Enriching the soil so every young person can grow

4.0 What inclusion really means (and what it doesn’t)

Inclusion is not just inviting “diverse” young people into a project. Inclusion means changing the way we plan, communicate, host, and facilitate so that participants can:

• access the activity (physically, financially, emotionally, digitally),
• stay (they feel safe and supported),
• participate meaningfully (their voice matters, methods fit their reality),
• and benefit (learning outcomes are reachable for them).

If the environment isn’t safe and accessible, the invitation becomes symbolic—and participation becomes a privilege.

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Key idea: “young people with fewer opportunities” is not a label for a person.

It describes a situation: young people who face barriers that reduce their access to opportunities compared to their peers. These barriers can be social, economic, geographical, cultural, health-related, educational, or linked to discrimination—and they often overlap.

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4.1 Breaking the hard ground: understanding barriers

Before we design activities, we need to identify what is actually blocking participation. If we don’t see the barrier, we can’t remove it.

A. Social barriers (belonging and trust)

What it can look like

• discrimination (gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, LGBTQIA+ stigma),
• difficulties in social integration or limited social competences,
• risky behaviours, conflict with institutions, or stigma (e.g., care background, justice system).

What it often causes

• low self-confidence,
• fear of judgement,
• the feeling: “this project is not for people like me.”

What we can change

• reduce “performance pressure” (not everyone has to speak in plenary),
• use smaller groups and more creative/visual methods,
• create clear group agreements and real safety mechanisms (see 4.4).

B. Economic barriers (hidden costs)

What it can look like

• low income, insecure work, unemployment,
• debt, unstable housing, homelessness risk,
• inability to cover “small costs” (transport, food, data, documents).

What it often causes

• drop-out before the project starts,
• stress during participation,
• shame (people won’t always say they need support).

What we can change

• advance payments where possible (don’t ask participants to pay first),
• cover local transport, meals, and “participation costs” (data, childcare, documents),
• communicate clearly: what is covered, how, and when.

C. Geographical barriers (distance and connectivity)

What it can look like

• rural/remote areas, islands, poor public transport,
• segregated neighbourhoods with fewer services,
• limited internet access and weak information channels.

What it often causes

• people simply don’t hear about opportunities,
• arriving late / leaving early becomes normal (and then they feel “wrong”),
• participation depends on someone else (rides, permissions, safety at night).

What we can change

• choose accessible locations and times (transport schedules matter),
• offer transport solutions (shared rides, pickup points, reimbursements),
• use outreach beyond social media (see 4.2).

D. The “invisible barriers” teams often create (without meaning to)

These are common in Erasmus+ projects and easy to miss:

• Language barrier: long texts, academic tone, complex forms.
• Administrative barrier: IDs, signatures, documents too early.
• Cultural barrier: unspoken rules, norms of communication, “correct behaviour”.
• Emotional barrier: unsafe group climate, bullying, microaggressions.
• Digital barrier: assuming everyone has data, laptop, stable internet.

📝 Team reflection

Look at your project design. Which barriers are we accidentally creating?

• Are we asking for travel money upfront? (economic)
• Is our venue reachable at night by public transport? (geographical)
• Is our language too formal, long, or “project-ish”? (social/cultural)
• Are we expecting everyone to speak in plenary? (emotional/language)

4.2 Reaching the roots: outreach that actually works

Young people with fewer opportunities rarely join through standard open calls alone. Inclusion often starts before the project: through trust, proximity, and relationships.