Partner Organisations

🇵🇹 Associação Nó Górdio (Portugal)

Associação Nó Górdio, based in Valongo (Porto region), is a dynamic non-profit organization founded in 2015 with a strong mission to promote education, social inclusion, culture, environmental sustainability, and youth empowerment. The organization draws inspiration from its name—"Nó Górdio" (Gordian Knot)—symbolizing innovative, bold solutions to complex societal challenges.

Nó Górdio has been actively involved in numerous Erasmus+ youth, education, and community development projects, holding an Erasmus+ accreditation in the youth field (2023–2027). Their work is deeply rooted in non-formal education, using methods such as gamification, creative arts, sports, and intercultural dialogue to foster participation, learning, and inclusion.

In the ECAPT project, Nó Górdio plays a key role in engaging Portuguese youth in creative and expressive workshops aimed at combating discrimination, promoting empathy, and building European solidarity. Their expertise in mental health, emotional expression through art, youth training, and gender equality makes them a valuable contributor to the program's holistic approach.

The association works across a wide range of themes including:

  • Youth entrepreneurship and civic engagement

  • Climate change and circular economy

  • Gender equality and inclusive education

  • Mental health, emotional literacy, and resilience

  • Sports as a tool for inclusion (e.g., chess, golf, volleyball)

With a dedicated team of educators, psychologists, designers, and youth workers—including President Dr. Albino Pereira, and youth specialists Joana Pereira, Manuel Gama, and others—Nó Górdio is committed to creating inclusive environments where young people can express themselves freely and grow as empowered citizens.

As a partner in ECAPT, Associação Nó Górdio will organize national-level preparations, support participants with fewer opportunities, lead creative and reflective activities, and ensure strong dissemination of results at the local and national levels. Their deep connections with schools, municipalities, and community groups in Portugal ensure that the project's outcomes will reach a wide and diverse audience.

🇨🇾 SKE Pissouriou (Cyprus)

SKE Pissouriou (Community Welfare Council of Pissouri) is a community-driven non-governmental organization based in the village of Pissouri, Cyprus. With a strong focus on youth empowerment, social inclusion, and community wellbeing, SKE Pissouriou plays a key role in shaping inclusive local development through both formal and non-formal education activities.

The organization is committed to supporting vulnerable populations, including children, youth, families, and the elderly, through innovative programs that address education, culture, environment, and social equity. SKE Pissouriou operates nursery and afternoon clubs for children aged 0–15, feeding programs for elderly residents, and educational projects for youth and youth workers. These initiatives are supported by national ministries and European funds.

SKE Pissouriou actively promotes:

  • Cultural heritage preservation

  • Sustainable environmental practices

  • Youth participation in democratic life

  • Equality and non-discrimination

  • Social and environmental entrepreneurship

In ECAPT, SKE Pissouriou contributes its robust experience in inclusive education, non-formal learning, and community engagement. It leads and supports activities that bring together youth from different backgrounds through theatre, arts, science projects, intercultural exchanges, and civic engagement initiatives.

The organization's strength lies in its dedicated team of educators, facilitators, and youth workers. Among them:

  • Nikolas Nikolaou, a physicist and experienced project manager in science, environment, and inclusion projects

  • Evangelia Nikolaou, expert in empathy-based approaches, accessibility, and inclusion

  • Erma Georgiou, theatre practitioner specializing in empowerment through arts

  • Katerina Farmakidou, dynamic educator and facilitator in intercultural and artistic learning

SKE Pissouriou's inclusive, creative, and grassroots approach aligns with ECAPT's vision to empower young people through art, participation, and civic values, especially in rural and underserved communities like Pissouri.

🇱🇹 Jaunimo laisvalaikio centras (Lithuania)

Viesoji istaiga Jaunimo laisvalaikio centras (JLC), or Youth Leisure Centre, is a public non-governmental institution based in Ukmergė, Lithuania. Established in 2008, the organization is dedicated to promoting youth socialization, personal development, and integration into society through creative, civic, and educational engagement.

The mission of JLC is to foster responsible, creative, and socially active young citizens. The organization aims to empower youth to take an active role in political, social, and cultural life by providing opportunities for self-expression, skill-building, and intercultural exchange.

JLC has substantial experience in implementing bilateral and multilateral youth exchanges and has established a robust network of international partners. The organization works with young people with fewer opportunities, dropouts, and socially vulnerable youth, focusing on:

  • Social competencies and active participation

  • Environmental awareness and healthy lifestyles

  • Volunteerism and civic responsibility

  • Non-formal education and youth motivation

In the ECAPT project, JLC plays a key role in preparing and supporting Lithuanian participants—especially those with fewer opportunities—ensuring they are empowered to contribute creatively and meaningfully. The organization's strong background in youth empowerment and non-formal education enhances the project's impact on inclusion, creativity, and civic engagement.

The youth workers and group leaders at JLC are skilled communicators with rich experience in international youth mobility, youth policy, and social work. Their personal commitment and expertise ensure that participants are well-prepared, supported, and encouraged to express themselves throughout the ECAPT journey.

JLC believes in the transformative power of youth-led action, and through ECAPT, they contribute to building a more inclusive, artistic, and participatory Europe—where young people from all backgrounds are given a voice and a creative platform to shape the future.

🇵🇱 Association Reflections on Europe (Poland)

Association Reflections on Europe (ROE) is a civic-minded, youth-focused non-governmental organization based in Kielce, Poland. Established in 2018, ROE grew out of a grassroots initiative that began in 2015, centered on engaging young people in debates, workshops, and campaigns about the European Union, democratic participation, and active citizenship.

ROE's mission is to empower young people—especially in the Świętokrzyskie region, one of Poland's most underserved areas—by offering meaningful opportunities for learning, leadership, and transnational cooperation. The organization uses non-formal education, intercultural dialogue, and public discourse to encourage youth to participate in European civic life, understand EU values, and become thoughtful, informed change-makers.

ROE has extensive experience in:

  • Youth mobility and civic education projects under Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, and the Norway Grants

  • Organizing debates and civic dialogue events with MEPs, EU officials, academics, and community leaders

  • Developing programs on entrepreneurship, mental health, green citizenship, digital transformation, and inclusion

  • Hosting study visits to Brussels and Strasbourg, recognized by the Polish National Agency as best practices

In the ECAPT project, ROE brings valuable experience in creative civic engagement and political education. The association supports Polish participants in exploring social issues like discrimination through art, debate, and youth-led dialogue. ROE also leads local dissemination events and fosters collaborations with municipalities, schools, and the European Commission's local offices (Eurodesk, Europe Direct).

Led by a highly skilled and multidisciplinary team—including educators, political scientists, psychologists, communication experts, and student leaders—ROE works across Europe with a wide network of partners in over 20 countries. Key figures such as Kamil Stanos, Dr. Tomasz Gajewski, and Dominika Chmielewska drive the organization's strategic and educational efforts.

As part of the ECAPT consortium, ROE contributes not only deep expertise in EU citizenship education, but also a creative and inclusive spirit aimed at empowering young people to use their voices, talents, and cultures to build a stronger, united Europe.