About the Project

Welcome!

Let’s begin with a question that lies at the heart of our project: How can we ensure decent work and a sustainable future for young people? It’s a question we hear often, yet it remains unresolved. The fact that you’re here shows that you care about this topic, so we will do our best to present the project in a clear, honest, and youth-friendly way.

Project Idea

The project Young People for Decent Work, the Common Good and the Environment was developed together with young members of the organization Cedra. It is a co-research and educational initiative grounded in the actual needs of young people and their lived experiences in today’s society. Throughout the project, we will organize various activities—such as workshops, participatory learning, and other educational opportunities—to address the challenges related to decent work and the common good, as well as to improve young people’s understanding of these topics. All of this will also be linked to the broader challenge of encouraging young people to be more actively engaged in democratic processes.

The workshops will cover topics such as decent work, co-research methodologies, workplace mapping, trade union organizing, and theoretical content that helps young people develop a deeper understanding of the world of work. The main idea of the project is to offer accessible knowledge and practical experience that will empower young people to express their needs and viewpoints at the local, national, and European levels. In doing so, we aim to give young people the tools to actively participate in shaping a fairer society.

Needs of Young People Addressed by the Project

Research and everyday experience show that young people are often forced to start working very early, many of them even while still in education. Living conditions are becoming more demanding, the quality of available jobs is not always guaranteed, and young people also face challenges related to gender equality and environmental sustainability. According to Eurostat data from 2022, as many as 25% of young people were employed while still in education, clearly illustrating the pressures faced by today’s youth.

In addition, young people often lack adequate information about basic labor rights, the right to trade union organizing or collective bargaining, and they frequently do not know how to address modern challenges that affect social, economic, and environmental development. For example, a 2022 survey by the Youth+ trade union showed that 60% of young people had little or no knowledge of their right to join a union, while 73% reported experiencing violations in the labor market. This highlights a clear lack of knowledge and accessible information that would help young people better protect their rights.

Young people are also insufficiently involved in democratic processes, resulting in too few opportunities to participate and create change. This is emphasized in the EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027, which stresses the need to provide more space for youth participation. From our long-standing cooperation with young people, we also know how essential quality public services are—especially for youth. Therefore, it is crucial to provide young people with additional learning opportunities based on cooperation, practical learning, and content designed by young people for young people.

Needs of the Young People Who Co-Create the Project

The young people co-creating the project are familiar with all the challenges mentioned above from direct experience. They have many years of involvement at the local, regional, and international levels, which gives them a strong understanding of the importance of quality education for active citizenship. They recognized that many of their peers lack the knowledge needed for democratic participation and for advocating for their rights. This inspired the idea to create new learning opportunities that are accessible, understandable, and tailored to young people.

They also noticed a lack of trained young mentors capable of delivering such content effectively. For this reason, they wanted the project to rely on methods that have already proven effective in practice—such as co-research, workplace mapping, trade union organizing, and various interactive learning methods. These approaches encourage active participation, mutual connection, and the development of critical thinking, all of which are essential for young people today.

How the Project Will Be Implemented

The project will combine different forms of learning, research, and reflection. Together, we will organize workshops on decent work, trade union organizing, and research methodologies; hold reading circles and film evenings; and conduct local field actions in which young people will examine the conditions in their communities and look for solutions to concrete problems. An important part of the project will be the research workbook, which will offer practical guidelines for protecting labor rights, organizing, and engaging actively in society.

Project Goals

The main goal of the project is to provide young people with the knowledge, strength, and confidence to actively engage in society, the economy, and politics. We do not want to fight on behalf of young people—we want them to learn how to fight for themselves: with a clear understanding of their rights, a sense of community support, and the ability to express their needs boldly, courageously, and thoughtfully.

The project addresses two key European Youth Goals: Inclusive Societies, which we pursue through enhancing knowledge about decent work and the common good; and Quality Employment for All, which we support through education on labor rights, trade union organizing, and opportunities for youth participation in the workplace. Our intention is for the project to contribute in the long term to increased youth engagement, better understanding of existing workers rights, and greater readiness to actively participate in bringing about radical social change.