Civic Shield: Youth for Human Security and Democratic Resilience

Civic Shield: Youth for Human Security and Democratic Resilience is a planned Erasmus+ KA152 Youth Exchange coordinated by Atlantic Human Security Initiative, an informal youth group based in Türkiye.

The project aims to bring together 40 young people from NATO member and Erasmus+ Programme countries for a 7-night / 8-day youth exchange focused on NATO’s human security agenda, human rights, democratic resilience and youth-led civil engagement.

Today, NATO is often understood only through a military and defence perspective. However, NATO’s human security approach also addresses issues that are directly connected to civilians and young people, such as protection of civilians, combatting trafficking in human beings, children and armed conflict, conflict-related sexual violence, cultural property protection, crisis preparedness, disinformation and societal resilience.

Through non-formal education methods, participants will explore how security can be understood from a human-centred, rights-based and civic perspective. The activity will include workshops, simulations, group work, case studies, debates, intercultural learning activities, media literacy sessions and youth policy labs.

The project will not be an official NATO activity and will not represent NATO institutionally. Instead, it will use NATO’s publicly available human security framework as an educational reference to encourage young people to think critically, discuss constructively and develop youth-led ideas for civil society engagement.

Expected outputs include a youth-friendly information pack on human security, a set of social media awareness materials and a final document titled “Youth Recommendations on Human Security and Civil Engagement.”

We are looking for reliable partner organisations from NATO member and Erasmus+ Programme countries that work with young people interested in international relations, human rights, civic participation, media literacy, democratic values, peacebuilding, security studies or youth policy.

The project will especially value partners able to involve motivated young people with fewer opportunities and support them before, during and after the mobility.