The New European Bauhaus (NEB) is a European Union initiative that invites us to rethink the spaces in which we live. It is based on three fundamental values:

• sustainability → using materials, energy and resources responsibly and reducing waste and environmental impact.

• inclusion → creating open and safe places where people of all ages, origins, backgrounds and abilities feel equally welcome and part of the community.

• aesthetics → taking care of spaces and making them stimulating, beautiful and comfortable.

In practice, the NEB invites us to develop projects that improve quality of life and arise from direct involvement and participation. These projects bring together different disciplines and professions to create integrated, lasting experiences.

NEB-YC (New European Bauhaus for Youth Centres) is an Erasmus+ funded initiative involving five European organisations: Itinerari Paralleli (Italy), ACT (Ireland), Odyssea (Greece), Celei - Regenerative Education (Spain), Slovak Eco Quality - SEQ (Slovakia). These organisations are committed to developing and innovating centers and organisations that work with young people. The project aims to strengthen the capacity to create more sustainable, inclusive and beautiful spaces and activities that integrate social, aesthetic and environmental values. The project will last approximately one year in total. For more information, please refer to FAQ no. 13, 'Important Dates'.

The call aims to identify Youth Centers (YCs) - which are defined as physical spaces or formally established organisations operating in specific territories or locations -  whose operators wish to participate in a creative training programme based on the values of the New European Bauhaus. The programme aims to help participants design innovative solutions for developing their spaces and/or services. The project offers selected organisations:

• approximately 15 hours of online training for two operators from the organisation

• a one-day in-person Hackathon, with all expenses paid, to develop initial project ideas

• financial support for the implementation of the three most promising projects, with prizes of €5,000, €3,000 and €1,000 respectively

To apply, the organisation must complete a country-specific application form (Italy, Spain, Ireland, Greece, Slovakia) by the deadline of 28 February 2026. The form requires the submission of a project idea that describes the organisation's vision and its plans for developing and changing its activities and/or YC’s spaces.

You do not need to submit a complete or structured project: the NEB-YC training programme provides step-by-step support to help participants develop, improve and consolidate their ideas.

All you need to start with is:

• an innovative idea or vision for improving spaces, activities or services for young people

• an idea rooted in the local area and the real needs of young people;

• a proposal that aligns with the values of NEB – New European Bauhaus.

In particular, we are looking for ideas that take into account:

• sustainability (environmental and social);

• inclusion and active participation of young people

• care and quality of spaces as places for encounter, creativity and community

Even a “raw” idea can be a good candidate if it shows motivation, potential and a desire for growth. If you are still unsure, here are some examples:

• rethinking a space used by young people, even through the use of a temporary installation, to make it more welcoming, beautiful, sustainable and accessible.

• design and propose activities for young people (e.g. workshops cycles, laboratories…) that focus on creativity, environmental sustainability or inclusion. 

• experiment with creative solutions to make your centre, services, or activities more inclusive 

• develop initiatives that encourage young people to participate in the care and design of the spaces they frequent. 

The important thing is that the idea:

• starts from the real needs of young people

• involves their active participation

• demonstrates a desire to improve the quality of spaces and relationships.

The NEB-YC programme consists of five online training sessions totalling approximately 15 hours. These sessions are dedicated to topics related to the values and principles of the New European Bauhaus initiative. The sessions combine:

• frontal training sessions with international experts and trainers

• practical and collaborative activities in which you can actively work on and test your project ideas.

In addition to formal meetings, the programme includes ongoing support from the project's promoting partners in each country: Itinerari Paralleli (Italy), ACT (Ireland), Odyssea (Greece), Celei (Spain) and SEW (Slovakia). Throughout the support period, participants will be able to:

• receive support in developing and refining your project idea

• engaging with other youth workers at national and international level

• share your doubts, experiences and best practices relating to your daily work.

The training schedule is designed to fit around the work activities of the participating organisations. Taking place over several months, it allows time for experimentation and the gradual development of projects.

Part of the NEB-YC training, specifically the online meetings, is conducted in English as it is an international programme. For this reason, it is recommended that at least two people from each organisation who will be taking part in the meetings have a good understanding of English.

At the same time, the project has a strong inclusive approach, meaning that the meetings will be organised with automatic subtitles to allow everyone to follow the front-end training parts, while for the practical and collaborative activities, a division into groups organised by country of origin will be preferred. This will enable those who are less familiar with English to actively participate in the programme and contribute to the development of their project.

The Hackathon is an intensive one-day event to be held around January 2027 in a city to be determined. There will be one Hackathon for each of the participating countries (Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain and Slovakia). In this occasion, five organisations selected during the open call will have the opportunity to collaborate on defining their project idea and compete for funding prizes to make it a reality. In essence, it is a co-design experience. A maximum of two youth workers per organisation may participate, preferably those who took part in the first part of the online training.

No, participation in the Hackathon is completely free of charge for organisations selected for training. The project covers:

• transport costs for up to two participating operators per organisation

• accommodation for those coming from regions far from the city where the Hackathon will take place, for a maximum of one night.

At the end of the Hackathon, some project ideas will be selected and receive funding to support their implementation. The prize includes:

• a financial contribution of goods and/or services, worth €5,000 for the best project, €3,000 for the second-best project and €1,000 for the third-best project, will be awarded to the projects proposed during the Hackathon and selected through the Open Call

• an all-expenses-paid trip to Brussels for the most innovative idea, that will be presented to an international audience at the European Parliament.

Funding is not provided directly to organisations in the form of financial contributions. Instead, the NEB-YC project partners will support the implementation of the selected ideas by providing accompaniment and guidance for:

• the purchase of materials necessary for project implementation

• the payment for external services such as training or consultancy

• support for specific interventions aimed at transforming or improving spaces.

This approach ensures the effective and transparent use of allocated resources, as well as the concrete and sustainable implementation of project ideas and ongoing operational support for organisations, in line with the guidelines of the Italian National Agency, which funds the Erasmus+ project in its entirety.

Call Opening → 22 December 2025

Application Deadline → 28 February 2026

Youth Centers Selection → March 2026

Online Training → Second Semester 2026

National Hackathon → First Semester 2027

Award Ceremony and Projects Implementation → April 2027