CONNECT International

EU Legislative Interests

A. A Safer Internet * General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) * EU Cybersecurity Strategy * European strategy for a better internet for children * Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online * Digital Services Act * Data Act B. Shaping Europe’s Digital Future * EU Digital Strategy * European Security Union Strategy * Action Plan on Disinformation to fight fake news and disinformation * European Democracy Action Plan * Code of Conduct on Hate Speech Online * Better Internet for Children Strategy * Digital Services Act * Data Act * Digital Education Plan * Digital Skills and Jobs Platform * Connecting Europe Facility Programme * European Data Strategy * White Paper on Artificial Intelligence (AI) * AI Regulation (Artificial Intelligence Act) C. Research and Innovation * Digital Europe Programme * Horizon Europe * Creative Europe D. Digital Development * EU Digital Strategy * Digital Compass * European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade * White Paper on AI * Regulation laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence * European Strategy for Data E. Education & Skills * Erasmus+ EU programme for education, training, youth and sport * Digital Education Plan * Digital Skills and Jobs Platform * Lifelong learning – European qualifications * Mobility for students, trainees, young volunteers, teachers and trainers * Developing media literacy and critical thinking through education and training * Technology and open educational resources to reshape EU education F. Youth Engagement * Erasmus+ EU programme for education, training, youth and sport * European Solidarity Corps programme 2021–2027 * Youth Guarantee * Youth empowerment and participation in civil society * Structured dialogue * European Youth Strategy * European Youth Goals G. Social & Economic Inclusion * European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan * Youth Guarantee * Next Generation EU * Recovery and Resilience Facility H. Funding Programmes (MFF 2021–2027) * Erasmus+ * Digital Europe Programme * Connecting Europe Facility – Digital * Horizon Europe * Creative Europe * Next Generation EU * Recovery and Resilience Facility * IPA III * Global Europe

Communication Activities

As a European NGO representing 40 member organizations and 13 strategic stakeholders across 32 countries, CONNECT International (CI) structures its activities across four levels. At the statutory level, CI acts as a representative platform for its diverse membership, fostering democratic governance and coordinated action. Annual statutory activities include an in-person General Assembly, Working Group meetings for MOs, regular Board meetings, and engagement with a Pool of Experts consisting of trainers from 30 European countries, all focused on reviewing operational, programme, and policy priorities. CI’s programme work is built around four strategic pillars: Digital Rights, Digital Citizenship, Digital Transformation, and Digital Mainstreaming, with strong expertise in research, digital innovation, and NFE. Between 2023 and 2024, CI implemented 34 projects across these pillars and delivered 61 activities, directly engaging over 1,900 participants and 4,400+ through research initiatives. Activities include seminars, training sessions, webinars, workshops, networking events, festivals, living libraries, hackathons, product development, and curricula design, advancing priorities via inclusive collaboration. Examples include: Within the Digital Rights pillar, CI developed training programs, methodologies, and research addressing youth mental health (CONFIDENT), hate speech education (Before They Hate), and media literacy (Europeans Against Fake News). Building on research, AI4Youth trained youth workers on the ethical use of AI in education and employment. Under the Digital Citizenship pillar, CI launched a 3D virtual volunteering platform and advanced policy reforms (E-volunteering), empowered young women through entrepreneurship bootcamps and a VR game (EmpowerHER), and integrated emotional intelligence into youth work through NFE training (Compassion Circle). Within Digital Transformation, CI introduced the Digital YOu platform to facilitate virtual collaboration and capacity-building; provided training for visual artists adapting to the digital economy (BITE 2.0); developed a guide and piloted ethical, inclusive adult e-learning models (Turning Digital); and created a methodology combining digital mindfulness and sport to support mental well-being in cross-sector youth work (MindPlay). In the Digital Mainstreaming pillar, CI established standards, training, and pilot activities to support structured digital tool adoption in youth work (Re(In)novating Digital Youth Work); introduced accreditation and certification processes for inclusive sports clubs (Family Friendly Sport); developed tailored methodologies and transnational festivals promoting social inclusion through art (PASS the Street Art); and created digital learning formats to help youth workers integrate informal learning into wider educational systems (ConnectEd). CI’s statutory and programme work is reinforced by strong Advocacy efforts. Each year, CI holds around 30 policy meetings and hosts 5+ advocacy events engaging 200+ stakeholders in dialogue on youth policy and digital agendas. Activities include policy papers, policy recommendations production, participation in various consultative and policy development processes, running advocacy campaigns, etc., while maintaining regular contact with institutions. CI’s network actively supports policy development and dissemination across national, regional, and local authorities. At the European level, CI engages regularly with key stakeholders such as the EC, EP, EU–CoE Youth Partnership, CoR, CoE, ENGOs, and others. Supporting all these efforts, CI’s communications act as a catalyst, amplifying impact and engagement, reaching nearly 3 million people annually via social media with 400+ audiovisual posts yearly. Communications are structured around direct outreach, online engagement, and advocacy/programmatic communication, enabling connection with diverse stakeholders from grassroots youth to high-level policymakers.

Interests Represented

Does not represent commercial interests

Member Of

Advisory Council on Youth of Council of Europe - https://www.coe.int/en/web/youth/advisory-council-on-youth

Organisation Members

Our network runs with the support of members and partners from all around Europe who are helping us achieve our goals. In order to achieve our goals we involve members coming from the NGO sector and stakeholder members who are important for ensuring implantation of our strategic goals. CONNECT International brings together non-governmetal organizations from all around Europe which are dedicated to bringing humanity to digital world. they are full members with voting rights at General Assembly. List of NGO members: https://connect-international.org/members/ Stakeholders membership: It is a non-statutory membership that was created in 2020 as part of CI effort to create close cooperation with institutions, public bodies, and businesses who can help in our efforts with their work. It is like a club of CI supporters who contribute to CI by providing us with access to decision makers, resources, experiences, and know-how from the field they are involved in and in return receive from CI view on their work through youth glasses. https://connect-international.org/policy/