New project: Gamify Rural Youth Work

The First Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) of the new ‘Gamify Rural Youth Work’ project was held successfully in December last year.

From 17 to 18th December 2025, partners gathered in Paphos, Cyprus, for a kick-off meeting. As a result of two working days, the work plan and timeline were created, and the next steps of the project were planned.

What is the Gamify Rural Youth Work project?

This is a Erasmus+ KA2 CBY project that aims to promote innovative grassroots youth work in rural communities by integrating gamified non-formal learning with digital tools.

Some of the outcomes of this project will include:

• Comprehensive research paper on Rural Youth Work

• Gamification tool - mobile app and website

  Online Course for rural youth workers

• Guidebook with 30+ video tutorials of the non-formal learning activities

• Pilot activities with rural youth

• International training course, youth exchange and a European conference in Brussels

Who are the project partners?  

Rural Youth Europe is a partner alongside five other project partners from across Europe. These include:

• Umbrella from Georgia (project lead), one of our RYE member organisations.   

• ACPELIA, a non-governmental organisation for youth in Cyprus.

• Youth Mix, a non-governmental organisation for youth in Armenia .

• EBAGEM, a Development Center Association of individuals and families with disabilities in Turkey.

• Development and Initiative, a youth non-governmental organisation promoting active citizenship, sustainable development, leadership and democracy in Ukraine.

What is Rural Youth Europe’s role in this project?

In this project, RYE will act as a bridge between local and national perspectives and the European level. We actively contribute to the development of the research paper on Rural Youth Work by bringing in transnational and European perspectives, as well as relevant policy frameworks and ongoing policy work. In addition, RYE is responsible for the organisation of the International Conference in Brussels, which will bring together key EU stakeholders and representatives of rural youth work.

The project is funded by the EUROPEAN EDUCATION AND CULTURE EXECUTIVE AGENCY (EACEA) of the European Commission under the Erasmus+ KA2 Capacity Building for Youth action/program.