Building Supportive Spaces for Young People
Empowering Communities (mPow) is a two-year Erasmus+ project (October 2022 – September 2024) that develops an inclusive, community-based approach for supporting young people in vulnerable life situations—particularly those not in education, employment, or training (NEET).
The project brings together partners from Finland, Italy, Portugal, and the Czech Republic to co-create a practical model for youth workers and organizations who want to empower young people through participation, peer support, and meaningful community involvement.
“A person becomes a human being only through participation in a human community.”
— Paul Natorp, 1899
The Vision: Empowerment Through Community
Many young people today face complex challenges related to mental health, learning difficulties, or social exclusion. mPow recognizes that true empowerment happens within a supportive, engaging community—not through top-down interventions, but through relationships, trust, and purpose.
The project explores the role of:
- Community as a safe and activating space
- Peer support as a tool for connection and healing
- Youth workers as facilitators—not directors—of change
What We’re Creating
The core outcome of mPow will be a practical handbook that guides professionals in building or transforming their work into an empowering community-based model. The handbook will include:
- A conceptual model of an empowering community
- Concrete steps for building a youth-centered environment
- Insights into the realities and needs in each partner country
- Survey results, best practices, and real-life case stories from young people
- Tools for self-reflection and professional development
Training and Practice
In addition to the handbook, the project will organize:
- Trainings for youth workers and professionals on applying the community model
- Workshops and sessions for young people, offering experiential tools for empowerment
- Self-reflection materials to help professionals deepen their awareness of their role and attitudes in youth work
This approach is intended to be adaptable and accessible—useful for any organization that seeks to create or strengthen a youth-centered community, whether locally or internationally.
Project Partners
The project is coordinated by Sosped Foundation (Finland) in collaboration with: