Pop.Ed – Global Citizenship Education Meets Pop Culture
Project at a Glance
Funding
Erasmus+ KA220- YOU
(Cooperation Partnerships in Youth)
Duration
2025 – 2027
Budget
250,000 €
Countries
Multi-country European consortium of youth, education, and development organizations
Focus Area
Global Citizenship Education (GCE) through creative tools inspired by pop culture
Target Groups
Youth workers (70), Young people aged 16–29 (140, including marginalized groups), non-formal education stakeholders, policymakers, general public
Why this Project Matters
In a world plagued by global challenges– from climate change, to social inequality– this project aims to empower young people as active, critical and globally aware citizens.
Traditional youth work methods often fail to connect with the younger generation, hence this project aims to reinforce the principles of Global Citizenship Education through the use of Pop culture.
Global Citizenship Education in youth work empowers young people to think critically, act responsibly, participate actively in democratic life, and understand how local realities are connected to global challenges. And Pop culture offers a powerful and accessible alternative. Deeply rooted in young people’s everyday lives, identities, and ways of expressing themselves, it creates an immediate sense of relevance and connection. Music, film, gaming, social media, storytelling, and visual culture act as shared reference points that resonate across backgrounds, lower barriers to participation, and open up meaningful spaces for dialogue, reflection, and engagement.
Our Approach
The project is structured into four Work Packages (WP’s):
- WP1: Project Management
This work package ensures that POP.Ed runs smoothly, transparently, and collaboratively across all partner countries. It focuses on coordination, quality assurance, risk management, and communication, creating the structures that allow partners to work efficiently while staying aligned with the project’s goals. By supporting strong cooperation and clear decision-making, WP1 provides the backbone that enables all other activities to deliver meaningful and lasting results.
- WP2: The Pop.Ed base
WP2 lays the intellectual and methodological foundation of the project. Through research, co-creation, and dialogue with youth workers and stakeholders, the partnership develops innovative methodological guidelines and a 10-unit Global Citizenship Education curriculum tailored to youth work and non-formal education. This work package also establishes Local Advisory Groups and stakeholder networks, ensuring that the project is grounded in real needs and shaped by lived experiences from diverse European contexts.
- WP3: Global Citizenship Education becomes Pop
In WP3, theory is transformed into practice. Building on the foundations of WP2, this work package develops a dynamic, pop-culture-based toolkit and delivers transnational training for youth workers. By using formats such as digital media, storytelling, gaming, and visual culture, youth workers are equipped with practical methods to engage young people where they already are. The toolkit is then piloted across partner countries, allowing young people to actively participate, co-create content, and explore global citizenship in relevant and creative ways.
- WP4: Dissemination and Advocacy for Global Citizenship Education in Youth Work
WP4 amplifies the project’s impact beyond its direct participants. Through dissemination activities, Local Advisory Groups, and the creation of a multimedia Youth Manifesto, young people’s voices are brought into dialogue with youth workers, institutions, and decision-makers. This work package ensures visibility, sustainability, and advocacy, positioning POP.Ed as a contribution to stronger, more inclusive Global Citizenship Education practices across Europe and embedding its results into the wider youth work ecosystem.
Expected Results
Aalborg Institute for Development’s Role
As a key partner, the Aalborg Institute for Development (AID) contributes its expertise in capacity building, entrepreneurship, and innovative learning design. AID plays a central role in ensuring that methodologies and creative tools are accessible, inclusive, and grounded in real youth needs, linking local impact in Denmark with broader European cooperation.
Looking Ahead
In the months ahead, partners will pilot the curriculum, co-create creative learning tools, and bring together youth, educators, and policymakers to shape the future of Global Citizenship Education.
