25/04/2026
Project closure: Youth empowerment through creative expression – YETEX
The Erasmus+ KA154-YOU project “Youth Empowerment through Creative Expression” (YETEX), reference number 2024-3-EL02-KA154-YOU-000279710 coordinated by the Greek organization KOINONIKI ENSOMATOSI – ASTIKI MI KERDOSKOPIKI ETAIREIA (Social Inclusion) in partnership with Youth Opportunities Club (Armenia) and BEST-SELLER (Serbia), has been successfully completed within the planned 12-month period (01/03/2025 – 28/22/2026). The project has fully achieved its core objectives by addressing the real needs and situations of young women with migrant backgrounds and youth with fewer opportunities. Through non-formal education, arts-based pedagogy, and human rights education, it has created a supportive educational environment that enables participants to reclaim their narratives, build confidence, and foster long-term artistic and social inclusion.
The project implemented four key youth participation activities in line with the approved work plan: three local events (one in each partner country) and one international study visit in Belgrade, Serbia. These activities directly engaged 156 young people, of whom 92 were participants with fewer opportunities, exceeding the initial targets. The study visit (21–25.08.2025) served as a foundational steppingstone, facilitating cultural exchange, collaborative learning on women’s human rights, employability skills, and joint performance development. The subsequent local events – held in Greece, Serbia (23.08.2025 at the “State of Art” venue in Mali Iđoš), and Armenia – provided platforms for public artistic expression, community outreach, and structured dialogue with decision-makers, local stakeholders, and prominent artists.
A central and sustainable output of the project is the comprehensive MANUAL: Youth Empowerment Through Creative Expression & Human Rights Education – A Practical Guide for Youth Workers, Educators & Cultural Organisations. This 90+ page resource documents the entire methodological framework, including non-formal education principles, arts-based pedagogy (applied theatre, improvisation, movement, storytelling, collective creation), trauma-informed practices, and human rights integration. It contains ready-to-use workshop templates, session plans, performance development toolkits, ethical guidelines, safeguarding protocols, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and detailed case studies from each country. The case studies illustrate transformative artistic journeys: Greece (“Threads of Identity”), Serbia (“Unheard Voices”), and Armenia (“Crossroads of Silence”), highlighting personal empowerment, collective healing, and community impact.
The project has successfully established the “State of Art” as a professional community platform that connects artists across the three countries through regular activities and operations. This long-term legacy encourages ongoing creative expression, dialogue with decision-makers, and the integration of artistic work into broader social and political discourse. Public performances and post-event discussions have raised awareness of migration, gender equality, discrimination, and cultural identity, while strengthening participants’ skills in project management, leadership, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. Organizational capacities have been enhanced, enabling partners to design and deliver future initiatives promoting employability of marginalized groups through creativity in a more independent and effective manner.
In full alignment with the Erasmus+ Youth Quality Standards, EU values, and the European Youth Goals, YETEX has demonstrated tangible impact at local, regional, and European levels. Participants have reported increased confidence, intercultural understanding, and a strengthened sense of agency. The project’s outputs – particularly the Manual and the “State of Art” model – will continue to serve as open educational resources for youth workers, NGOs, and cultural practitioners across Europe. Dissemination activities, including the project website, social media campaigns, video documentation, and public events, have ensured wide visibility and knowledge transfer.
The successful closure of YETEX confirms the effectiveness of combining creative expression with human rights education in addressing contemporary challenges faced by young people with migrant backgrounds. The partnership remains committed to sustaining the results and exploring further opportunities for collaboration under the Erasmus+ programme and other European initiatives.
Manual can be dowloaded from www.best-seller.org.rs through the link embedded in the project closure article.
