In this track, students explore how young people can make their voices heard through creative communication and simple media tools. The sessions focus on how messages, visuals and stories can influence public awareness and encourage participation. Participants look at selected examples of campaigns and social media activism and discuss what makes them compelling.

The core of the track is practical, hands-on group work. Students collaborate on small creative tasks, experiment with different ways of expressing a message and develop first ideas for simple awareness concepts linked to a topic they care about. The emphasis is on teamwork, exploration and trying things out rather than producing a polished final outcome.

This track is a good fit for Track Leaders who enjoy guiding interactive group processes and who like seeing students work creatively, test ideas and build confidence in expressing their perspectives. The sessions benefit from a facilitator who can hold space, give clear instructions and support the students in shaping their own ideas.

The students explore how everyday socio-cultural activities can become tools for participation and local change within this track. Through the lens of their own schools, neighbourhoods and social circles, they look at how bias, stereotypes and discrimination show up in daily life and how they might respond to them in creative, non-formal ways.

The sessions are built around hands-on, experiential activities like collage and poster making, poetry and storytelling, simple games, film screenings and guided urban walks or “place-mapping” of their surroundings. Step by step, students move from reflection (“What is happening around me?”) to action (“What small thing could I try when I go back home?”). By the end of the track, each group will have drafted one or more simple ideas for local initiatives they could implement after YES (for example, a small awareness activity in school, a themed movie night, a creative poster campaign, or a reflective walk in their community).

We are looking for Track Leaders who enjoy facilitating youth-friendly discussions on social issues and using creative, non-formal methods. You don’t need to be an expert, just someone who can guide group processes with clarity, create an inclusive atmosphere and support quieter voices. In this track, Track Leaders will work as facilitators who help students connect their experiences to concrete ideas for action and encourage them to turn these ideas into realistic next steps in their own communities.

This track will introduce the students to the art of debating: making a compelling argument based on reason and facts. We will guide them through a debate simulation, where the students will be divided into small groups, each representing a community (corporations, nations, cultures, or similar). These communities will be chosen to have conflicting goals, and they will all need to come to an agreement.

The students will have the chance to gather information and facts about their standpoint, plan a strategy on how to approach the debate partners and make coalitions and alliances before diving into the debate itself, where they will need to agree on the terms of how to face their issue. The track leaders will act as mediators of the debate, creating an atmosphere where the students can feel safe to speak up and express their opinions.

The aim of the track is to teach the students a valuable skill: to turn an idea into reality using words. They will practice how to make compromises, strategic planning and coming up with arguments on the fly, all within a safe environment. These skills should be transferable to real life, to help them make a difference locally; within their school, town or community.

We are looking for Track Leaders who feel confident guiding structured discussions and who enjoy creating an environment where students feel safe to speak, explore ideas and challenge each other respectfully. Ideal facilitators are comfortable mediating disagreements, supporting quieter voices and keeping debates constructive and focused. An interest in critical thinking, negotiation or communication skills is an asset, but you do not need professional debate experience.

In this track, students will dive into a series of mini social puzzles designed to spark creativity, teamwork and real-world problem-solving. Each session invites participants to collaborate intensively on developing actionable plans that respond to pressing social issues. While the track introduces key ideas about youth participation and models of civic engagement, its core purpose is to empower students to step into the role of active changemakers.

Every mini puzzle presents a set of challenges for students to choose from, allowing them to focus on issues that matter personally to them. These might include climate action, democratic participation, volunteering, youth civic engagement or other relevant social topics. 

This track suits Track Leaders who enjoy high-energy, interactive formats and who feel comfortable guiding teams through rapid ideation and decision-making. The skills that matter most are the ability to structure group processes, support teamwork and keep motivation high.

Throughout the track, students reflect on their values, interests and motivations, and examine the internal barriers that can make participation feel “pointless” or out of reach.

Students explore examples of different pathways to getting involved, from joining existing local initiatives such as youth centres, clubs, NGOs or community groups, to creating their own small-scale actions or projects. The aim is for students to leave the track with a clearer sense of what they care about and how they might take their first step toward contributing to their communities. 

This track is a great fit for Track Leaders who are skilled at guiding reflective processes, asking thoughtful questions and supporting young people in identifying their own motivations. Facilitators who enjoy helping students unpack their interests, articulate their ideas and translate them into realistic next steps will thrive in this role.