About us

RiseUp: Redefining Youth Employability – Navigating Futures

RiseUp is an Erasmus+ transnational project dedicated to empowering young people across Europe to take an active role in shaping the future of work, inclusion, and participation. In an era marked by rapid transformation, uncertainty, and constantly evolving labour markets, young people continue to face persistent structural challenges — unemployment, precarious work, unequal opportunities, and limited access to decision-making processes.

Created as a collective response to these realities, RiseUp envisions a Europe where youth are not passive recipients of employment opportunities, but active co-creators of fair, inclusive, and sustainable systems of work. At its heart lies a bold mission: to redefine what employability means for a new generation.

Rather than focusing solely on access to jobs, RiseUp promotes a broader, forward-thinking concept of employability — one that values fairness, social protection, diversity, participation, and equity. Through dialogue, cooperation, non-formal education, and creative engagement, the project provides young people with the knowledge, confidence, and practical tools they need to understand, influence, and lead the transformation of the labour market.

A Collaborative European Effort

RiseUp is an 18-month Erasmus+ initiative coordinated by PYLON ONE (Greece) in partnership with Europalmente Erasmus (Italy), Jauniešu biedrība “Dagne” (Latvia), and Sdrushenie Evropeyski Proekti v Balgaria (Bulgaria). Together, these partners form a vibrant European network that promotes collaboration, dialogue, and mutual learning across borders.

The project is deeply rooted in the belief that meaningful youth participation in policy-making and employment is essential for building a stronger, more democratic, and socially just Europe. RiseUp directly contributes to European Youth Goal #7: Quality Employment for All, tackling the multiple barriers that prevent young people from entering and remaining in the labour market.

Creating Spaces for Change

Across 18 months, RiseUp will implement a diverse series of activities and events in the four partner countries, including:

• Youth Labs – innovative spaces for collective learning and experimentation,

• Open Dialogues – participatory discussions between young people and decision-makers,

• Symposia and Policy Forums – opportunities to co-create and share policy proposals,

• Festivals and Youth Contests – celebratory events that amplify youth voices through creativity, art, and civic engagement.

These actions combine non-formal education, policy debate, and collaborative innovation, offering young people the opportunity to learn, express, connect, and influence. Each activity is designed to spark critical thinking, creativity, and leadership, while also producing tangible outcomes that contribute to more inclusive employment and participation policies across Europe.

Empowering Youth to Lead the Future

Through this holistic approach, RiseUp not only seeks to influence employment policies, but also to transform the way young people engage with them. The project equips participants with essential skills in leadership, policy analysis, entrepreneurship, and communication, while fostering collaboration, empathy, and intercultural understanding.

RiseUp envisions a generation of young Europeans who are not merely adapting to the challenges of the modern labour market — but actively shaping and leading the change. By bridging the gap between education, employment, and civic participation, the project lays the foundation for a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable Europe.

A Movement for Inclusion, Equality, and Opportunity

RiseUp is more than a project — it is a movement. It represents a shared commitment to youth empowerment, active citizenship, and social innovation. It stands for a Europe where every young person, regardless of background, gender, or geography, can find their place in a fair and supportive labour market.

Through cooperation, creativity, and solidarity, RiseUp strives to build a future where all young people have the opportunity not just to work — but to thrive, participate, and lead.

Together, we rise for inclusion, equality, and opportunity.