aged 13–30 around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project targeted a diverse group of 50 participants from nine European countries, including youth from migrant backgrounds, those with physical disabilities, and individuals facing economic or geographical challenges.
Innovation and creativity were at the heart of this initiative. Participants used street theatre, music, quizzes, and interactive world maps during their campaign to engage communities in conversations about fast fashion’s environmental and ethical consequences. The creative content extended to a comprehensive set of campaign materials, including a Youth Manifesto, a policy brief, and an open letter, which were all developed collaboratively.
The highlight of the project was a three-week Transnational Caravan that visited 17 cities across Europe, where participants organised engaging street actions, met policymakers, and gathered petition signatures. The campaign’s grand finale in Brussels brought youth voices directly to European decision-makers, showcasing their commitment to a sustainable future.
By directly engaging with over 10,000 people through street campaigns and gathering 3,000 petition signatures to curb fast-fashion advertising, the project proved the power of youth advocacy. One participant noted, "This project showed me that activism can be fun, engaging, and deeply impactful."
A word from the jury:
Nerijus Kriaučiūnas, one of the jurors from the Cities of Learning Network, reflected on the winners:
"These projects demonstrate the power of youth-led initiatives in driving change. They embody the spirit of the European Youth Goals, tackling critical issues like sustainability, inclusion, and community resilience with creativity and determination."
This year’s winners of the European Youth Goals Awards highlight the incredible potential of young people to address pressing global challenges. Whether through art, outdoor education, or advocacy, they have demonstrated how innovative approaches can create lasting change. These projects inspire hope and action, proving that when youth are empowered, the possibilities are boundless.
To learn more about the European Youth Goals, visit the European Youth Goals Hub.
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