SPARK.

Spaces for Participation, Action, Resilience & Knowledge.

Youth Co-Designing Spaces for Change.

About the project

The SPARK project will start in December 2025.

SPARK is a European project that empowers young people to become active co-creators of the environments they live in. By reimagining public spaces and youth centers through participatory design, the project puts youth at the center of decision-making, fostering creativity, inclusion, and civic responsibility.

At its core, SPARKS believes that young people should not be passive users of their environments, but active contributors who shape them. By equipping them with tools, skills, and methodologies for co-design, the project enables them to translate their aspirations into real, sustainable solutions—strengthening their sense of belonging and connection to their communities.

PROJECT GOALS

The main goal of SPARKS is to empower young people by engaging them in the co-design of youth-oriented spaces and sustainable prototypes. It aims to:

  • Position young people as active contributors to community development

  • Foster creativity, leadership, and problem-solving skills through participatory methodologies

  • Strengthen inclusion by giving marginalized youth a meaningful voice in shaping their spaces

  • Promote sustainable, eco-friendly solutions aligned with the EU’s Green Deal objectives

  • Enhance youth work by providing innovative methodologies and tools for long-term professional development

    Project Results

    A Co-Design Methodology Handbook

    A practical guide for implementing co-design processes in youth oriented spaces.

    This handbook will offer practical tools and
    guidelines for organizations, youth workers, and communities to implement participatory design processes across various contexts, ensuring that young people’s involvement in the transformation of their environments is both meaningful and empowering.

    A DIY Manual for Prototyping

    A step-by-step guidance for creating adaptable prototypes.

    Co-Design Labs

    Each partner country will set up one Co-Design Lab, equipped with physical and digital resources to support collaborative
    design activities. These labs will serve as key hubs for youth participation, fostering innovation and skill development through hands-on engagement. Importantly, the Co-Design Labs will remain active beyond the project’s duration, ensuring a sustainable space for youth engagement.

    Creative Workshops

    Two creative workshops will be conducted in each country, where young participants will take part in brainstorming sessions and hands-on activities, generating initial design concepts and developing sketches.

    Training Course in Romania

    This event will focus on codesign
    methodologies, mentoring techniques, and technical skills, equipping youth workers with the necessary tools to guide
    young people in participatory design processes.

    Three adaptable prototypes

    Young participants will create three modular prototypes using 3D printing and digital fabrication. These prototypes, designed for youth-oriented spaces, will be accompanied by a checklist of materials and tools, ensuring the process is well-documented and replicable.

    A key innovation lies in the prototyping phase, where young participants not only design but also build spaces using
    advanced digital tools such as 3D printing and modular construction methods.

    Project Partners 

    Partners
    The partners in this project are: Curba de Cultură (Romania), Roter Baum Berlin (Germany), Municipality of Macerata (Italy).

    Donator
    The SPARK project is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Jugend für Europa – Nationale Agentur. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
    Project nr. 2025-1-DE04-KA220-YOU-000354175

    Contacts
    „Roter Baum Berlin“ UG – Stendaler Straße 43, 12627 Berlin.
    030 99281840 – info@roter-baum-berlin.de