A group of young African people holding hands in the middle of a circle.

Co-creating an inclusive and youth-responsive society in Africa and Europe.

Co-creating an inclusive and youth-responsive society in Africa and Europe.

About

AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective is a four-year initiative, part of the AU-EU Youth Lab programme, that fosters a more youth-responsive and inclusive society in Africa and Europe. It is implemented by an international consortium with youth-led and youth-informed work expertise, including Oxfam, Restless Development, Search for Common Ground, Youthmakers Hub, and ComDev Africa.

AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective envisions a society where youth engagement, empowerment, and connection drive policy-making, partnerships, and decision-making. Operations are continent-wide, and the strategies involve youth and decision-makers from all 54 African countries, targeting 14 Intervention Countries in Africa and 1 in Europe for in-person activities.

A map with all the countries that the project is operating in Europe and in Africa. More specifically the countries are: Belgium, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Key Opportunities

We are developing the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab App, which serves as a virtual mirror of the collective and builds on input from 10,000 young people, tailored to their needs and priorities.

The Youth Voices Third-Party-Funding Mechanism (YV-TPFM) supports youth-led advocacy initiatives by providing microgrants ranging from €1,000 to €10,000 per collective to youth-led groups from intervention countries and the youth diaspora to support their actions. It aims at strengthening local and continental advocacy through research, training, and accountability mechanisms.

Other key actions include training 24,000 young people on advocacy-related skills, hosting Youth Power Hackathons, and supporting youth representatives in joining intergenerational and cross-continental decision-making spaces.

A group of young people from Africa hanging out.

Vision

A society where policies, partnerships, and decision-making processes are shaped by enhanced youth engagement, empowerment, and connection, alongside improved intergenerational partnerships at local, national, continental, and cross-continental levels.

General Objective

To co-create a more inclusive and youth-responsive society in Africa and Europe.

Specific Objectives

The Youth Journey

Empowering young people – ages 15 to 35, including those in hard-to-reach areas and not in education, employment, or training – and youth-led groups to effectively advocate for their concerns and priorities within the AU-EU partnership in Africa.

The Institutional Journey

Engaging decision-makers, including institutions, governments, and corporations, to develop youth-centered and youth-responsive policies.

Our Ambitions in Numbers

Engage

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young people in information access, action planning, and accountability through youth-led initiatives.

Empower

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young people to participate in civil society with collective self-care.

Connect

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young people with intergenerational dialogues and cross-continental partnerships.

Assist

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policymakers and decision-makers in collaborating on youth-responsive policymaking and accountability.

Support

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youth-responsive policies development or improvement.

Key Notions

AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective facilitates meaningful change by integrating key notions across all its actions:

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Human rights

Youth as rights-holders guiding youth policy creation.

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Gender justice

Transforming gender norms and harmful practices that limit youth participation.

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Diversity & inclusion

Fighting oppression and ensuring the participation of under-represented youth.

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Care, well-being & safeguarding

Ongoing risk analysis, safeguarding policies, and youth-led well-being activities.

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Power-shifting

Creating inclusive environments for youth power to thrive.

Events

Explore the events of AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective. Unlock digital and on-site activities to engage, empower, and connect.

More events are coming soon, stay tuned!

Find out the latest news and opportunities that might interest you. Be always up to date!

  • Group photo of AU-EU Youth Lab members and high-level stakeholders of the program, smiling together in a professional setting.

    The AU-EU Youth Lab’s Official Launch was a success!

    15/10/2024

    AU-EU Youth Voices Lab

  • A person that is sitting on his desk and writing down something with his laptop open.

    Applications are open for the Youth Advisory Board!

    12/09/2024

    AU-EU Youth Voices Lab

  • A blurry photo of young people from Africa doing the sign of peace.

    3 minutes to get to know AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective

    28/06/2024

    AU-EU Youth Voices Lab

Media

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Newsletters

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Press Releases

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In the Media

Consortium

Oxfam Logo
Restless Development Logo
Search for Common Ground Logo
Youthmakers Hub Logo
ComDev Africa Logo

Contact

info@aueuyouthvoiceslab.eu

Are you a young person (15 to 35) or part of a youth-led group looking to advocate for your concerns? Are you a part of an institution looking to have more youth-centered decision-making processes? Are you a journalist or a stakeholder looking for more information? Contact us by filling out the form and learn how to be part of the community.

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