After two years of collaboration across six European countries, the Ašun Me project is drawing to a close at the end of September 2026, marking the completion of a project dedicated to strengthening the participation of young Roma in civic engagement, policy dialogue and decision-making. Implemented by partners in Romania, Greece, Spain, Germany, the Republic of North Macedonia and Ireland. Ašun Me has supported young Roma to build the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to understand policies affecting their communities, share their experiences and contribute ideas for meaningful change.
Celebrating the Project in Barcelona
On 17 September 2026, the partnership gathered in Barcelona for the Ašun Me Final Conference, bringing together project partners with members and advocates of the Roma community in Barcelona. The event provided an opportunity to present the project’s results, resources and achievements, while creating space for discussion around the experiences, representation and participation of Roma young people. It also highlighted the importance of ensuring that young people with lived experience are involved directly in conversations and decisions that affect their communities. The following day, partners held the project’s final Transnational Partner Meeting, reviewing the work completed across the partnership and the final steps needed to ensure the sustainability and continued use of the project’s results.
Turning Roma Youth Voices into Policy Action
Through the national Digital Roundtables, young Roma engaged directly with policymakers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to discuss the challenges affecting their communities and identify priorities for change. These discussions informed the Digital Policy Booklet, bringing together key findings, proposed solutions and policy recommendations from across the six partner countries. Building on this work, partners also developed concrete policy changes and adaptations and formally submitted them to around 30 relevant institutions and organisations. This helped ensure that the experiences and priorities shared by Roma young people were carried forward into wider policy dialogue, advocacy and decision-making processes.
Resources for Continued Learning and Participation
After two years of cooperation across six European countries, the project has combined non-formal education, youth work, creative storytelling and policy dialogue to create more opportunities for Roma young people to share their experiences and participate in decisions affecting their lives. The project’s impact will continue through the resources developed, the relationships built, the policy recommendations submitted and the increased visibility of Roma youth voices within policy and advocacy spaces.
Looking Ahead
As the project comes to an end, the Ašun Me resources will remain available to support young Roma, youth workers and organisations across Europe. These include the Methodology Manual, Blended Training Programme, Artistic Toolkit, Digital Policy Booklet, political short films and other practical resources developed throughout the project. Together, these materials provide tools for strengthening civic participation, advocacy, policy awareness, creative expression and cooperation between Roma young people, youth workers and policymakers. The resources can be accessed through the Ašun Me website and eLearning platform, ensuring that the project’s learning and results remain available beyond its funded lifetime.
Our Appreciation
The Ašun Me partnership would like to thank all of the young people, youth workers, Roma community members and advocates, policymakers, practitioners and organisations who contributed to the project. Their participation, experiences and ideas shaped the project throughout its implementation and helped ensure that the resources and recommendations developed reflect the realities and priorities of Roma young people across the partner countries.
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