ADELANTE! is a Servizio Civile Universale project abroad promoted by OPES in Spain, with activities taking place between Valencia and Barcelona. The project was created with the aim of strengthening youth participation in European policies and inclusion pathways, enhancing the role of young people as a resource for building more open, aware, and participatory communities.

Included in the programme “Insieme nel mondo con OPES”, the project develops within a dynamic and intercultural European context, where mobility, active citizenship, sport, communication, and project design become concrete tools to promote social inclusion and growth opportunities.

Project Objectives

The project aims to increase youth participation in European and inclusion‑related policies in Valencia and Barcelona.

In particular, the project seeks to:

• analyse needs, challenges, and opportunities in the territory related to youth participation;
• support training and capacity‑building activities for organisations, local operators, and teachers;
• promote participation in mobility opportunities and projects linked to the sports sector;
• enhance sport as a tool for social inclusion and youth activation;
• support project‑design workshops, incoming and outgoing activities, and European integration pathways for young people;
• strengthen territorial and digital communication to disseminate information, opportunities, and the results of the activities.

Main Activities

The activities planned by ADELANTE! are structured across several levels.

A first area concerns field research, through data collection and analysis, questionnaires, mapping, needs assessment, identification of challenges, preparation of reports, and dissemination of the materials produced.

The project then includes training and capacity‑building activities for organisations, local operators, and teachers, with support for the preparation of toolkits, organisation of meetings, administrative and logistical management, communication with stakeholders and participants, and monitoring of satisfaction.

Another central area concerns the promotion and support of participation in mobility opportunities in the sports sector, with activities related to reception, accompaniment, organisation, contact with local organisations, and the enhancement of sport as a tool for social inclusion.

The project also includes European integration activities for young people, such as project‑design workshops, support for young participants, organisation of incoming and outgoing activities, and support for European project‑design pathways, in which volunteers take part both in preparing materials and in communication and organisational tasks.

Alongside these actions, information campaigns are planned in the local area, as well as digital and social‑media communication activities specifically aimed at young people. Volunteers collaborate in content creation, graphic and creative support, the development of information campaigns, the collection of feedback, and the dissemination of results.

Impact on the Territory and Beneficiaries

ADELANTE! helps strengthen the role of young people as protagonists of the social, cultural, and European life of the territories in which it operates. The project promotes greater awareness of the opportunities offered by European policies, supports inclusion pathways, and encourages the creation of networks among young people, associations, organisations, and local communities.

The expected impact concerns both the young people directly involved in the activities and the local associative and territorial fabric, which benefits from training initiatives, participation pathways, mobility activities, and information campaigns capable of generating greater awareness and engagement.

Through its work at local and European levels, the project also contributes to the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), promoting learning, participation, and inclusion.

Training and Growth Opportunities for Volunteers

For volunteer operators, ADELANTE! represents a rich and multidimensional learning experience in an international context. The young participants take part in research processes, organisation, communication, capacity building, mobility promotion, and support for European project design, developing skills that are useful on a personal, civic, and professional level.

Throughout the project, volunteers can develop skills in:

• youth participation and European citizenship;
• organising training activities, events, and workshops;
• supporting European project design and mobility pathways;
• social, digital, and institutional communication;
• monitoring, feedback collection, and reporting;
• teamwork and cooperation in intercultural contexts.

The experience requires adaptability, responsibility, strong interpersonal skills, and openness to intercultural exchange, while offering a concrete growth pathway oriented toward international solidarity, inclusion, and active youth participation.