Initial Information

  • Project Name: "Empowerment through Creative Arts and Participation for European Teens" (ECAPT)
  • Agreement No: 2025-1-AT01-KA152-YOU-000297832
  • Duration: From 01/08/2025 – 31/05/2025 (10 months)
  • Activity: Youth Exchange at Vienna, Austria, for 25 youngsters and 5 leaders (5 youngsters and 1 leader from each organization) and 2 facilitators in activities with non-formal education for inclusion (5 organizations).
  • Activity dates: 10 to 18 of February 2026 (including travelling dates)
  • Applicant Organisation: NGO Tredu Club (Austria), contact person: Stephanie Rank, email: stephanie@rank.at 
  • Coordinating Organisation (Associated partner): Active Cypriot Programs and European Learning Into Acceptance, ACPELIA
  • Coordinator: Nikolas Nikolaou (nicckolas44@gmail.com) 
  • Facilitators: Boghos Avetikian, Stephanie Rank

Aims and Main Idea

ECAPT aims to empower young people through creative arts, social participation, and intercultural exchange, focusing on:

  • Combating discrimination, intolerance, and violence

  • Strengthening European identity and values

  • Encouraging inclusion and active citizenship through non-formal education

The project uses art, dance, and theater as tools for expression and transformation, allowing teens to explore their identities, understand societal issues, and collaborate with peers across Europe.

Objectives

🎯 1. Empower European Identity and Active Citizenship

  • Goal: Strengthen participants' connection to European values such as democracy, human rights, diversity, and solidarity.

  • How: Through intercultural learning, participants reflect on their role as European citizens and explore what it means to belong in a diverse Europe.

  • Outcome: Participants gain a deeper understanding of European cooperation and are inspired to engage in civic initiatives within their communities.

🎨 2. Foster Self-Expression and Confidence through Creative Arts

  • Goal: Enable teens to express personal stories, feelings, and social messages using art, dance, and theater.

  • How: Through hands-on workshops (e.g. painting, dance, and forum theatre), they develop creative tools to channel emotions and social reflections.

  • Outcome: Participants enhance self-esteem, communication skills, and emotional intelligence while realizing the power of art as a transformative tool.

✊ 3. Raise Awareness and Combat Discrimination and Intolerance

  • Goal: Encourage youth to identify, reflect on, and resist discriminatory behaviors and social injustices.

  • How: Thematic workshops explore the roots and effects of racism, xenophobia, sexism, and other forms of intolerance. Activities include "Theatre of the Oppressed", role-plays, debates, and storytelling.

  • Outcome: Youth become more aware of their own biases and more skilled in promoting inclusion and tolerance in their environments.

🤝 4. Develop Social Participation Skills and Community Engagement

  • Goal: Empower youth to take initiative, participate in democratic life, and contribute to solving social issues (e.g., climate change, inequality).

  • How: Through team-building activities, creative campaigns, debates, and planning follow-up events in their home communities.

  • Outcome: Participants feel equipped to act as changemakers and participate actively in civil society and grassroots initiatives.

🌱 5. Encourage Environmental and Social Responsibility

  • Goal: Inspire young people to take responsibility for their impact on the world, with a specific link to climate action and sustainability.

  • How: Cultural nights and food workshops emphasize sustainable traditions. Reflection sessions link discrimination with environmental injustice (e.g., climate migration, resource inequality).

  • Outcome: Participants link their values with sustainable practices and advocate for green, inclusive solutions.

🌍 6. Promote Intercultural Dialogue and Understanding

  • Goal: Strengthen intercultural understanding and reduce stereotypes through direct exchange among youth from Austria, Cyprus, Lithuania, Poland, and Portugal.

  • How: Through storytelling, cultural nights, shared living experiences, and reflection activities that celebrate diversity.

  • Outcome: Participants develop empathy, cultural curiosity, and the ability to cooperate in multicultural settings.

🧠 7. Build Soft Skills and Personal Competences

  • Goal: Support the personal growth of young people by building competences such as teamwork, empathy, leadership, creativity, and critical thinking.

  • How: Non-formal learning tools are used in every session, with a focus on experiential learning and individual reflection (e.g., "Wheel of Life", Youthpass reflection).

  • Outcome: Participants recognize their strengths, identify areas for growth, and set personal goals beyond the exchange.

Methods and Tools

The project applies non-formal education techniques using:

  • Art therapy (e.g., visual arts, poster creation)

  • Dance and movement workshops

  • Forum and improvisational theatre, including Theatre of the Oppressed

  • Compass Manual activities on human rights and inclusion

  • World Café and Debates

  • Outdoor tasks, video challenges, and group exploration

  • Cultural Nights showcasing diversity in food, traditions, and arts

Expected Results and Outputs

  1. Creative Projects

    • Visual art pieces, dance routines, and theatrical scenes expressing social messages

    • Final performances and exhibitions during and after the exchange

  2. Empowered Youth

    • 25+ young people equipped with tools to promote inclusion, tackle discrimination, and lead community actions

  3. Increased Visibility

    • Videos, social media content, and a dedicated project webpage displaying the project's journey and outputs

  4. Follow-up Activities

    • Each partner will organize local events for dissemination and reflection

    • Local performances, photo exhibitions, or creative campaigns to share learning

  5. Youthpass Certificates

    • Each participant receives a Youthpass certifying their learning outcomes

  6. Long-Term Impact

    • Stronger intercultural bonds, ongoing youth engagement, and an open space for artistic activism across participating countries

Partner Responsibilities

Each organization will:

  • Select participants (including 2 participants with fewer opportunities)

  • Prepare and lead workshop sessions

  • Help organize cultural nights and local dissemination events

  • Collaborate with local stakeholders and NGOs

  • Submit final activity reports and impact summaries

Alignment with Erasmus+ Goals

  • Supports key competencies: creativity, intercultural awareness, citizenship

  • Promotes mobility and inclusion

  • Engages youth in active participation and democratic life

  • Develops transnational cooperation and solidarity