On a day dedicated to the role of civil society in European democracy, YOUROPE brought something distinctive to the Council of Europe’s magnificent Agora building in Strasbourg: the voices of young researchers from Poland, Turkey, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, sharing what they had found in their own communities.

Laurence Guérin, together with colleagues Berna and Mariusz, presented the YOUROPE project at the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs), outlining the project’s approach and — crucially — making space for the students themselves to take the floor. Their presentations covered the concerns, questions, and insights emerging from their Community-Led Research and Action work: what young people care about, what they are investigating, and what they want Europe to hear.

Seven countries, one shared goal

The YOUROPE project brings together partners from seven countries around a common purpose: strengthening the voice and influence of young people — particularly those who are too often unheard — in shaping more inclusive European policy. The INGO Conference offered a rare opportunity to demonstrate this not in principle, but in practice, with students from four countries speaking for themselves before an audience at the heart of European civil society.

For the young researchers, presenting at this level marked a significant step. They were not there as guests or observers. They were there as contributors, offering insights from their communities that no policy document could generate alone.

Why it matters

The Council of Europe’s INGO Conference exists precisely to bridge the gap between institutional decision-making and the communities those decisions affect. YOUROPE’s presence there — and the decision to centre student voices rather than institutional ones — reflected a clear conviction: that young people’s insights make a real difference, and that the future of European democracy depends on creating more spaces where those insights can be heard.