Project "FREED – Foster Relations, Empower Democracy"

The FREED project aims to empower young citizen communities (including second-generation migrants & diaspora communities) by actively advocating for European rights and values, making their voices increasingly heard to strengthen the EU integration process.

The project is willing to promote a process of engagement, participation and cross-cultural transfer between young with different background as second-generation migrants, diaspora communities and non-migrants communities, building a sense of belonging to “a new European common home”.

NEWS

The communication campaign

The campaign’s distinctive symbol is a chameleon (emblem of change) sitting on a tram (Milan’s trademark) which, by giving colour to the city, triggers change.

FREED’s slogan is a provocation and at the same time food for thought: are public spaces really accessible to everyone?

The creators of the campaign make their voice heard with billboards, posters and stickers, spread around the city with the aim of involving other young people, adults and representatives of the institutions in the construction of a city model in which no one is left behind, respecting the main values of the European Union – human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law and human rights -.

RIDOTTO Freed manifesto 70x100.png 23.11.23

THE PROJECT

Specific objectives

to map civil society organizations and local associations composed by young people in the area 9 of Milan to identify people who are considered key actors (Community Agents – CAs)
to involve the group of young CAs in a feedback meeting for the identification of young citizen’s needs (in the specific context)
to empower young CAs as new citizens, through a training course on the issues they have identified and to increase their awareness of EU rights and values
to engage young CAs as protagonists of a communication campaign, co-creating together with them key tools and messages for the promotion of EU values and rights to be disseminated through a communication campaign.

Target

The primary target of the FREED project is a group of 10 Community Agents – CAs (young citizen communities, including second-generation migrants & diaspora communities) from Municipality 9 of Milan, who will be involved in a training and co-design process.

Secondary targets of the project activities will be diaspora communities, local authorities, Civil Society Organsiations-CSOs and the citizens of the whole area 9 of Milan.

Actions

MAPPING – Months 1-2 – Mapping area 9 of Milan to identify civil society organizations, local associations, diaspora associations or active informal communities composed by young people and invite their representatives (Community Agents) to the training course
FEEDBACK MEETING – Month 3 – Organizing a Feedback meeting to present the project and analyze training needs. Training beneficiaries are actively involved in gathering these specific needs
TRAINING – Months 4-5 – Offering Training modules for young Community Agents consisting of a multidisciplinary team of experts and local service professionals aiming at transferring knowledge to the community agents in order to become mentors
COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN – Month 6 – An ad hoc communication campaign will be co-designed with young Community Agents who will become the protagonists of the project. The co-design work with the CAs will lead to the creation of several communication tools that will be disseminated through social media channels with the aim of supporting the enhancement of EU mobile citizens’ participation in the democratic process and strengthening the engagement of EU mobile citizens, promoting their rights and political integration.