OPEN CALL FOR YOUTH Young Europeans Fighting Food Insecurity (YEFFI 2025) Are you concerned about food insecurity? Do you want to learn, take action, and be part of a movement for a more sustainable, healthy and fair food system? YEFFI is looking for young changemakers from Portugal, Spain, France, and Belgium to join this exciting initiative! 🔹 What is YEFFI? YEFFI (Young Europeans Fighting Food Insecurity) is an Erasmus+ KA2 Youth project that empowers young people to understand, discuss, and take action against food insecurity. Through this project, you will: 🍋 Explore the realities of food insecurity among young people and how different European countries address the issue. 🍋 Learn about alternative ways to eat - healthier, more responsible, and with less waste. 🍋 Engage in online workshops, local activities, and international seminars to exchange ideas and practical solutions. 🍋 Participate in local initiatives that combine education, concrete actions, and new solutions to fight food insecurity. 🍋 Help raise awareness and spread accessible solutions to a wider audience, particularly young people in vulnerable situations. 🔹 Why Participate? 🍓 Be part of an international movement working on one of the most pressing social challenges in Europe. 🍓 Gain knowledge and practical skills to improve food sustainability and fight waste. 🍓 Connect with experts, organizations, and like-minded young people across Europe. 🍓 Represent your country’s national team and contribute to real solutions. 🍓 Make a difference by helping spread awareness and taking action in your local community. 🔹Who Can Apply? 🥦 Youth aged 18 to 30 🥦 Residents of France, Spain, Portugal or Belgium. 🥦 Being Associated to one of the organizations from the resident participating countries 🥦 Passionate about social impact, sustainability, and food security 🥦 Motivated to represent their national team and be part of an international movement 🔹How to Join? Fill out the application form: https://forms.gle/QPnfTh1hAQBDLq2C8 Deadline: 1 April , 00:00h CET Join the YEFFI ERASMUS+ Project! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and take action for a more food-secure future! Contact us for more informations: 🇫🇷 France - Citizens Campus : louna@citizenscampus.eu 🇪🇸 Spain – Open Europe : martaf@openeurope.es 🇵🇹 Portugal – Live With Earth : livewithearth@gmail.com 🇧🇪 Belgium – Bonnevie : hajar.rahou@bonnevie.be 🇪🇺@citizenscampus @bonnevie @openeurope @livewithearth @erasmus+ #YEFFI #ErasmusPlus #FoodInsecurity #YouthAction #Sustainability #France #Portugal #Spain #Belgium #CitizensCampus #OpenEurope #LiveWithEarth #Bonnevie
YOUNG EUROPEANS FIGHTING FOOD INSECURITY
ERASMUS+ KA2 PROGRAMME
The food insecurity of young people in Europe is an alarming reality that affects an increasing number of people. According
to a study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about one in five young Europeans
(between 15 and 29 years old) faces difficulties in obtaining an adequate and balanced diet. Although a growing proportion
of the general population - in 2023, more than a third of Europeans regularly restrict themselves to the amount of food they
eat, according to an Ipsos/Secours populaire poll - the food insecurity of young people is specific in several respects:
1. Lack of financial independence: Young people are often financially dependent on their parents or guardians, which can
limit their access to adequate and balanced nutrition.
2. Lack of nutrition knowledge: Young people often have less nutrition knowledge and may have less healthy eating habits,
which can worsen food insecurity.
3. Social and economic constraints: Young people may face social and economic constraints such as unemployment, job
insecurity, or difficulties in reconciling studies and work, which may limit their ability to feed themselves adequately.
4. Consumption habits: Young people may have specific food consumption habits, such as a preference for fast food or
prepared meals, which can impact their health and food insecurity (by example, the number of European fruit and
vegetables with detected PFAS pesticide residues has nearly tripled between 2011 and 2021 !).
Since 2021, Citizens Campus has implemented a method coupled with a structured group of young «Vénères&Solidaires».
These young people, mostly from modest backgrounds and working-class neighborhoods, were able to express themselves
widely on their lives, their desires and the actions envisaged to face the problems encountered. These actions concern in
particular the fight against food insecurity of young people on the other. For this purpose, they invented workshops called
Culinaire et Solidaires where meals are prepared and shared together by focusing on diversified, healthy food and a
concern for no waste. These convivial moments are also an opportunity for young people to express themselves on their
situations and actions to be carried out for the common good.
From this initiative was born the present European project because this group Vénères&Solidaires wish to understand how it
happens elsewhere in Europe, what other young people do faced with similar situations, how they could pool and enrich
what they are already doing locally to raise awareness among young people and offer them practical, accessible and
responsible solutions.
From 20 to 24 August, Santa Cruz – Torres Vedras hosted the 1st YEFFI ERASMUS+ International Youth Seminar – Young Europeans Fighting Food Insecurity, bringing together young people from Portugal, Spain, France, and Belgium for an unforgettable experience of learning, sharing, and co-creation.
Over these days, we embraced a non-formal, hands-on and collaborative methodology, with youth at the center:
🌽Immersive experiences in real projects of food sovereignty and sustainability in Santa Cruz and Torres Vedras;
🌽Co-creation mapping of causes, effects, and consequences of food insecurity in Europe;
🌽Development of new projects, turning ideas into solutions pitched by international youth
🌽Educational workshops, debates, and the screening of The Need to Grow documentary;
🌽Moments of yoga, Afro Tribal dance, and night concerts at Dali Bar, blending culture, joy, and community!
This seminar was more than an event — it was a transformative journey, where European youth proved they have the voice, vision, and energy to shape the future of food security and build a fairer, more sustainable Europe. 🌍
Thank you once again to all the participants, local partners, international partners, the support of Torres Vedras Municipality, and the dedicated teams 🌿🍓
Since 2017, our organisation has been actively engaged in youth work at local, national, and international levels, with a strong focus on sustainable development, circular economy, and environmental education. At the local level, we regularly collaborate with schools, universities, and social projects, creating spaces for young people to engage in non-formal learning activities, workshops, and field experiences. These include: Educational programs on circular economy practices such as waste reduction, composting, sustainable food systems, and eco-design. Hands-on workshops in permaculture, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable lifestyles, often integrating creative tools such as eco-arts and collaborative design. Awareness-raising actions and campaigns in the community to promote responsible consumption, food security, and climate action. We integrate youth from diverse backgrounds, including those in vulnerable situations, into projects that connect local realities with global challenges. Through partnerships with universities and schools, we also support young people in research, innovation, and community-led projects that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our experience is built on several successful Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps projects, where we combine local youth engagement with opportunities for international exchange and cooperation, empowering young people as changemakers in building a more sustainable and inclusive Europe.