A few days ago, we had the pleasure of participating in an online session of the YOU-CYCLE project, together with our partners Espacio Geranios, YouthProAktiv, IRCEM, and EIG. Beyond the exchange of ideas, the event featured a roundtable discussion that brought real depth to a key question that truly matters to us: How can youth-led circular economy initiatives move from ideas to action?

At a time when uncertainty can easily turn into fatigue, the session was a powerful reminder that hope is not something we wait for; it is something we build. And we build it through community, intention, and the daily practice of working together.

Among the reflections of speakers Erika Meyer, Noemi Kristine Licini, and Faima Ramirez Hirschauer, three ideas emerged again and again, as if they were a single collective voice:

1. Meaningful youth participation requires structure, support, and small steps.
   
   

Young people shine when they can break down ambitious ideas into achievable actions, and when accompaniment and mentoring are not considered optional, but an essential part of the process. This is precisely the kind of supportive ecosystem we seek to cultivate at Espacio Geranios.

2. Inspiration and connection need real spaces—and real investment.
   
   

Coming together does not happen by chance. Young people need spaces to meet, collaborate, and experiment.

2. Inspiration and connection require real spaces—and real investment.
   
   

Coming together does not happen by chance. Young people need spaces to meet, collaborate, and experiment. Spaces where diversity is understood as a condition for accessibility, and where continuity is possible because we are collectively willing and able to sustain it. This is at the heart of our work in Madrid and in our European partnerships.

3. There is a crisis of hope—and our spaces must be safe and courageous at the same time.
   
   

Today, young people face emotional and collective uncertainties. Psychological safety matters deeply, but we also need courageous spaces where young people can belong, lead, question, innovate, and become multipliers in their communities. This is the kind of environment we seek to foster every day.

We left the session with a feeling of genuine gratitude.

Not because the challenges are any less—in fact, they remain significant—but because conversations like this reconnect us with what matters and why we do our work. They remind us that hope is a practice, especially when times are uncertain.

A special thank you to everyone who joined us.

Your contributions continue to strengthen the community of practice we are building across Europe.

More about the YOU-CYCLE project

Website: https://www.you-cycle.com/ 

LinkedIn group: https://lnkd.in/ezv_HFZj 

Link to the recording of the session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5ntpQ36wVg