On April 13 and 14, 2026, we travelled to Granada, Spain, for our third project meeting. Hosted by OnProjects, the two-day gathering was a key moment for our initiative, as we moved from our initial research phase to planning concrete actions to support young people in rural areas.
A major highlight of the meeting was the presentation of our report on youth employability, led by Wageningen University & Research. Our discussions reinforced a crucial message: youth employment in rural areas must be understood beyond just the labour market. With the research complete, we are now finalising supporting materials to showcase its key findings.
Next steps: Gathering good practices and opening the dialogue
Building on these insights, we are moving forward with the collection of good practices across Europe. Led by Rural Youth Europe, we will identify, document, and highlight successful local initiatives and policy measures that are already making a positive difference for rural youth.
We also started preparing for our upcoming social dialogues. These forums will bring together young people, employers, and policymakers to discuss the specific challenges identified in our research and co-create practical policy solutions.
Amplifying the voices of the next generation
Beyond our reports and publications, we want to give rural youth a real voice. We are thrilled to announce that we are preparing the launch of our official CORE podcast, with the first episode coming soon.
We concluded the meeting fully committed to our mission of creating high-quality opportunities for the next generation.
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