Regaining a sense of belonging
Place OUT! – The case of Chalkidiki
European Dialogue Building for Increasing Youth Protagonism in Non-Urban Areas - Chalkidiki case
“Place OUT! – The case of Chalkidi” strengthened youth leadership in less privileged villages of Chalkidiki in Greece, through capacity building and dialogue creation between local youth associations and institutions, using “Spaces Regeneration” method. One of the distinguished and sustainable results is the youth-led renovation of an abandoned building in Polygyros, transforming it into a space open to all community members, re-activating local initiatives and regaining a sense of belonging.
Greece
Local
Chalkidiki regional unit in Greece, villages of Poligyros, Moudania and Ormilia
Mainly rural
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
2024-11-30
Yes
ERASMUS
No
No
As a representative of an organisation
Place OUT! was dedicated to foster dialogue between European youth and public institutions to identify the most urgent challenges in non-urban areas and develop solutions for sustainable territorial development, based on public spaces regeneration approach. Young people and local institutions across 4 non-urban areas in Spain, Italy, Bulgaria and Greece were mobilized, empowered to voice their needs, and actively cooperated to create a sustainable future for their regions. In Greece, Place OUT! was implemented in Chalkidiki, in the municipalities of Polygyros, Moudania and Ormilia, characterised by less privileged conditions being more “isolated” within the national economic system.
The objectives were:
To increase the accessible knowledge about territorial specificities with emphasis on abandoned places regeneration.
To increase the capacity of local youth to activate territorial generative processes of regeneration of spaces.
To increase the capacity of local public institutions to engage youth in co-designing regeneration of spaces.
To increase the opportunity for youth and local institutions to participate in policy-making dialogue about the future of their territories.
The ultimate result was an EU Charter as a blueprint for bottom-up youth-driven policies on non-urban territories development, based on the following six priorities selected by youth: Public Services and Infrastructure, Sustainable Economic Development, Communication, Connectivity and Technology, Youth Participation and Engagement, Education and Culture.
In Chalkidiki, Place OUT! not only managed to engage local youth and associations that were inactive for years, while creating dialogue with the municipalities, but also resulted in the physical transformation of an abandoned place in Polygyros, which was renovated by the local youth, creating a space where community members meet and design their own initiatives, restoring the feeling of belonging and changing the lifestyle in the village
The objectives were:
To increase the accessible knowledge about territorial specificities with emphasis on abandoned places regeneration.
To increase the capacity of local youth to activate territorial generative processes of regeneration of spaces.
To increase the capacity of local public institutions to engage youth in co-designing regeneration of spaces.
To increase the opportunity for youth and local institutions to participate in policy-making dialogue about the future of their territories.
The ultimate result was an EU Charter as a blueprint for bottom-up youth-driven policies on non-urban territories development, based on the following six priorities selected by youth: Public Services and Infrastructure, Sustainable Economic Development, Communication, Connectivity and Technology, Youth Participation and Engagement, Education and Culture.
In Chalkidiki, Place OUT! not only managed to engage local youth and associations that were inactive for years, while creating dialogue with the municipalities, but also resulted in the physical transformation of an abandoned place in Polygyros, which was renovated by the local youth, creating a space where community members meet and design their own initiatives, restoring the feeling of belonging and changing the lifestyle in the village
Youth leadership
Renovation of abandoned places
Creation of youth-led space
Policy dialogue between youth and municipalities
Non-urban territorial development
Place OUT! in Chalkidiki achieved Ambition III (to regenerate) in terms of sustainability. Specifically, the renovation of the abandoned building in Polygyros in Chalkidiki was refurnished with re-used materials and equipment (tables, chairs, refrigerator), which belonged to the local residents (ambition I to re-purpose). The purpose of the new youth-led space that was created is to act as a meeting and dialogue space between the local residents and public institutions, where advocacy about the particular environment aspects considering territorial specificities can take place, influencing views and behaviours (ambition III). Specifically, one of the primary environmental policies in Chalkidiki (as documented by the youth and municipalities) focuses on preserving the region's coastline and marine ecosystems. This includes regulations on fishing practices and the protection of endangered species, as well as efforts to reduce pollution and limit the impact of tourism on the region's beaches. Another key environmental policy in Chalkidiki is centred on protecting the region's forests and natural habitats. This includes efforts to prevent deforestation, promote sustainable logging practices, and preserve the biodiversity of the region's ecosystems. The results of the established dialogue between youth organisations and local public institutions in the context of Place OUT! are expected to drive changes in this context in the near future.
Place OUT! in Chalkidiki achieved Ambition III (to integrate) in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for the local people. Specifically, the re-activation of the local youth association, engaging 75 young people in the area, fostered their sense of belonging to the community, offering them the opportunity to participate in meaningful collective experiences related to the regeneration of their territory and of abandoned places in the area (ambition I to activate). The engaged young people decided to renovate by themselves an abandoned building in the village of Polygyros and transformed it into a public place where all community members can participate or initiate meaningful social and cultural activities and interactions, enhancing also their mental well-being (ambition II to connect). Young people invested their own time, collective skills and competences, as well as their aesthetic choices to renovate and refurnish the building, using local materials, second-hand equipment and their taste in colors etc. Most importantly, the Place OUT! project in Chalkidiki has generated a long-lasting movement led by youth and connections with the local institution, as young people have now the competences and opportunities to participate in policy dialogues about the future of their territories, adopting new cultural and social values concerning collective responsibility and civic participation, and driving changes in the lifestyle of the area through the organization of community events, inter-generational interactions and cultural activities (ambition III).
Place OUT! in Chalkidiki achieved Ambition III (to transform) in terms of inclusion. The regeneration approach employed by the project was based on participative and inclusive processes, aiming at regaining space for action for young people, and specifically for young people who live in marginalized non-urban areas, facing geographical barriers and vulnerabilities related to less access to knowledge and resources, and to less opportunities for youth exchanges and civic participation initiatives. At the same time, Place OUT! employed a community-based approach in the regeneration of abandoned buildings in the involved territories. The youth-led space that was transformed in Polygyros is designed to be freely open to all community members, irrespective of their age, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, as a place that promotes cultural and social interactions, changing the lifestyle in the village (ambition I to include). The intention is that this place will act as a safe place for all to come together, to peacefully meet and interact and to express their ideas about the regeneration of their community, considering the needs of diverse groups of people, e.g. elderly, youth, women, disabled, while changing the ways of thinking and enhancing opportunities for driving change (ambition III to transform), through public involvement in policy dialogues and decision making with the respective local public institutions (ambition II to consolidate).
Place OUT! highlighted the importance of co-creation with the involved stakeholders, i.e. local youth, youth grassroot organizations and local public institutions, from the very beginning of the project. The above stakeholders were involved initially in the research phase of the project, providing their input about the challenges and needs of their territories, their own capacities in participatory decision-making processes and in collective places regeneration processes (ambition I to consult). Through the targeted capacity building, advocacy actions, and the EU youth exchanges opportunities, the young people involved in Place OUT! co-developed the youth-led EU Charter for non-urban territorial development, setting six relevant priorities (i.e. Public Services and Infrastructure, Sustainable Economic Development, Communication, Connectivity and Technology, Youth Participation and Engagement, Education and Culture), as a blueprint for bottom-up decision making and policy development (ambition II to co-develop).
In the case of Polygyros village in Chalkidiki, the young people reached ambition III (to self-govern) in terms of participatory process, through the collective regeneration of an abandoned building, transforming it into a youth-led and self-governed space open to all community members. Furthermore, the policy dialogues established through the project between the local youth grassroot organisations and public institutions will be sustained, providing opportunities for participatory decision-making processes about the regeneration of their territories. Overall, the active involvement of local communities from the very beginning of the project design was crucial for ensuring the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions at local level.
In the case of Polygyros village in Chalkidiki, the young people reached ambition III (to self-govern) in terms of participatory process, through the collective regeneration of an abandoned building, transforming it into a youth-led and self-governed space open to all community members. Furthermore, the policy dialogues established through the project between the local youth grassroot organisations and public institutions will be sustained, providing opportunities for participatory decision-making processes about the regeneration of their territories. Overall, the active involvement of local communities from the very beginning of the project design was crucial for ensuring the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions at local level.
Place OUT! adopted a generative youth-led place-based approach through the regeneration of abandoned places at local level in non-urban territories, activating policy dialogues between local youth and local decision makers through a multi-stakeholder collaboration approach (ambition I to work locally), while connecting the results of this process with other relevant municipalities at national level and at European level, offering opportunities for youth exchanges of knowledge and transferability of results to EU territories with similar characteristics (i.e. peripheral territories, relatively poor in terms of income, high unemployment rates, low civic participation, depopulation, economic marginality, and limited availability of services and infrastructure). At national level, young people from Polygyros, Moudania and Ormilia had the chance to discuss about common challenges they face in their non-urban territories (ambition II to work across levels), and at European level, cross-border cooperation among non-urban territories in Spain, Greece, Italy and Bulgaria took place. Particularly, local youth involved in the project had the chance to participate in the three-day Place Out! Eurocamp in Extremadura in Spain, which brought together 32 European participants, and resulted in the co-creation of the Place OUT! EU Charter, presenting youth recommendations on sustainable non-urban territorial development, defining six priorities considered as the most important by youth (ambition II to work globally). The Place OUT! EU Charter was widely disseminated to EU decision makers and youth organisations at national and European level, enabling transferability and scalability of results.
Place OUT! underscored the importance of leveraging local resources, including existing skills, capacities, and people, alongside infrastructure in the involved non-urban areas, highlighting the value of investing in abandoned or underused spaces that can serve as catalysts for fostering local participation and engagement initiatives. In this context, a stable community of active people, mainly youth, has been created in Chalkidiki, bringing together various knowledge, experiences and skills relevant to sustainable development of non-urban territories. The established collaboration and dialogue with the local institutions brings important added value, especially regarding expertise on the six thematic priorities set by youth as most important for their territories development, namely Public Services and Infrastructure, Sustainable Economic Development, Communication, Connectivity and Technology, Youth Participation and Engagement, Education and Culture (ambition II to be inter-disciplinary). The project successfully combines knowledge of the community and the public servants, as well as of other local stakeholders, such as cultural organisations, local businesses and educators to achieve the common goal towards the regeneration of their non-urban territory concerning culture, education, connection and social activities (ambition III to be beyond disciplinary).
The core of Place OUT! consists of the idea of applying the conceptual framework of Urban Regeneration - widely discussed and used as a policy instrument in cities and urban contexts - to abandoned, under-utilized or “forgotten” places in the European non-urban territories. Imagining, re-designing and regenerating buildings, park or “places” in these territories - creating the condition for emerging new economic, social or public activities inside these spaces - proved to be a great tool for implementing youth-led place-based policies and positively increasing youth protagonism and leadership in these non-urban territories.
Although there is a breadth of projects that have worked on similar subjects in urban areas and have regenerated empty urban spaces in the past decades, projects and initiatives working on these issues in remote areas are not so many. Place OUT! was actually implemented in territories which, although central to the present and future of European life, remain marginal and otherwise only minimally affected by the actions of the European Union. The innovative character of the project is based on this recognized need for territorial specificity, which remains little investigated in the design and implementation of youth policies. According to the Place OUT! experience in Chalkidiki region, the regeneration of abandoned or unused spaces was a vector for the activation of generative dynamics through which young people gained space for action in terms of driving change in the lifestyle in the community and enhancing the sense of belonging, based on the specific features of their territory.
Although there is a breadth of projects that have worked on similar subjects in urban areas and have regenerated empty urban spaces in the past decades, projects and initiatives working on these issues in remote areas are not so many. Place OUT! was actually implemented in territories which, although central to the present and future of European life, remain marginal and otherwise only minimally affected by the actions of the European Union. The innovative character of the project is based on this recognized need for territorial specificity, which remains little investigated in the design and implementation of youth policies. According to the Place OUT! experience in Chalkidiki region, the regeneration of abandoned or unused spaces was a vector for the activation of generative dynamics through which young people gained space for action in terms of driving change in the lifestyle in the community and enhancing the sense of belonging, based on the specific features of their territory.
The project focused on non-urban areas that are relatively poor in terms of income, present high unemployment rates, low levels of civic participation and youth active citizenship, increasing dynamics of depopulation, economic marginality, and limited availability of services and infrastructure. Based on these criteria, in Greece, the Chalkidiki region and especially the northern villages of Polygyros, Moudania and Ormilia were selected for the project’s intervention.
The approach used in the project started with six-month research, including a socio-economic context analysis for the territory, a needs assessment of local youth grassroot organizations in terms of promoting youth participation, and of local public institutions in terms of engaging youth in decision making. “Spaces Regeneration” was employed as a methodology for youth engagement, and a mapping of interested local youth organisations and of abandoned spaces in the territory that can be renovated on the benefit of the local communities was implemented.
The next step included the organization of capacity building for youth grassroots organizations and local public institutions, focused on organizational empowerment, space regeneration and sustainable territorial development. Local roundtables were organized to foster dialogue among youth and municipalities’ representatives, as well as a three-day Eurocamp in Extremadura, which brought together 32 EU participants, to create the Place OUT! EU Charter, presenting youth recommendations on sustainable non-urban territorial development. The youth representing Polygyros went one step beyond, revitalizing the local youth association, engaging 75 young people living in the area and leading the renovation of an abandoned building, transforming it into a youth-led space open for all, inspiring other community members and enhancing the sense of belonging.
The approach used in the project started with six-month research, including a socio-economic context analysis for the territory, a needs assessment of local youth grassroot organizations in terms of promoting youth participation, and of local public institutions in terms of engaging youth in decision making. “Spaces Regeneration” was employed as a methodology for youth engagement, and a mapping of interested local youth organisations and of abandoned spaces in the territory that can be renovated on the benefit of the local communities was implemented.
The next step included the organization of capacity building for youth grassroots organizations and local public institutions, focused on organizational empowerment, space regeneration and sustainable territorial development. Local roundtables were organized to foster dialogue among youth and municipalities’ representatives, as well as a three-day Eurocamp in Extremadura, which brought together 32 EU participants, to create the Place OUT! EU Charter, presenting youth recommendations on sustainable non-urban territorial development. The youth representing Polygyros went one step beyond, revitalizing the local youth association, engaging 75 young people living in the area and leading the renovation of an abandoned building, transforming it into a youth-led space open for all, inspiring other community members and enhancing the sense of belonging.
The main replicable result is the Place OUT! EU Charter, acting as a blueprint for bottom-up youth-driven policies on non-urban territorial development, concerning six key priorities identified by youth as essential for non-urban development, i.e. Public Services and Infrastructure, Sustainable Economic Development, Communication, Connectivity and Technology, Youth Participation and Engagement, Education and Culture. The EU Charter can be transferred and exploited both locally and internationally, serving as a living, evolving tool for ongoing dialogue among youth and local public institutions, rather than a static final product, inspiring continued innovation in youth policies. The EU Charter can also act as a replicable framework to align individual ambitions of youth with collective growth and territorial development. By empowering both groups (youth and public institutions) in non-urban areas, the project’s approach can be used to bridge the gap between youth aspirations and community development, fostering more inclusive and dynamic communities.
Furthermore, the “place-based” approach used in the project proved to be flexible and adaptable to diverse local contexts, and the project outcomes were considered by the projects’ final evaluation as replicable and transferable to other territories with similar characteristics, namely peripheral territories, relatively poor in terms of income, high unemployment rates, low civic participation, depopulation, economic marginality, and limited availability of services and infrastructure.
Furthermore, the “place-based” approach used in the project proved to be flexible and adaptable to diverse local contexts, and the project outcomes were considered by the projects’ final evaluation as replicable and transferable to other territories with similar characteristics, namely peripheral territories, relatively poor in terms of income, high unemployment rates, low civic participation, depopulation, economic marginality, and limited availability of services and infrastructure.
Place OUT! responded to the following EU goals and challenges as identified in the European Youth Strategy 2019-2027, using spaces regeneration to engage youth living in non-urban marginalized territories:
Goal 3 Inclusive Society: “Strengthen outreach of information to marginalized young people, to ensure they are aware of spaces, opportunities and experiences available to them”; “Provide more spaces, opportunities, resources and programmes to foster dialogue and social cohesion”; “Ensure that marginalized young people are participating in all decision-making processes and are key players, particularly in processes concerning their own rights, wellbeing and interests”.
Goal 9 Space and Participation for All: “Provide youth-led physical facilities and infrastructures called youth spaces defined by being autonomous, open and safe, accessible to all”.
Goal 11 Youth Organisation and European Programmes: “Reach out to and support marginalised young people to be active in youth groups and EU youth programmes.”
To contribute to the achievement of the above EU goals, Place OUT! responded to common EU challenges, including:
Lack of accessible knowledge about territorial specificity, especially related to local youth conditions and needs.
Lack of capacity of youth organisations for leading the process of regeneration of spaces.
Lack of capacity of local public institutions in implementing participatory processes in the co-design spaces regeneration.
Lack of dialogue between youth organisations and local public institutions.
Place OUT! responded to the above challenges by employing a comprehensive approach in the context of non-urban areas, placing local spaces regeneration at the core of local youth engagement methodologies, aiming at regaining their sense of belonging in their community. Targeted capacity building for both youth organizations and public institutions played an important role in re-gaining confidence and establishing routes of dialogue.
Goal 3 Inclusive Society: “Strengthen outreach of information to marginalized young people, to ensure they are aware of spaces, opportunities and experiences available to them”; “Provide more spaces, opportunities, resources and programmes to foster dialogue and social cohesion”; “Ensure that marginalized young people are participating in all decision-making processes and are key players, particularly in processes concerning their own rights, wellbeing and interests”.
Goal 9 Space and Participation for All: “Provide youth-led physical facilities and infrastructures called youth spaces defined by being autonomous, open and safe, accessible to all”.
Goal 11 Youth Organisation and European Programmes: “Reach out to and support marginalised young people to be active in youth groups and EU youth programmes.”
To contribute to the achievement of the above EU goals, Place OUT! responded to common EU challenges, including:
Lack of accessible knowledge about territorial specificity, especially related to local youth conditions and needs.
Lack of capacity of youth organisations for leading the process of regeneration of spaces.
Lack of capacity of local public institutions in implementing participatory processes in the co-design spaces regeneration.
Lack of dialogue between youth organisations and local public institutions.
Place OUT! responded to the above challenges by employing a comprehensive approach in the context of non-urban areas, placing local spaces regeneration at the core of local youth engagement methodologies, aiming at regaining their sense of belonging in their community. Targeted capacity building for both youth organizations and public institutions played an important role in re-gaining confidence and establishing routes of dialogue.
The main impact of the Place OUT! project is the restoring of the feeling of belonging to the communities involved in the project, particularly as regards the local young people as well as all community members, through their activation and involvement in the regeneration of abandoned spaces in their territories, resulting in sustainable, beautiful, and inclusive regenerative initiatives. The physical transformation of the abandoned building in Polygyros into a meaningful place for all community members is an inspiring example of the project’s achievements, resulting in a place that local traditions, cultural and artistic initiatives, inter-generational exchanges and multi-stakeholder dialogues take place.
This impact was possible due to the following main outcomes:
The empowerment of youth and local public institutions, with enhanced skills and capacities through targeted capacity-building, focusing on space regeneration, civic engagement, and democratic participation. Youth organizations improved their ability to attract funding, build networks and engage effectively with local public institutions. Local public institutions strengthened their capacity to involve youth in policymaking, particularly in cultural and youth employment sectors, and demonstrated increased awareness of the importance of co-participation.
The promotion of local dialogue and European connections, with increased chances of local young people in non-urban areas to participate in decision-making processes, and to networking and discussion about youth connection to the EU and its values. The creation of the Place OUT! European Charter for Youth-Led Territorial Regeneration in non-urban areas was a key achievement in this regard, as well as the sustained connections created between the local youth grassroots organizations and local public institutions for the development of their non-urban territories.
This impact was possible due to the following main outcomes:
The empowerment of youth and local public institutions, with enhanced skills and capacities through targeted capacity-building, focusing on space regeneration, civic engagement, and democratic participation. Youth organizations improved their ability to attract funding, build networks and engage effectively with local public institutions. Local public institutions strengthened their capacity to involve youth in policymaking, particularly in cultural and youth employment sectors, and demonstrated increased awareness of the importance of co-participation.
The promotion of local dialogue and European connections, with increased chances of local young people in non-urban areas to participate in decision-making processes, and to networking and discussion about youth connection to the EU and its values. The creation of the Place OUT! European Charter for Youth-Led Territorial Regeneration in non-urban areas was a key achievement in this regard, as well as the sustained connections created between the local youth grassroots organizations and local public institutions for the development of their non-urban territories.
