A participatory programme intended to build active citizenship paths involving young people, and to develop long-term projects that improve the quality of life of local communities, particularly among the young.

Mission:
Working together for inclusion

The international YEPP (Youth Empowerment Partnership Programme) project was set up in 2001 on the initiative of the Network of European Foundations (NEF), in collaboration with the University of Berlin and the OECD. The YEPP method is currently applied in 10 European countries (Italy, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden, Spain, Greece). In Italy, it is promoted by our Foundation, currently in 68 municipalities, and sets out to develop:

  • empowerment of young people and the community;
  • partnerships between different entities (public, private, charitable sector) at all levels (local, regional, national and international);
  • advocacy (influencing public policies to ensure that the participation and empowerment of young people become a criterion – guide for actions);
  • learning (continuous training and transfer of skills for all the individuals, young and old, involved in the project).

YEPP is inspired by the “community development” approach and is implemented locally by setting up a support group made up of young people between 15 and 27 years old, together with public and private organisations in the area that work with young people (schools, parishes, social services, associations, etc.). The group is led by two professionals, a coordinator and an assessor, generally supplemented by an educator.

Based on an analysis of the context, the group develops a shared vision of change for its local area and annually develops an Operational Plan that includes various actions and is aimed at achieving the pre-established change objectives.

The actions included in the annual Operational Plan are implemented using specific public and/or private funding, including that provided by our Foundation, and are accompanied by a participatory evaluation process whose results form a basis for planning the following year’s activities.

YEPP activities take place at several different levels:

  • local site actions (design, management, assessment of local operational plans, building of the partnership with local government and other local actors);
  • cross-cutting activities: creation and supervision of sites; development of the Italian network; initiatives aimed at disseminating the approach and method;
  • cross-cutting activities that promote youth participation nationally and internationally (Rete Giovani; meetings, workshops and national and international training paths);
  • participation in national and international projects in partnership with other organisations.

Associazione YEPP Italia was founded in 2011 with encouragement and support from our Foundation and is the driving force behind the development of YEPP in Italy; it is tasked with coordinating the Italian sites, promoting and disseminating the YEPP method and the culture of active youth participation, supporting the empowerment of young people and their role as active citizens, contributing to cultural development in the context of youth policies. It provides regular training, support and supervision for operators and young people in the local sites.

Working with the C. S. Mott Foundation, we also support YEPP Europe (the international office of YEPP, based in Berlin), which disseminates the YEPP method in European countries, promotes the principles of empowerment of young people in Europe, and carries out projects by establishing international partnerships.

Find out more at yepp.it

This project contributes to achieving the following Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 1 No poverty
SDG 5 Gender equality
SDG 10 Reduce inequalities
SDG 11 Sustainable cities and communities