Square Of Youth Association

Square of Youth Association (SOYA) is a Budapest-based youth NGO made up of young people with prior experience in international youth projects, brought together by a shared passion for Erasmus+. Many of us have transformed our lives through these projects: we have developed key competencies, built friendships across Europe, and shaped a truly European identity. At Square of Youth Association, we proudly consider ourselves the Erasmus+ generation.

We are dedicated to delivering youth work at the quality level we would expect from ourselves. We believe that the most effective approach to youth work is ‘young people to young people’, as our own experiences give us a deep understanding of the needs and challenges young people face today, and we are ready to address them.

Our mission is to connect Hungarian youth with Europe. We aim to provide learning opportunities that enable young people to connect with their European peers, engage in dialogue, explore Europe, and become active citizens. We encourage them to take initiative and contribute to their local communities, creating meaningful impact through our projects and generating a strong multiplier effect.

We also aim to:
- support young people’s learning through non-formal education activities, helping them develop skills for both personal and professional growth;

- connect young people with stakeholders and decision-makers, facilitating the channeling of youth voices and increasing youth participation;

- promote dialogue among young people from different European countries;

- democratize Erasmus+ and make its opportunities more accessible and visible to a wider range of young people.

Internationality is a core element of our work, as we believe that international opportunities and learning mobilities have a powerful impact on young people’s development and personal growth.

While we focus primarily on three key thematic areas, the diversity and ambition of our members allow us to remain open to additional topics. Our main focus areas are:
- Young people as the leaders of the future: equipping the next generation, through our programmes, with key competencies such as leadership and entrepreneurial skills, the ability to engage in dialogue, and debating skills, preparing them to face future challenges;
- Active citizenship and youth empowerment;
- European-related topics, particularly young people’s European identity, the challenges young people face within the European Union, and what it means to be a European citizen.

As an active member of the Danube Youth Organization Network, SOYA is dedicated to fostering cross-border cooperation among youth organizations and young people throughout the Danube Region. Furthermore, we are proud to belong to the PRISMA European Network, joining a community of high-impact organizations within the youth sector.