REMAP DEMOCRACY – Reframing Youth Perspectives on Power, Inequality, Maps & Democracy

1. Project idea

Across Europe, many young people consume global news and social media content without the tools to critically interpret how the world is represented. Maps are a powerful but often invisible “technology” that shapes perception. They influence what seems “central”, “important”, “big”, or “far away”.
The project strengthens young people’s critical worldviews and democratic participation by using the Gall Peters projection as a practical and symbolic learning tool to question eurocentrism, stereotypes, power relations, and North–South narratives.
A European partnership will co-design a youth-friendly learning framework, train youth workers and teachers, pilot local participatory Map Labs with diverse groups of young people (including those with fewer opportunities), and publish an open-access digital toolkit with practical workshops and digital methods. The project ends with a strong dissemination and sustainability strategy to embed the approach in youth work ecosystems beyond the funding period.

2. Potential partner profiles we are looking for

A strong Cooperation Partnership typically benefits from complementary roles rather than “similar organisations in different countries”. We are lookig for partner who are
experienced in Erasmus+ KA2 actions.
a) Youth organisations: political education, participation formats, peer learning facilitation.
b) Schools / school-affiliated bodies (upper secondary): pilots, teacher engagement, curricular anchoring.
c) Global learning / North–South perspective NGOs: content depth on inequality & power narratives.
d) Cartography / geography-related institution: map methodology support, visual standards, data integrity.
e) Media literacy / media pedagogy actor: misinformation awareness, critical reading of graphics/maps.
f) Teacher training institute / pedagogical university / education policy network: multiplier strategy + policy briefs.

3. Target group of our project

Target groups
a) Primary
• Young people (approx. 15–25), including young people with fewer opportunities (economic, geographic, educational or social barriers)
• Youth workers & trainers (non-formal education)
• Teachers of Geography / Social Studies / Economics and civic education
b) Secondary
• School leaders and local education stakeholders
• Education policy stakeholders (national level) via policy briefs
c) Final beneficiaries
• Students and youth groups reached through pilots and dissemination. Schools/youth centres receiving map + workbox resources

4. Project idea in detail

The concept note highlights that how we see the world shapes how we understand inequality, power and democracy, while dominant maps/media narratives often reproduce eurocentric perspectives, especially influential for young people.

Core approach or what is “REMAP DEMOCRACY”?
• Maps as political tools
Participants learn that maps carry values and hierarchies. This project uses the Gall Peters projection as a deliberate counter-model to common distorted world maps.
• Open data literacy
Youth work with datasets (population, resources, climate, economy) to analyse global inequalities without falling into simplistic narratives.
• Democracy in a global context
Linking inequality to democratic participation, power distribution and political stability. Connecting global perspectives to democracy education in Europe.
• Media & map competence
Strengthening critical reading of maps/graphics/media reports and responsible creation of visualisations, the key for democratic societies.

5. Project organization
Duration: 24 months
Budget: EUR 250.000,00
Assumed start: September 2026 (M1) till August 2028 (M24)
1. WP1: Project Management & Quality Assurance (M1 - M24)
2. WP2: Needs Analysis & Co-Design (M1–M6)
3. WP3: Online Coaching + Youth Map Labs + International Co-Creation (M3–M12)
4. WP4: Digital Workbox (OER) Development (M5–M16)
5. WP5: Piloting, Evaluation & Policy Briefs (M12–M22)
6. WP6: Dissemination, Map Distribution & Sustainability (M4–M24)

Our organization has been in existence for 30 years and has extensive experience in national and international projects. This will be our third Erasmus+ project as the lead organization.

Are you inspired by our project and feel that you can make a valuable contribution? Then we look forward to hearing from you to exchange further information!