Designing Youth Spaces with Young People: NextGen Training Held in Koper

What would a youth centre that young people would actually use look like?

What would a youth centre that truly responds to young people's needs look like? What kind of activities should it offer? How can we create spaces where young people feel welcome, safe, connected and encouraged to participate?

These were some of the questions explored this week in Koper, where a training activity was held as part of the Erasmus+ project NextGen. The training brought together young participants and partner organisations LoPe, AFP Patronato San Vincenzo, DKolektiv, and the host organisation Kulturno izobraževalno društvo PiNA.

The training focused on developing ideas for youth centres that can provide young people with spaces for connection, skills development, creativity and active participation in community life. Through participatory methods, participants explored how young people can be meaningfully involved in decision-making processes and in the joint design of activities and spaces that reflect the real needs of their local communities.

Special attention was given to the planning of both physical and mobile youth centres. Participants discussed how such centres can respond to different challenges faced by young people, especially those living in remote and rural areas where opportunities for participation, socialising and personal development are often limited.

In addition to physical spaces, the NextGen project also includes the development of digital platforms and programmes that promote critical thinking, media literacy, digital skills and civic engagement. This approach aims to further support young people in becoming active members of their communities and to make resources and opportunities more accessible to those living in geographically distanced areas.

The training in Koper was an important step in jointly exploring how to create spaces and programmes that are not only designed for young people, but developed together with them.

We thank all participants and partners for their active involvement, exchange of ideas and valuable contribution to the development of the NextGen project.