“Empowering youth voices Harnessing AI to Strenghten Youth Engagement” Partner Meeting in Finland

On 26 and 27 August 2026, Compañía de Árboles, el Finnish Youth Research Institute y Red DYPALL came together in Oulu, Finland, for the second Transnational Partner Meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Empowering Youth Voices: Harnessing AI to Strengthen Youth Engagement”, also known as “AI & Youth”.

The meeting provided an opportunity for partners to review the progress made so far, finalise the work under Work Package 2 and continue developing three prototypes of digital participation tools using AI technology.

An important part of the meeting was the involvement of local authorities in the development process. Each partner invited representatives from the youth departments of three municipalities in their respective countries: Oulu in Finland, Braga in Portugal and Asse in Belgium. The representatives had the opportunity to explore the prototypes, share their perspectives and provide feedback on how the tools could respond to the needs and realities of municipalities working with young people.

The discussions also allowed partners to reflect on the next steps of the project and prepare for the upcoming activities. These include the training course that will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, as part of the Winter Democracy Academy 2026, followed by the testing phase planned for the first semester of 2027.

The meeting in Oulu marked another important step in the development of the project, bringing together partners and local stakeholders to shape practical digital tools that can contribute to more meaningful youth engagement and participation.