About the project
From passive users to active creators.
Agents of Change equips young people aged 16–29 with the skills and confidence to become digital creators and civic innovators — by building their first AI agent for a real community need.
Why now
Young people are growing up between two big shifts: digitalisation and societal change. AI already shapes education, work and daily life — yet many experience it as something that happens to them, not something they can influence.
AI agents — chatbots, recommendation systems, simple task automators — are the most visible way young people meet AI. They are also accessible to build with today's tools, which makes them ideal for learning how AI works, where its limits are and how to design it responsibly.
77%
of teenagers already use AI tools
Vodafone Foundation, 2024
43%
of 14-year-olds in the EU do not reach basic digital skills levels
European Commission, 2024
44%
of students in Germany report free access to digital devices at school — access is still unequal
Vodafone Foundation, 2024
43%
of children value sustainability education as much as AI literacy
GoStudent, 2024
Our objectives
Active citizenship
Young people apply AI to real community needs and strengthen their sense of responsibility and contribution.
Initiative and social entrepreneurship
The hackathon format trains entrepreneurial thinking: spot a challenge, co-create a solution, pitch its social value.
Digital readiness and resilience
Hands-on AI skills, together with the ability to navigate ethics, privacy and sustainability.
Inclusive digital transformation
Low-barrier formats that align technology with social and environmental goals — open to everyone.
Who it is for
Young people 16–29
Students, trainees and young adults entering work, especially those with little or no contact with AI so far and those with fewer opportunities.
Youth workers and educators
Teachers, trainers and youth workers who need practical, low-barrier ways to bring AI into their work — ethically and with a civic angle.
Local communities
Municipalities, schools and civil society organisations that benefit from youth-designed solutions to local challenges.
How the project unfolds
Four activities over ten months. All partners contribute to each; leadership follows expertise.
- A1 · Sept 2026 – Jun 2027
Project management & dissemination
Coordination, quality assurance, branding, this website and sharing results on Erasmus+ platforms.
Lead: NEXT10+ dissemination outputs - A2 · Sept 2026 – Nov 2026
Youth and community voices
Interviews and discussions with 15–20 young people and 6 community representatives in Italy and Germany about AI, skills and local needs.
Lead: NEXTNeeds Analysis Report - A3 · Sept 2026 – Jan 2027
Hackathon design
A curriculum that combines AI basics with ethics, sustainability and community development, reviewed by at least 5 external experts.
Lead: EFSIHackathon Concept (OER) - A4 · Feb 2027 – Jun 2027
Hackathons & evaluation
Three one-day hackathons — Senigallia, Camerino, Münster — followed by feedback, evaluation and open publication of methods and results.
Lead: Bene Futuro10 AI prototypes · Evaluation Report
What guides us
Inclusion and diversity
Non-formal, low-barrier methods and special attention to participants facing socio-economic, digital or cultural barriers.
Digital transformation
In line with the Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027: understanding data, ethics and sustainability, not just tools.
Environment and climate
Agents for eco-friendly choices, local volunteering or resource awareness — and green choices in how we work and travel.
Democratic participation
Technology connected to civic values: young people as citizens who can shape their societies.
Project facts
- Programme
- Erasmus+ · Small-scale partnerships in youth (KA210-YOU)
- Call
- 2025 · Round 2
- Duration
- 10 months · September 2026 – June 2027
- EU grant
- €30,000 lump sum
- National Agency
- Agenzia Italiana per la Gioventù (IT03)
- Priorities
- Digital readiness and capacity · Employability · Active citizenship, initiative and social entrepreneurship
- Topics
- Artificial intelligence and data · Digital transformation · New learning and teaching methods
Aged 16–29 and curious about AI?
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