YMCA Europe is pleased to announce PulseZ Goes Local, a new Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership in Youth (KA220-YOU); running from 1 October 2026 to September 2028, the project will support young people aged 16-25 to develop media, storytelling and civic skills and to take an active role in democratic life in their communities.
At a time when misinformation, rapidly evolving AI and declining trust in democratic institutions are reshaping how young people engage with public life, many lack accessible opportunities to build critical media skills and make their voices heard. PulseZ Goes Local responds by creating trusted local spaces where young people can understand the media landscape, tell the stories that matter to them and participate confidently in their communities.
At the heart of PulseZ Goes Local is YMCA Europe’s commitment to strengthening and developing the movement. YMCA Europe brought together trusted member organisations to form a strong consortium that coordinated to shape the proposal and submit the application. This coordination has created a meaningful new funding opportunity for local YMCAs and gives them the capacity to lead activities in their own communities while contributing to a shared European project.
The partnership brings together YMCA Ireland in Cork, YMCA Europe in Brussels, YMCA Gabrovo in Bulgaria, YMCA Arad in Romania, KFUM Distrikt Ost in Sweden, and Matrix Internet Applications, a specialised digital partner based in Ireland and Brussels. YMCA Ireland is the project coordinator, while YMCA Europe co-leads strategic oversight, quality assurance, partner coordination, communication, dissemination and sustainability.
For several partners, PulseZ Goes Local is a significant milestone. YMCA Arad, YMCA Gabrovo and KFUM Distrikt Ost are participating in an EU grant of this scale for the first time. For YMCA Arad, this first EU project funding will make it possible to pay staff for the first time. For KFUM Distrikt Ost, the project is the first EU-funded initiative led by its regional office.
These are concrete examples of how YMCA Europe’s service to its members helps local associations access resources, build experience and strengthen their capacity for the future.
PulseZ Goes Local builds on the original PulseZ project, which engaged more than 3,000 young people in over 20 countries through a pan-European platform for youth-led journalism. The new project brings the work closer to communities by establishing local Media Labs, training opportunities and public events.
Young people will be supported to explore media, artificial intelligence and democratic literacy, and their local stories will connect to the wider European PulseZ ecosystem.
YMCA Gabrovo will lead training and skills development in media, AI and democratic literacy. YMCA Arad will lead the local PulseZ Media Labs and peer-learning activities, while KFUM Distrikt Ost will lead the integration of local content into the European PulseZ platform. Together, the partners will combine local action with European cooperation, ensuring that young people’s voices are heard both in their communities and across Europe.
With a total budget of EUR 250,000, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, PulseZ Goes Local contributes to YMCA Europe’s strategic commitment to a Just World and Meaningful Work.
The partnership demonstrates the value of a connected YMCA movement: when members work together, they can create new opportunities, strengthen local organisations and equip young people with the skills and confidence to shape a more inclusive Europe.
The consortium is now preparing for its kick-off meeting, where partners will align on timelines, quality standards and the first steps in developing the training curriculum and local Media Labs.
Stay connected for more updates of this new initiative!
