Welcome to „Falling Into Place,“ a project dedicated to empowering young people to transform their local communities and make their voices heard.
This initiative aims to co-create resources for youth workers and rural youth to connect with their surroundings, shape public spaces, and build stronger communities. The core purpose of this project is to foster democratic values at the local level by engaging young people in collaborative placemaking and creative arts methods.
„Falling Into Place“ is a dynamic initiative where young people actively shape their local spaces and ensure their perspectives are integrated into community development.
This project emphasizes „co-creation,“ meaning that all changes and initiatives are developed and implemented collaboratively, ensuring that young people are not just beneficiaries but active participants in the process.
The overarching goal is to strengthen local communities and democratic values through engaging and creative activities. A particular focus is placed on rural areas, where opportunities for youth engagement might be more limited, aiming to empower young people in these contexts.
Our objectives
Level Up Your Skills
This involves equipping youth workers and young people with innovative methods to transform spaces. The project aims to build the capacity of organizations involved in participatory placemaking, ensuring that skills and knowledge are transferable to a wider audience.
Your Ideas, Your Space
A central goal is to empower young people to bring their creative ideas to life within their communities. This is achieved by directly involving them in the design and implementation of placemaking projects, fostering a sense of ownership, creativity, and civic participation among rural youth.
Team Up for Change
The project seeks to build strong connections between youth groups, local organizations, and municipal authorities. This strengthens partnerships and facilitates the exchange of ideas and best practices, enhancing the support system for placemaking initiatives.
Share the Magic
A crucial element involves developing and sharing practical tools and methodologies for rural placemaking. This ensures that the project’s impact extends beyond the immediate communities involved, providing a scalable model for others across Europe to replicate similar successful projects.
This project wouldn’t be possible without the support of the European Union. „Falling Into Place“ is proudly funded by the Erasmus+ program, under the Cooperation Partnership in Youth Field Category (KA220-YOU).
Our Project Partners
„Falling Into Place“ is a collaborative effort brought to life by a team of organisations from across Europe. These partners are not only experienced but also deeply passionate about youth work and community building, each bringing unique strengths to the table.
This diverse combination of strengths is a deliberate choice, ensuring a multi-faceted approach to rural placemaking. It allows the project to address not only the physical aspects of space but also crucial elements like social cohesion, democratic participation, and environmental sustainability. This comprehensive approach creates a robust and adaptable model, capable of learning from varied challenges and successes across different European contexts.
A significant advantage of this collaboration is that most partners already possess established physical spaces and existing relationships with municipalities and local communities. For instance, FACK operates the „FACKtory,“ VKC manages a network of 16 cultural centers, SDK works with the Çankaya Municipality and APICE manages „Il Paguro“.
Building upon these existing foundations significantly increases the likelihood of the project’s success and long-term sustainability. This approach underscores that the project is not merely theoretical; it is deeply rooted in practical, ongoing community work, which enhances its impact and resilience against the common challenge of initiatives ceasing once initial funding concludes.
what is placemaking?
Placemaking is a powerful concept that is both a mindset and a collaborative process. At its heart, placemaking is about transforming public spaces—like parks, town squares, or even empty buildings—into inviting places where people genuinely love to gather, connect, and feel a sense of belonging. It is not merely about construction or aesthetics; it fundamentally involves observing, listening to, and engaging with the people who live, work, and play in a particular area.
This deep engagement ensures that the spaces truly respond to the community’s needs. It is a collective endeavor, bringing together young people, community members, and local leaders to work as a team.
By involving community members in shaping their environment, placemaking cultivates a sense of ownership, enhances civic engagement, and strengthens local bonds.
The methodology itself serves as a vehicle for democratic education, enabling communities to practice self-governance through their shared spaces.
The project “Falling Into Place: Capacity-Building of Youth Workers in Participatory Placemaking & Creative Arts Methods in Rural Contexts, as a tool to build Democratic values at the local level,“” is funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme.