Embracing the Youth Perspective: Paving the Way for Smart Cities

Main aim: to engage young people in the planning and implementation of smart city initiatives & foster innovation, creativity, and a sense of ownership among future generations. This will not only help in mitigating climate change but also empower youth to actively contribute to building a more sustainable future for themselves and their communities. The project will provide opportunities for the youth to gain a deeper understanding of urban challenges, thereby shaping them into responsible citizens.

Objectives:

Encourage collaboration between municipalities and the youth to promote the creation of sustainable environmentally friendly urban spaces.
Empower youth to take an active role in creating a smart green city for a more sustainable future for generations to come.
Establishing Youth-led NGOs

Activities:

Project management, implementation and coordination

The project involves ongoing cooperation between partner organisations from Lithuania, Poland, and Turkey, ensuring effective coordination, implementation of activities, and continuous dissemination of results.

International training in Turkey | February 2025

An international training was held in İzmir, from 5 to 9 February 2025, bringing together 15 young participants to explore smart city concepts, sustainability, and digital transformation. Participants engaged with municipal experts, visited smart city institutions, and took part in workshops on climate action, circular economy, and urban innovation.

International training in Lithuania | August 2025

A training event in Vilnius, from 6 to 8 August 2025, brought together 13 participants from partner countries to develop practical skills in smart city planning, youth participation, and project development. Activities included workshops, idea generation sessions, study visits, and presentations of innovative solutions for future cities.

Development of SMART training materials and tools | 2025

The project is currently developing comprehensive training modules covering topics such as SEO for NGOs, Erasmus+ project writing, and the establishment of youth-led organisations, supporting young people in creating their own initiatives.

Map of Smart Cities & Best Practices Booklet | October 2025

Partners are working on a resource presenting examples of smart city solutions, including sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, digital innovation, and citizen engagement, aiming to inspire future urban development initiatives.

Multiplier events and dissemination activities

Dissemination activities, including workshops, events, and presentations, are being organised in partner countries to share project results and promote youth participation in shaping smart and sustainable cities.

This project is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program, supporting education, training, youth, and sports initiatives across Europe.

Results:

Youth Engagement in Sustainable Green Cities: The project encourages youth involvement in the development of sustainable green cities.
Active Citizenship: It fosters active citizenship among young people.
Integration and Inclusion: The project promotes integration and inclusion within communities.
Democratic Contribution: It strengthens youth contributions to democratic debates.
Empowerment: Youth are empowered to take charge of their lives.
Smart Green Cities and NGOs: Participants will gain skills to build smart green cities and establish NGOs.
Project Writing Skills: Youth will learn project writing skills.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Skills: They will gain knowledge in SEO.
Smart City 3.0 Concept: The project educates participants on the Smart City 3.0 concept.
Strategic Planning for Sustainable Development: Youth will acquire experience in strategic planning for sustainable development.
Time, Budget, Human Resources, and Fundraising Management: They will gain new knowledge and experience in managing time, budget, human resources, and fundraising.

This project is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program, supporting education, training, youth, and sports initiatives across Europe.