Contents
Welcoming Words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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What is the EYY? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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European Year of Youth Flagship Initiatives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Flagship European Learning Mobility: European Strategy for Universities . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Flagship Employment and inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Flagship Green: Youth in Climate Action - Youth Summit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Flagship Digital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Flagship Culture: Youth discovers culture thanks to DiscoverEU in 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Flagship Health, Well-being and Sports: Promoting Mental Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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EPSA’s Activities for the EYY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Members Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Pharma Café. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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FASFR Position Paper on National Student Camps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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When will it be vaccinated in public pharmacies in Slovakia? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Fieldwork on raising awareness about cosmetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Position Paper on the National Health Plan for the Decade 21-30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Europe Day - Youth Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Opportunities: How to get engaged?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Young people in the European Union are increasingly engaged. According to the latest Flash Eurobarometer on Youth and Democracy, a majority (58%) of young people are active in the societies they live in and have participated in one or more youth organisations over the last 12 months. At the same time, too many young people face considerable hardships in their lives. The COVID-19 pandemic had a detrimental impact on them, on their employment participation, working and living conditions and mental well-being. The European Union recognises that these challenges and the global challenges that our societies face have to be addressed with the active involvement of young people and youth stakeholders. This is why 2022 was designated as the European Year of Youth (EYY) – to put the spotlight on young Europeans, and to boost all efforts in engaging, supporting and empowering them. The objectives of the Year are: 1. to draw inspiration from youth’s actions, vision and insights, 2. to support young people, especially those with fewer opportunities to become active and engaged citizens and actors of change, 3. to promote opportunities for young people in a green, digital and inclusive world 4. to mainstream youth policy across all relevant policy areas encouraging that a youth perspective is brought into policy-making 1
POLICY NEWSLETTER
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WELCOMING WORDS
The Year was co-created by EU institutions, Member States, National Coordinators and national contact points, youth organisations and young people themselves. It is now implemented at all levels and there are already more than 3200 activities linked to the EYY.
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In the context of the European Year of Youth, the European Commission has launched initiatives, such as ALMA, an active inclusion scheme for disadvantaged young people, new European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+), the Green Track campaign and others. The Commission has proposed new legislation, such as the Council Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers and the Council Recommendation on learning for environmental sustainability. The European Year of Youth should bring a shift in how young people are included in policy and decision-making at the European, national, regional and local levels. The European Commission has stepped up its support for youth participation by connecting young people with European Commissioners in a set of youth policy dialogues. In addition, the Commission has launched a voice platform inviting all youth to voice their vision for Europe by recording their messages, ideas and recommendations. All young people are encouraged to get involved in the European Year of Youth, to contact their National Coordinator, to take part in and organise activities, to get familiar with EU youth policy initiatives, to follow developments on social media (on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook) and the work of the pool of young European journalists, to share their insights via the voice platform. Biliana Sirakova EU Youth Coordinator at the European Commission
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at all levels.
Dear readers, In celebration of the first half of the 2022 European Year of Youth, it is a great honour to share with you the Policy Newsletter: European Year of Youth Special Edition! We truly hope you will fully appreciate this edition specially dedicated to the European Year of Youth, including an overview of the initiatives developed in this first half of the year, and the expectations for the second half. Moreover, you will have the chance to discover EPSA’s and Members’ activities and advocacy projects organised to gather young people, students and decision-makers. You will also get a glance at the several ways you can get engaged at a personal level! Besides all our best wishes to you, we would like to express our excitement and deepest gratitude to all those who contributed to one more successful edition of the Policy Newsletter, in special to the EU Youth Coordinator at the European Commission Biliana Sirakova and the Advocacy Platform Representatives. Yours in EPSA, Fatumata Seck Policy Affairs Coordinator 2021/2022 & Charlotte Thibault Policy Coordinator Elect 2022/2023
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POLICY NEWSLETTER
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WELCOMING WORDS
What is the EYY? During the 2021 State of the Union address, President von der Leyen announced that 2022 would be a year dedicated to youth. The announcement was followed by a formal proposal, submitted in October 2021 by the European Commission to designate 2022 the European Year of Youth (EYY) to the colegislators. The goal is to celebrate the generation that suffered most from the COVID-19 pandemic, support the most vulnerable young people and promote the opportunities offered to young people by the European Union. The Commission proposed and committed to coordinating throughout 2022 a range of activities in close contact with the European Parliament, the Member States, regional and local authorities. Furthermore, to assure the success of the European Year of Youth, youth organisations and young people, as the main interest parties, are also closely involved in the organisation of the Year. The initiatives are being supported by an allocated €8 million found from Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. The Year is also linked to the Conference on the future of Europe, for which young people play a central role. 2022 has been expected to be a year dedicated to young people, centred on different activities and opportunities for them to gain knowledge, skills, and competencies for their professional development and to strengthen their civic engagement, drawing inspiration from them to strengthen the European project and shape Europe’s future.
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European Year of Youth Flagship Initiatives A. Flagship European Learning Mobility: European Strategy for Universities The European Year of Youth aims at bringing visibility to a series of initiatives that will not only boost higher education in Europe but also put students and universities in the spotlight. The European strategy for universities is one of these initiatives. It aims at equipping students with the competences they need to succeed in their professional and personal lives, with many more opportunities to study abroad and be actors of change by cooperating with students, professionals, and researchers from different countries and disciplines to find solutions to the biggest challenges our society is facing. It provides support for students to start their course in one university and continue it in other universities in Europe, following transnational joint programmes and getting a joint European degree automatically recognised within the EU. B. Flagship Employment and inclusion Review of the Council Recommendation on the Quality Framework for Traineeships In the context of new challenges to youth employment due to, among other factors, the COVID-19 pandemic, young people need better quality traineeships. The Commission will “review in 2022 the Council Recommendation on the Quality Framework for Traineeships, notably as regards working conditions” (stated in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan) as a response to the calls of the European Parliament and various stakeholders.
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The review will look at whether traineeships outside education curricula offer young people a successful pathway to the labour market, and whether the Quality Framework for Traineeship in its current form effectively guarantees traineeship quality. It will also look at how to better cater for the changing skills requirements brought about by the digital and green transitions. Reinforced Youth Guarantee In line with the European Pillar of Social Rights, the overall objective of the reinforced Youth Guarantee is to support young people in gaining work experience and developing the right skills for a changing world of work, in particular those relevant to the green and digital transitions. 2022 will be a crucial year for the implementation of the reinforced Youth Guarantee. Member States will start implementing measures under their recovery and resilience plans targeting young people and youth-employment-related measures included in their ESF+ programmes. Member States where the NEET problem is more serious will need to devote at least 12.5% of their ESF+funding to young NEETs. All the other Member States will need to dedicate an appropriate amount to implement the reinforced Youth Guarantee in line with the gravity of their youth-employment challenges. The reinforced Youth Guarantee has no end date and will remain the EU’s reference policy framework to fight youth unemployment and inactivity. After 2022, with help from the billions of EUR of EU funds available under the EU’s 2021-2027 long-term POLICY NEWSLETTER
budget and NextGenerationEU, the reinforced digitalised world. Youth Guarantee will continue to strive to achieve E. Flagship Culture: Youth discovers culture more and better: prevention of unemployment thanks to DiscoverEU in 2022 and inactivity, school-to-work transitions through Learning about European culture is at the heart tailored and individualised support measures, of DiscoverEU. The action does not only offer outreach to and activation of the more vulnerable, 18-year-olds a travel pass but also encourages upskilling and re-skilling, post-placement connection and cultural dialogue among young support and integrated services. people across Europe. In this context, a ‘Cultural C. Flagship Green: Youth in Climate Action - Route’ will be published on the European Youth Youth Summit Portal in the first half of 2022, with an aim to As centrally organised European Year of Youth encourage young people to embark on a cultural activity in Brussels, the European Climate Pact journey during their DiscoverEU travel. The route will co-organise a youth summit around youth will highlight places of cultural interest. Some of engagement and climate action, collaborating those cities will be European Capitals of Culture with DG ENV, the European Economic and Social or the hosts of European Heritage Label sites. Committee, the European Parliament (TBC), In addition, as of summer 2022, the DiscoverEU youth organisations and other partners to offer travellers will receive a card allowing them to get a young participants to learn about the interlinkages discount on many cultural activities across Europe. between social justice, the environmental crisis and More info: Stay tuned for more soon. the climate emergency in an interdisciplinary event F. Flagship Health, Well-being and Sports: featuring inspiring keynotes, passionate debates Promoting Mental Health and exciting participatory formats and spaces to This action will provide support to stakeholders in exchange views between the young audience and implementing best practices promoting children policymakers, youth and climate initiatives, climate and adolescents mental health and well-being, pact business pledgers and others. Date to be with a focus on vulnerable groups, such as children confirmed but envisaged for end of Q3. Share living in deprived areas. It will contribute to giving your ideas via youth@euclimatepact.eu young people more and better opportunities for D. Flagship Digital the future, in line with the activities of the 2022 93% of European youngsters use online internet European Year of Youth. Two calls for proposals daily (Eurobarometer). The COVID-19 pandemic will be launched in the first quarter of 2022, has led to an acceleration of digital trends. Although implementing best practice(s) to 1) improve life “digital natives”, young people, especially those skills and social, psychological and emotional under 18, deserve support and empowerment resources among socially vulnerable children and for a life where the distinction between online adolescents and 2) support mental health and and offline is becoming increasingly blurred. wellbeing of young people and their families in The progressively digitalised world means new vulnerable groups. opportunities, but also new challenges to young people, notably concerning digital skills, the digital divide, and potentially harmful content on the internet. Education and capacity building is urgently needed to accelerate the digital transition and equip young people with the necessary knowledge and skills required to get by in a EUROPEAN PHARMACEUTICAL STUDENTS’ASSOCIATION 6
EPSA’s Activities for the EYY Over the year 2022, EPSA will be delivering actions in line with the European Commission’s European Year of Youth by engaging, empowering and connecting pharmaceutical students in several different areas. As EPSA desires to see such investment in youth persevere, the European Year of Youth will set the ground for multi-annual plans for youth and students, in collaboration with institutions and stakeholders. First of all, we motivate our members to engage in civic life through the Advocacy Platform. Hence, pharmaceutical youth have a chance to understand policy and advocacy, and thus they are more aware and engaged in policy making and advocacy. Secondly, we foster skills’ development through non-formal education, such as soft skills trainings, sciencerelated activities, Social Services Campaigns and Online Discussion Forums on advocacy initiatives. Finally, in order to connect youth throughout Europe, we have several projects ongoing, such as our events: Annual Congress, Autumn Assembly, Annual Reception and Summer University. EPSA is a hub for pharmaceutical knowledge, student engagement, and collaboration between students, professionals, and patients. We assist students to encourage and facilitate their active engagement with the construction of a vibrant European democracy.
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Online Discussion Forum The ODF is an online activity open to all students. The aim of this is to collect students’ personal views on a particular topic, as well as give them the opportunity to brainstorm and discuss with pharmacists in the field. This ODF focused on Specialisation in Pharmaceutical Education. The ODF aims to give students and professionals a space to discuss the contrast between education and practice, and brainstorm on the possibilities of improvements, to make our profession grow. Annual Reception The EPSA 12th Annual Reception was held in Brussels, dedicated to the engagement of youth, experts and decision-makers in the construction of the future of the European Health Union, with a focus on transforming health education, a European strategy. In the White Paper on Pharmaceutical Skills and Education, EPSA presents under 6 axes the views and propositions of European pharmaceutical students to improve pharmaceutical studies. The accessibility of studies, the emerging needs in hard and soft skills including the green and digital transition, vaccination and mental health, teaching methodologies, and also the well-being of students and mobility are tackled. Finally, a European focus on pharmaceutical education brings forward the question of the unification of curricula, and the recent European strategy for universities. Mental Health Documentary Following multiple survey reports published in recent years by healthcare student organisations, the findings are clear. In addition to the distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health, healthcare students live in an environment which exposes them to multiple drivers of distress. Therefore, healthcare students’ associations have decided to give their students the possibility to express and present experiences within their sector which have led to mental health distress, and take part in good practice exchanges by shining a light on the work of stakeholders all over Europe which assists and helps healthcare students’ Mental Health in various environments and situations. The idea behind this documentary is to create an eye-opening film on the condition of health students in their various learning environments, as well as show the consequences on tomorrow’s healthcare workforce. It is also really important to contrast the issues with solutions, proposed or already implemented by stakeholders all over Europe. Summer University Summer University is an event organised in July that focuses on developing soft skills and intercultural awareness amongst pharmaceutical students across Europe. During the event, participants have the chance to gain knowledge about different career paths and learn about the transversal skills that would increase their employability in different fields. Moreover, they have the chance to interact with each other in a relaxed environment and learn more about the cultural heritage and the country where the event is held. This activity encourages student mobility, cultural exchange and inspires youth to take leadership on the national level. Healthcare Hackathon Originally, Hackathons originate from the field of computer sciences, but in recent years, more and more Hackathons have also been organised on different subjects, such as Healthcare. For instance Dutch Hacking Health, The European Healthcare - and MIT Healthcare Hackathon. The latter gave rise to a spinoff that has recently been acquired by Amazon Health for $750 million. Joining forces with the Junior Entrepreneurs of Europe, EPSA would like to organise a Healthcare Hackathon where you work on your project for 36 CONSECUTIVE HOURS with a team that consists of pharmaceutical students from all over Europe. To guide them along the way, there will be workshops and training sessions, giving you opportunities to learn more about topics relevant to your project, as well as mentors, each with their unique expertise, offering a professional’s point of view and valuable insights. EUROPEAN PHARMACEUTICAL STUDENTS’ASSOCIATION
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Members Activities Pharma Café The Croatian Pharmacy and Medical Biochemistry Students’ Association (CPSA) developed a project called Pharma Café. The project is aimed at students from all member associations and is all about meeting and chatting with other pharmacy students from all over the world. The project’s name aimed to emphasize that the initiative does not include official webinars and lectures, rather it focuses on meeting new friends and broadening our horizons. The goal is to learn something new about the other country in a relaxed atmosphere and help students practice their English skills. The concept is to gather, in each meeting, up to 10 students from Croatia and up to 10 students from one other country. There is one general topic for each meeting and 3 subtopics for the breakout rooms. The general topics include: Introducing the countries, Student life, Student Psychology, Pharmacy Faculty in each country etc. The meetings last about an hour and a half and they are divided into two parts: 1. The first part was held in 3 breakout rooms with their subtopics for the students to discuss with the help of a moderator keeping the conversation alive with preprepared questions. 2. The second part includes a discussion to see what the students have learned about each other, achieved by the previously prepared questions. The aim is to have two meetings with each country that chooses to participate. One is about the general introduction of the country, and the other with the topic that can be chosen in agreement with both sides. The meetings generally take place one week after the other in order for the students to have the chance to get to know each other better. We have held meetings with Spain, North Macedonia, Germany, Greece and are working on additional meetings with Portugal, Switzerland and more.
FASFR Position Paper on National Student Camps On the 8th of June 2022, FASFR disapproved the recent decision of the Romanian Ministry of Family, Youth and Equal Opportunities to reduce the number of placements in the National Student Camps Program. The National Student Camps Program is a government-funded program that allows students with great academic achievements throughout a year or students with less economical possibilities to spend a week of their holiday at the Student Camps. In 2021, the number of places was divided by two, justified by the epidemiological context. In 2019, a year not affected by SARS-CoV-2, approximately 6000 places were allocated, a significantly higher number than the current one. Furthermore, in 2022, the current circumstances allow increasing the number of places for this program, but the Romanian Ministry decides to diminish around 1000 places in this project. Unfortunately, this decision affects a lot of underprivileged students for whom this program represents an opportunity for a memorable experience that they would not otherwise afford. Following the process initiated by FASFR together with other student associations, the Romanian Minister was supplementing 1330 places for the National Student Camps Program. The overall number of summer camp beneficiaries will ultimately be 3500 students.
Ioana Babarus - FASFR Vice President of External Affairs
Hana Ban - EPSA Liaison Secretary of CPSA Croatia 2021/2022
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When will it be vaccinated in public pharmacies in Slovakia? The issue of vaccination is becoming an increasingly regular subject of discussion in our country as well. However, the main topic this time is the question of “when”. The Slovak Chamber of Pharmacy and other key experts and partners are involved in the next steps of this initiative. The procedure is as follows: certified education of pharmacists in the field of vaccination and proposals for changes in the legislation of the Slovak Republic for vaccination in public pharmacies. The training course for pharmacists includes the promotion of theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of immunization, communicable disease factors, proper storage, monitoring of contraindications and side effects of the vaccines, as well as the practical implementation of vaccination and first aid training. One of the steps was also a survey of the ATIP project, where students gained new knowledge thanks to a lecture on the topic – „Acute infections of the upper respiratory tract“. The practical part was to get involved in a survey on vaccination in pharmacies. They first filled it in themselves and then were involved in the survey of at least three pharmacists in their compulsory pharmacy practice. We believe that the initiative of experts and the institutions willingness will bring further progress in the field of vaccination in Slovakia.
Fieldwork on raising awareness about cosmetics In contrast to the lack of pharmacists in the cosmetics industry, biologists and chemists seem to thrive in this field that’s mostly concerned about health. Pharmacists are essential healthcare workers who are also trained in cosmetology. Therefore, rather than different occupations, pharmacists’ roles shouldn’t be disregarded in terms of healthy beauty. Hence, as AHUPS Turkey, we were on the field for healthy beauty in front of Hacettepe University Beytepe Campus Cafeteria on Friday, the 22nd of April with our members. The main purpose of our project was to increase the prestige of pharmacists in society and to make it known that they know the proper use of cosmetics. Before our fieldwork, we received important training in which we benefited from the knowledge of our university’s pharmaceutical technology department to best inform the students who are studying in different majors. Afterwards, we wore our white coats and answered the questions asked about the proper use of cosmetics and handed our informative brochures. We present our special thanks to the Hacettepe University Pharmaceutical Technology Department for helping us make a difference in the conscious use of cosmetics through communication with students from different majors by drawing attention to many essential points.
Şevval Özaydın
Mgr. Simona Mäsiarová, Advocacy Platform Representative SPSA
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Europe Day - Youth Engagement
Position Paper on the National Health Plan for the Decade 21-30
There is no powerful and ambitious Europe without the commitment of its youth”
In the past couple of months, APEF has been working in strict collaboration with other national health students’ organisations in order to issue a paper that summons the students’ position regarding our National Health Plan for the decade 2021-2030, in order to present it during the public consultation period in force.
On the occasion of Europe Day, ANEPF proposed this tribune, written with the Think Tank “Europe of health” of Nile, gathering young and future professionals of the world of health, caring for several years, the strong vision of a Europe committed to health.
Among the twelve proposals that we included in the final document, we can highlight some of them that refer to the pharmaceutical field: the implementation of pharmaceutical consultations, the renovation of chronic disease prescriptions by pharmacists, and the definition of collaboration protocols between pharmacies and health care facilities for minor health issues. Furthermore, we also proposed some more investment in clinical investigation, mental health care, and interprofessional collaboration. This position paper gathers the views of seven national student organisations, which represent medical, pharmaceutical, dentistry, nursing, nutrition, veterinary, and psychology students. Various student representatives were involved in the execution of this document, aiming to present the final version to different relevant stakeholders and national policymakers.
This observation should call us to consider the urgent establishment of a One Health policy, otherwise, we will be exposed to future sanitary crises, currently silent, which would be far more devastating. Only the interdisciplinary nature of the healthcare actors will allow us to reach a real application of a policy, by investigating the training of the younger generations, who will be in charge of preserving the health of the population in the future. Promoting these collaborations in the early stages of the student training will increase their consciousness and give them the resources to apply the principles of One Health during their professional lives.
BRUNET Marion / LAVENANT Pauline
Youth cares for their future and is willing to be involved in its accomplishment.
Josué Moutinho, LS
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Opportunities: How to get engaged? What is there for YOU?
Plenty of opportunities to learn, share your vision, meet people and engage in activities all over Europe! All can be found on the European Youth Portal 1. Look for Activities near you!
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Read about young activists and become one!
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Find tools for your personal development!
4. Follow #EYY2022 Social Media for more opportunities Facebook: European Youth Twitter: @European_Youth_EU Instagram: @EuropeanYouthEU 13
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