The CHLaYdoscope Training Course “European Youth Leaders Academy”, organised and hosted by DYPALL Network, took place from 22nd – 28th October 2023 in Portimão, Portugal. The training aimed to explore innovative methodologies and tools that collaborate to transform community needs, opportunities, and ideas into valuable resources, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset. Additionally, its objective is to amplify youth community impact and stakeholder engagement by addressing local challenges and formulating impactful projects, services, and policies.
Throughout the event, 18 participants from Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Slovenia engaged in a series of enriching activities to explore the vital aspects of meaningful youth participation. Initially, they delved into understanding the opportunities for young people in Portimão by collaborating with the local association Modo and visiting ‘Loja Ponto JA’.
Led by PiNA, Warehouse Hub and ECHN, workshops centred around identifying the root causes of the scarcity of youth spaces in Portimão. Together, participants offered innovative solutions to address this issue. A notable discussion focused on the main characteristics of community leaders and users, complemented by an insightful visit to the Museum of Portimão.
With facilitation by ECHN, participants mapped out stakeholders related to the challenge of creating new spaces for youth in Portimão. Warehouse Hub stressed the importance of creativity, guiding participants in a creative process to develop a product vision for their solutions. They presented these ideas, exchanging thoughts and feedback within groups.
Following the creative process, the participants gained valuable insights into delivering effective pitches with TAATO. They showcased their ideas to the stakeholders, including municipal representatives, local associations, and digital nomads, focusing on fostering community collaboration. Subsequently, participants transitioned to the following phase, ready to implement their knowledge and skills within their local communities.
The project is led by materahub (Italy) in cooperation with DYPALL Network, Generazione lucana (Italy), Warehouse Hub (Italy), European Creative Hubs Network (Greece), Kulturno izobraževalno društvo PiNA (Slovenia) and The Artist and the Others (The Netherlands).