We are excited to announce the launch of a new international project under the Erasmus+ programme, placing young people at the center of research, decision-making, and social change. The project YPARC – Youth-led Participatory Action Research for Change will run for 24 months and brings together organizations from six European countries, including Association FOR YOU (Bulgaria).

The project is carried out in partnership with six European organizations: QUEST (Belgium), Love and Care for People Company Limited by Guarantee (Ireland), ARCIGAY (Italy), Vilnosvita (Ukraine), Inovatyvi karta (Lithuania), and Association FOR YOU (Bulgaria).

What is the YPARC project?

• YPARC aims to empower young people from marginalized and non-dominant social groups by giving them a real opportunity to research issues that directly affect them and to actively participate in creating solutions.
• At the core of the project is the Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) methodology.
• This approach turns young people not just into participants, but into researchers, analysts, and advocates for change who:
• investigate their own rights and whether they are being respected;
• identify key challenges related to the 11 goals of the European Youth Strategy;
• develop concrete recommendations and action plans;
• advocate for their interests at local, national, and European levels.

Why is YPARC important?

Many young people in Europe — including youth with disabilities, LGBTI+ youth, young people from ethnic minorities, and socially vulnerable groups — are often excluded from decision-making processes.

YPARC addresses this issue by creating a safe and inclusive space where diverse voices are heard and taken seriously.

The project contributes directly to:

• youth participation and active citizenship;
• applying an intersectional approach in youth policies;
• connecting youth organizations, researchers, and policymakers;
• integrating young people’s perspectives into educational and social policies.

What activities will take place?

The project includes several key stages:

• Training on YPAR methodology and advocacy
• National YPAR workshops in the partner countries
• Summarizing research results and developing action plans
• A Youth Assembly “Youth for Change”, dedicated to presenting the results and recommendations

Young participants, acting as National Youth Researchers, will decide how to present their findings themselves — through texts, visual formats, digital stories, or other creative methods.

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