Equal Ground Q1: Meaningful Participation — Beyond the Seat at the Table

The European Network of Refugee, Migrant and Stateless Changemakers (ENRMSC) invites youth workers, youth leaders, trainers, community practitioners and other professionals working in non-formal learning and youth work to join the first session of Equal Ground, a quarterly ENRMSC dialogue series exploring meaningful participation, access to opportunities and accountability.

About the session

A seat at the table means little if the decisions are already made.

Equal Ground Q1: Meaningful Participation — Beyond the Seat at the Table explores what meaningful participation looks like when refugees, migrants, stateless people and other communities are not simply invited into conversations, but have genuine opportunities to influence decisions, policies and actions.

The session will examine the difference between being present and participating meaningfully.

Who gets invited to the table?
Who gets heard?
Who gets to influence what happens next?

Through a participatory, community-centred dialogue, participants will explore barriers to meaningful participation and consider how youth workers, organisations and institutions can create more effective pathways for people with lived experience to contribute to decision-making.

What will participants explore?

The session will explore:

• Meaningful participation beyond consultation and representation
• The difference between having a seat at the table and having influence
• How lived experience can contribute to knowledge, leadership and decision-making
• Barriers that can prevent refugees, migrants, stateless people and other communities from participating meaningfully
• The role of youth workers and non-formal learning practitioners in creating inclusive participation
• How organisations can listen to communities and translate their perspectives into action
• How young people and community changemakers can move from participation to leadership
• Practical approaches for creating more inclusive spaces for dialogue and decision-making

Learning approach

This is a participatory non-formal learning and dialogue activity rather than a traditional lecture or training course.

Participants will learn through contributions from people with lived experience, exchange of perspectives, facilitated discussion and reflection. The activity will encourage participants to connect the discussion with their own work and consider how they can strengthen meaningful participation within their organisations, projects and communities.

Participants will have space to ask questions, share experiences and identify practical approaches that can be applied in youth work and community-based practice.

Who is the activity for?

The activity primarily targets people working in non-formal learning and youth work, including:

• Youth workers
• Youth leaders
• Trainers
• Youth project managers
• Youth coaches and mentors
• Community-based youth practitioners
• NGO and civil society practitioners working with young people
• Youth researchers and practitioners interested in participation and inclusion

The session is also open to refugee, migrant and stateless changemakers, community organisers, researchers, educational institutions, employers, public institutions and other stakeholders interested in meaningful participation.

No specific personal or community identity is required to participate.

Expected learning outcomes

By the end of the session, participants will have:

• Explored different dimensions of meaningful participation
• Reflected on the difference between consultation, representation and genuine influence
• Considered barriers affecting participation in their own contexts
• Exchanged approaches for creating more inclusive and participatory spaces
• Gained perspectives from lived experience and community knowledge
• Identified ways that youth work and non-formal learning can support greater participation and leadership

Participation

Participation is free.

The activity will take place online via Microsoft Teams.

Registered participants will receive the joining link and calendar invitation by email before the session. There is no need to register separately with Microsoft Teams.

Date: 10 November 2026
Time: 14:00–16:00 CET (Warsaw time)
Format: Online
Participation fee: Free
Working language: English

Equal Ground is a quarterly ENRMSC dialogue series. Only Q1 is currently confirmed and open for registration. Future sessions are planned concepts and will be confirmed separately.

The wider series explores meaningful participation, access to employment, access to scholarships and fellowships, and accountability for what changes as a result of dialogue.

About ENRMSC

The European Network of Refugee, Migrant and Stateless Changemakers (ENRMSC) is a refugee-, migrant- and stateless-led organisation working across Europe.

ENRMSC advocates for stateless people, empowers displaced communities and builds belonging through advocacy, education and leadership. Its work connects lived experience, community knowledge, opportunities and institutional dialogue to create meaningful pathways to participation and inclusion.

Equal Ground forms part of this wider commitment: creating spaces where communities are not simply invited to speak, but have meaningful opportunities to be heard, contribute knowledge and help shape what happens next.