Across Europe, local institutions changed how they work with young people with the help of the DEAR project Mindchangers. Instead of short term consultations, the project began building long-term collaboration – turning youth engagement into part of everyday governance.

Workshops and peer exchanges helped grassroot organisations and small institutions move from working for young people to co-creating with them. Local authorities and civil society organisations were supported with small grants to co-design actions on climate change, migration, and global justice.

Each of the 113 local projects focused on active youth participation – from campaigns and community actions to education and communication initiatives.

“Mindchangers changed how we approach youth policies – we now work closely with young people and stakeholders to co-design strategies that are more inclusive, relevant, and impactful.”
—Local authority representative

This shift made youth engagement structural, not symbolic – embedding participation in local strategies and proving that shared governance delivers stronger and fairer outcomes.