ACE-Future – 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

Global challenges — from climate change to social inequality — demand citizens who are informed, empathetic, and engaged. But traditional youth work methods often fail to connect with today’s generation.

ACE-Future takes a bold approach: it uses pop culture tools — memes, comics, animations, soundscapes, and participatory videos — to make Global Citizenship Education (GCE) accessible, engaging, and relevant. By doing so, the project empowers young people to critically analyse real-world issues, act responsibly, and participate actively in building inclusive, sustainable communities.

Our Approach

The project is structured in four work packages (WPs):

🛠 WP1: Project Management
Coordination, financial management, and transnational meetings to ensure smooth delivery.
📚 WP2: THE BASE (Methodological Foundation)
- Development of methodological guidelines for youth workers and educators.
- Creation of the ACE-Future Curriculum (10 learning units covering sustainability, intercultural competence, active citizenship, etc.).
- Engagement of 105 youth centres and organizations through Local Advisory Groups for feedback.
🎨 WP3: Global Citizenship Education Becomes Pop
- Development of the “GCE Becomes Pop!” Toolkit with creative methods (memes, comics, soundscapes, digital content).
- A 3-day transnational training for youth workers.
- Roll-out across partner countries involving 10 youth workers + 20 youngsters in each.
📢 WP4: Dissemination & Advocacy
- Creative participatory videos and youth-produced outputs.
- A participatory Youth Manifesto to amplify young voices.
- Local multiplier events and a final online conference for 50+ stakeholders.

Expected Results

Provide youth workers with innovative methods, curriculum, and digital tools.

Equip young people (16–29) with critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, empathy, and democratic participation skills.

Strengthen policy dialogue by engaging stakeholders and creating advocacy outputs like the Youth Manifesto.

Enhance cross-border cooperation and networks among European youth organizations.

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

ACE-Future is still ongoing. 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.