Cities 4 Youth - Next Generations
This programme aims to protect and promote rights and values as enshrined in the EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights in particular by supporting civil society organisations active at local, regional, national and transnational level.
STARTING DATE: 01/01/2025
ENDING DATE: 31/12/2026
TOTAL BUDGET: 264.140,00 €
Objectives
The main goal of the project is to exchange best practices in youth policy in small towns, enhance the quality of partner activities in this area, and develop competencies and knowledge among both youth workers and young people themselves.
The project also aims to establish solid foundations to encourage young people to return to their small hometowns and to develop tools and methods supporting youth policy in cities.
Activities
The main goal of the Cities for YOUth – Next Generation (C4YOU) project is to continue the 2019 Cities for YOUth project. This new initiative brings together municipalities and NGOs from Poland, Cyprus, Spain, Croatia, Italy, and Portugal to:
- Exchange best practices in youth policies for small cities.
- Enhance the activities of partner organizations in the field of youth policies.
- Improve the skills and knowledge of youth workers and young people.
- Lay the groundwork to encourage young people to return to their small hometowns.
The project aims to create tools and methods for youth policies in small cities. The main activities will focus on:
- Training for young people and youth workers.
- Creating youth activity maps for each municipality.
- Organizing six «Cities4YOUth» events for young people and municipal workers, including:
- Seminars, study visits, workshops, and festivals.
- An online final conference.
- Implementation of local youth project initiatives in each country by young people, including picnics, debates, workshops, and festivals.
Mobility to Starachowice, Poland
Last week, we had the amazing opportunity to participate in the CERV-CITIES FOR YOUTH, Next Generation project in Starachowice, Poland. We from Idea Alzira as representatives from Spain, together with inspiring young people from Italy, Portugal, Cyprus and Poland, all eager to share our ideas and work towards a better future, it was truly an unforgettable experience!
This project allowed us young people to take the initiative and develop skills that will help us navigate the future challenges that lie ahead as members of the European Union.
It is amazing to see how these opportunities prepare us to take responsibility that we are the generational future of our countries and turn ideas into real and effective impact.
Mobility to Alzira (Spain)
From the 29th of September to the 3rd of October, we had the pleasure of welcoming our Polish, Italian, Portuguese and Cypriot partners for the Cities for YOUth event in Spain!
30.09.2025
Official Welcome
The first day began with a warm welcome at our offices and an opening speech by Councillor Gemma Alòs, who shared Alzira City Council’s strong commitment to supporting young people and developing youth policy. Later, Adrián Navalón introduced IDEA, a forward-thinking initiative that empowers youth and encourages active community involvement.
Meeting with the Youth Information Center
We then continued with an insightful presentation about the Youth Information Center of Alzira. The session highlighted the center’s mission to support young people through resources and opportunities that encourage active participation in their communities. It was also a great moment for exchanging good practices — partners shared ideas, discovered new approaches, and found inspiration in the initiatives presented.
A Culinary Experience in Alzira: Lunch at the Cooking School
Following a morning of engaging sessions, participants were treated to a delightful lunch at Alzira’s Cooking School. The meal offered an opportunity to unwind while highlighting the richness of the local cuisine and the warm hospitality of the region.
Engaging workshops with Interpreta Natura
The afternoon was dedicated to dynamic workshops on the environment and our role as European citizens in climate action. We began with an interactive activity using a ball of wool, symbolizing the connections between different elements of nature — as the thread was passed around, we visualized how everything is linked. Then, with each example of human activity, some threads were cut, showing how easily these natural connections can be broken. The session continued with a World Café discussion, where participants reflected in groups on how European citizens can influence the future of ecology and its impact on our health.
01.10.2025
Oxford debate Preparation session
In preparation for the Oxford debate scheduled for the following day, participants took part in a dedicated session to learn about the debate format, how to structure arguments, and how the debate would be organized. They also had time to explore and prepare the motions that would be discussed during the debate.
Exchange and networking with youth organisations
The day continued with meetings and presentations from inspiring local youth organizations. It began with Montse introducing Backslash, followed by an intervention by Pablo from the Valencian Youth Council, and concluded with Víctor sharing insights about the Scouts Valencians.
On Our Way to Valencia: Visit to the Valencian Youth Institute (IVAJ)
In Valencia, we had the pleasure of being welcomed to the offices of the IVAJ by its director, Vicente Ripoll Gimeno. There, we had the opportunity to engage in a very insightful session, learning about the youth initiatives in place, the European projects they take part in, and exchanging ideas on what it means to be a young European. Very inspirational !
Discovering Valencia
After a delicious lunch in the city center, the day wrapped up with a guided tour of Valencia’s old town, followed by some free time that allowed participants to explore and enjoy the charm of the region’s vibrant capital.
02.10.2025
Youth Festival at the Colegio La Purísima
This last day was dedicated to a fun, interactive youth festival organised in a local highschool and was divided in two parts.
First, we kicked off the afternoon with an oxford debate where our participants discusses several motion about the subject “Small cities – big opportunities” around environmental, job opportunity and mental health offers/states by big and small cities. And local Spanish students get to listen but also participate by asking questions and sharing their opinions. Each round of debate was ended with a voting system using colored balloons. Really fun and interactive!
After a break we followed with several dynamic activities in the patio organised around four stands: about detecting fake news, leaving to young people to drive their ideal city, a quizz on the EU. And a beautiful mural about European values and what they mean to young people, left as memory to the school.
Gathered 100 people under the nice weather, everyone enjoyed exchanging and mixing cultures and internationals got along very well with Spanish students and shared moments and made memories
This last afternoon together: we spent some leasure time in Cullera, eating local paella and visited to the castle of Cullera and enjoying the beautiful views of the sea from above
Conclusion: it was very nice, even tough some raining weather in the beginning of the week we did not let us be wrecked and we shared many good moments and learned about youth policy, inetersting conversations and insightful debates
Mobility to Cyprus
From 24 to 28 November 2025, the City of Alzira took part in the Cities for YOUth – Next Generation mobility event held in Pissouri, Limassol (Cyprus), together with partners from Poland, Italy and Portugal.
During the week, participants engaged in non-formal workshops, seminars, study visits and meetings with local authorities, universities and youth organisations, focusing on youth participation, active citizenship and sustainable local development. Intercultural activities and joint youth events encouraged dialogue, collaboration and the exchange of good practices among countries.
The experience had a strong impact on the young participants, enhancing their civic awareness, intercultural competences and soft skills, while empowering them to play a more active role in their local communities and future youth initiatives.
25th November – Youth participation and local community
The mobility event started with the arrival of participants in Pissouri, Cyprus, followed by a welcome dinner and ice-breaking activities. This first moment focused on group building, helping young people and youth workers from different countries to get to know each other and create a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere for the week.
The second day began with interactive non-formal activities and the official welcoming ceremony at the Pissouri Community Hall, with the participation of local authorities and civil society representatives. Participants explored the role of young
The mobility event started with the arrival of participants in Pissouri, Cyprus, followed by a welcome dinner and ice-breaking activities. This first moment focused on group building, helping young people and youth workers from different countries to get to know each other and create a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere for the week.
26th – Culture, education and local governance
Participants took part in a study visit to Paphos, including a cultural visit to Petra tou Romiou and meetings with the Mayor of Paphos and the Youth Council, focusing on youth involvement in local governance. The group also visited Neapolis University, attending a lecture on multicultural youth identity and opportunities beyond formal education. The day ended with a guided visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Archaeological Park of Paphos, linking cultural heritage with youth participation.
27th November – Youth conference and institutional dialogue
The fourth day was dedicated to a large youth conference and festival in Limassol, involving local high schools. Through debates, workshops, artistic, music, dance and photography activities, young people expressed their ideas and emotions while discussing civic participation and sustainability. In the afternoon, participants visited the Cyprus Youth Board to exchange experiences on youth policies, followed by cultural visits in Limassol. The day concluded with a farewell event with music and traditional dances.
PARTNERS
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
