Mediterranean Youth Development Empowerment Action Lab (MYDEAL)

About the project

The Mediterranean Youth Development Empowerment Action Lab (MYDEAL) is a long-term capacity-building initiative hosted and coordinated by EMOTiC since January 2024. It responds to the challenges young people face across the Mediterranean, especially in the Middle East and North Africa, where gaps in economic opportunity, access to education and social stability often leave young people feeling marginalised. MYDEAL aims to bridge these gaps through a framework for empowerment, action and experiential lifelong learning.

Its first target group is youth workers aged 20 to 35, such as trainers, mentors, facilitators, managers and group leaders, who work on the front lines of community engagement. By equipping them with tools and methods, MYDEAL strengthens youth participation in civic, economic and social life. It combines good practice from Europe with sensitivity to local contexts. The 2024 pilot set out to engage 20 youth workers, with the aim of growing into a think tank for all involved organisations.

Research and training run side by side. Research in 2024 looked at youth work and non-formal education in North Africa, digital skills in youth work in North Africa, and the role of youth work in conflict areas such as Libya and Jordan. In 2025 the focus moved to culture and creativity as catalysts for peace. Training themes have included gamification for environmental sustainability, participatory and emancipatory approaches for youth work, and peacebuilding strategies for civic participation.

The learning journey starts with online training in research methods, followed by transnational collaboration between youth workers from different countries. At its heart is a residential fellowship in Vienna with job shadowing in NGOs, social businesses and start-ups, study visits, expert workshops and field research on themes such as youth unemployment, civic engagement, gender and digital transformation. Participants turn their findings into policy briefs and action plans, and present a capstone project to peers, mentors and policymakers.

Participants are selected by the partner organisations. They need at least B1+ English, experience or strong interest in facilitating learning and designing programmes, active civic engagement and the motivation to act as multipliers. The programme currently includes youth workers from Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Jordan, who serve as MYDEAL Associates with local, national or transnational mandates.

MYDEAL relies on partners and co-funding. Its activities have included a Mobility for Action and a Mobility for Knowledge funded by the Anna Lindh Foundation, an Erasmus+ Capacity Building project in the field of youth, Erasmus+ mobilities, European Solidarity Corps volunteering, a programme funded by the Arab Organisation of Diplomacy and research internships funded by universities in Algeria and Qatar. EMOTiC works with partners to cover accommodation, travel, meals and visa costs.