Study Visit on Inclusive Participation in Democratic Life

Background and Rationale

Despite the increasing attention to youth participation in democratic processes and decision-making promoted by Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, many young people with fewer opportunities - due to social, economic, cultural, geographical, or educational barriers - remain underrepresented and unheard. 

For example, as indicated by the YPS monitoring (Dr. Dan Moxon, YPS Steering group, 2024), between 2021 and 2023, only 9.8% of participants in E+ Youth projects with participation themes were young people with fewer opportunities (YPFO) (considerably lower than the 30% of estimated participants in E+ Youth KA1 activities who are YPFO). 

Youth workers, educators, and trainers are key actors in supporting these young people, but they often lack practical tools and knowledge to address the specific challenges these youth face when engaging in democratic life.

This study visit is part of a long-term project organised by SALTO Inclusion & Diversity and SALTO Participation & Information, which aims to strengthen competences to design and facilitate inclusive, accessible, and meaningful democratic participation processes with diverse groups of young people.

What do we mean by democratic participation?

The Youth Participation Strategy defines Democratic Participation as: Individual young people and groups of young people having the right, the means, the space, the opportunity and, where necessary, the support to freely express their views, contribute to and influence societal decision making on matters affecting them, and be active within the democratic and civic life of our communities. 

In simple terms that can mean: all the ways young people can influence decisions and shape the communities they live in. 

Democratic participation goes far beyond voting. In youth work, it can also mean:

• Co-designing projects and activities
• Participating in youth councils or consultations
• Engaging in advocacy and community campaigns
• Using digital tools, storytelling or arts to express views
• Taking part in civic dialogue with decision-makers
• Contributing to participatory budgeting or shared governance in organisations

Democratic participation also happens in everyday youth work practice - when young people help set group rules, share decision-making power, and reflect critically on issues affecting their lives.

Aims and Objectives

This activity builds on the training course in Bucharest (1-5 June 2026) and the spring webinar series on inclusive youth participation organised by SALTO I&D and SALTO P&I. While the training and the webinars were mostly focused on barriers and tools/methodologies for democratic participation of young people with fewer opportunities, the study visit aims to shift from conceptual understanding to practical application. Antwerp provides a strong ecosystem of organisations and initiatives showcasing inclusive youth participation, particularly with young people facing socio-economic barriers, migration backgrounds, and other forms of exclusion.

The study visit will allow participants to experience practices first-hand, to reflect on them, and explore how to transfer them into their own contexts.

The study visit aims to:

• Facilitate exchange with practitioners and local organisations from Antwerp, and to
• Explore practical approaches and diverse methods to inclusive democratic participation, such as digital media and storytelling, grassroots and community-led initiatives, dialogue and policy engagement, youth representation, civic education, digital participation, participatory budgeting, and advocacy campaigns 

This study visit is part of a long-term project on inclusive democratic participation, therefore participants are expected not only to benefit individually but also to contribute to the broader, long-term impact of this initiative. After the study visit, participants are expected to integrate inclusive participation approaches into their ongoing youth work practice and transfer and adapt the tools and methodologies within their organisations and local contexts, as well as to develop partnership-building and project development (Erasmus+/ESC). Priority will be given to applicants who have participated in the training course that took place in Bucharest on 1-5 June 2026.

A non-formal learning approach

Nobody is perfect, luckily! We can all learn from each other to improve our daily practices.  We will start by looking at what you already bring (knowledge, attitudes, practices) and through a mix of inputs and non-formal methods (learning by doing, trying out, time for sharing and reflecting, group work) we hope to empower you to get better in what you do. The course endeavours to be an example of an inclusive activity, so you can take tips, practices and tools from it to your own work.

You can find more information about the inclusion measures we have put in place for you in the ‘Important to know’ section below.

Who is this for? 

We’re happy to welcome you if you have experience, expertise or a strong desire to learn and contribute to the main topic of the activity: ‘Inclusive Youth Participation’ in the framework of the EU Youth Programmes Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps. Ideally, if you identify yourself as belonging to one or more of the following groups:  

Youth workers, volunteers, trainers, grassroots activists, members of informal groups, community leaders, and staff from youth organisations either:

• working directly with young people facing fewer opportunities with the desire to support their involvement in democratic processes.
• working with the topic of democratic participation and its processes and willing to engage young people with fewer opportunities. 

We especially invite people to apply who identify themselves as having a lived experience of inclusion and overcoming barriers. This could mean, for example, but is not limited to, if you faced social, economic or geographic barriers, you have a disability, you are a single parent with a minority background, a young person living in an isolated, rural area, or a trans person going through the transition with a lack of emotional support. This activity will not be possible without you in the room. 

Important to know

The training is organised by SALTO ID and SALTO PI and hosted by the Flemish National Agency (JINT) and funded by the Erasmus+ Programme.

The working language will be (international) English. Your English does not have to be perfect, but you need to be able to follow the program and voice your opinions in English. 

Accommodation, meals, and programme costs are covered - please note that participants should be available for the full duration of the residential study visit.

Selected participants are also expected to attend an online preparatory meeting on Thursday, 5 November 2026 from 17:00-19:00 CET. The meeting will provide practical information, introduce the group and help participants prepare for the study visit. 

All participants will be accommodated in single rooms. We can arrange rooms adapted for persons with reduced mobility. If you need a personal assistant, we can cover the costs of an extra room in the same hotel. 

For environmental reasons, the food provided will be mostly vegetarian and vegan. The venue and hotel can adapt the menu to other dietary needs or preferences. 

Travel costs are covered by your NA (or regional SALTO). We’re happy to inform you about accessible train stations and train connections in Belgium. If necessary, we can arrange and cover adapted transportation from the airport or train station to the venue. More detailed information about the travel guidelines will be provided to the selected participants closer to the event. 

This training targets mainly participants from Erasmus+ programme countries, however there are a few places for participants from the neighbouring regions: Western Balkan countries, EuroMed countries (Southern Mediterranean) and Eastern Partnership countries.

Team of trainers

The team of trainers is composed of:

• Morgaine Green - Morgaine (she/her) is a facilitator and project manager in interconnected topics of systems of oppression, collective liberation and social justice, with young people with fewer opportunities, intergenerational and intercultural groups and collectives (activists, educators, social movements, civil organisations, institutions and youth workers). She accompanies and trains individuals, teams and communities in areas of peace education, conflict transformation, social inclusion and community participation, and is passionate about working at the intersection of collective memory, imagination, art, play, and decoloniality. She enjoys politicising the playful, and playing with the political.

• Letícia Usanovich - Letícia Usanovich (they/them) is a facilitator for social change with experience in youth development across Europe, Latin America and Kenya. Their intersectional and decolonial practice explores identity, privilege, power and systems of oppression, supporting young people as agents of change in their communities. Letícia has been working with youth-led associations in Portugal and Brazil, on a journey of deepening their understanding of inclusion and diversity practices in different contexts. They love animals, cycling, the sea, cooking, learning, and weaving relationships through meaningful, sometimes silly, conversations.

• Joke Van Dooren - Joke Van Dooren (she/her) is a socio-cultural worker and youth worker based in Antwerp, Belgium. Inclusive participation has been a red thread through everything she's done — from her first steps as a teenage volunteer at inclusive youth camps, as a project manager working with farmer cooperatives in Morocco, to years of working on integration and participation of migrant families, to her current work as a movement builder and process facilitator, bringing citizens, cities and organisations into meaningful collaboration. Group dynamics is her playing field: as a facilitator, organizer and youth worker, she creates spaces where people — young and old — learn together, co-create and strengthen one another. She loves connecting people, groups and communities, and helping them grow their potential for change. She calls Antwerp home, and is looking forward to showing you around her city.