Shape Safer Youth Spaces: Youth Voices on Safeguarding and Well-being
Young people across Africa and the African diaspora in Europe are at the forefront of social change. They lead organizations, mobilize communities, and advocate for justice, equality, and development. However, meaningful youth participation can only thrive when youth-led spaces are safe, inclusive, and supportive of mental health and well-being. This is the driving force behind the “Shape Safer Youth Spaces: Youth Voices on Safeguarding and Well-being” campaign, implemented under the AU–EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective programme in partnership with Restless Development.
The campaign aims to gather insights directly from young people through a short online survey, focusing on safeguarding, digital safety, mental health, and overall well-being in youth-led initiatives. By centring youth voices, the initiative recognises that young people are best placed to identify the challenges they face and propose solutions that truly work for their communities. Safeguarding is not just about policies and procedures; it is about creating environments where young people feel respected, protected, and able to participate without fear of harm, discrimination, or burnout. As youth engagement increasingly takes place both offline and online, issues such as digital harassment, emotional well-being, and access to support systems have become more critical than ever.
Through this campaign, youth CSO leaders, activists, and volunteers are invited to share their lived experiences: what works, what doesn’t, and what support is missing. These perspectives are essential for building youth-informed safeguarding frameworks that reflect real realities across diverse regions and contexts.
The insights collected through the survey will directly inform the development of practical training resources and a dedicated safeguarding knowledge hub hosted on the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab App. This hub will provide young people and youth organizations with access to tools, guidance, and information on safeguarding, mental health support, and digital safety, strengthening safe participation across all 54 African countries and the African diaspora in Europe.
The campaign aims to collect at least 240 meaningful responses, ensuring balanced participation across gender, regions, and roles. Quality, diversity, and authenticity of responses are prioritised to ensure the resulting resources genuinely reflect youth needs.
Now, we invite all young people to be part of Shaping Safer Youth Spaces. By taking part in the Survey, young people contribute to a collective effort to build safer, more inclusive youth spaces. Every response helps shape systems that protect, support, and empower youth leadership today and into the future. To take the Survey, find the form below: