Here we create the future!

Summary

Here We Create the Future developed and successfully transferred the weekend school model from Friesland (the Netherlands) to Spain, Italy and Türkiye. Together, the partners established five new weekend schools, created practical resources for educators and engaged hundreds of young people in inspiring, future-oriented learning. The project shows how non-formal education can strengthen inclusion, language development, confidence and life skills while building lasting local partnerships. 

"When young people discover talents they never knew they had, they start believing in their own future. That is exactly what our weekend schools are about." 

Topic(s) addressed

• Life skills
• Equal opportunities
• inclusion
• Language learning 
• Citizenship
• Creativity
• Non-formal education 
• Personal development 
• Career orientation 
• Intercultural learning
• Community engagement
• Teacher development

Target group(s)  

• 400+ pupils (10-16)
• Teachers
• Youth workers
• Volunteers
• Schools
• Municipalities

Methodologies used

The project combines formal and non- formal education through the weekend school approach, where young people learn by doing, meeting inspiring professionals and exploring future opportunities. 

Activities are multidisciplinary and focus on language development, creativity, citizenship, resilience and career guidance. Learners actively shape the programme, while teachers, volunteers and guest professionals facilitate learning. The methodology promotes cooperation between schools, municipalities, NGOs, families and businesses. 

Four practical resources help organisations implement, replicate and evaluate the model, making it easy to adapt to different educational and cultural contexts across Europe. 

Innovation environment

The project created innovative learning environments by taking learning beyond the classroom. Weekend schools connected schools, municipalities, NGOs, volunteers, families and professionals to offer authentic learning experiences. Each partner adapted the model to local needs while sharing a common European methodology. 

International exchanges allowed pupils and educators to learn from one another and test new approaches together. All resources are freely available online in multiple languages, enabling organisations to continue using and expanding the model after the project. 

Several partners continue to operate their weekend schools, and additional organisations are preparing to adopt elements of the programme. 

Teachers’ role

Teachers, youth workers and trainers were central to the project's success. They co-developed the educational resources, tested them during pilot activities and continuously improved them through evaluation and international peer learning. 

The teacher training course in the Netherlands equipped participants with practical skills to establish weekend schools in their own regions. Rather than delivering traditional lessons, educators became facilitators, mentors and role models, supporting pupils in developing confidence, curiosity and life skills. 

Impact and output

The project established five new weekend schools across Spain, Italy and Türkiye, directly benefiting hundreds of young people, particularly those with fewer opportunities. 

The multilingual project results included two practical handbooks, an online self-scan tool, a Language Games Portfolio and an international online platform. 

Thousands of additional stakeholders were reached through multiplier events, media coverage and dissemination activities. The project strengthened cooperation between schools, municipalities and community organisations, and partners have continued to operate their weekend schools beyond the project, while new organisations have already expressed interest in adopting the model. 

Learn more about the project