For participants

COOPERATION is at the heart of CONNECTION’s innovative approach to tackling public health challenges, namely related with the social, dietary and physical activity environments.It represents a shift in how we design and implement solutions by putting young people in the lead. Instead of traditional top-down approaches, young individuals actively shape interventions that align with their unique needs, preferences, and lifestyles, ensuring that the solutions are both practical and sustainable.

But CONNECTION goes beyond individual behavior. It also focuses on transforming the social and physical environments that contribute to unhealthy or undesirable behaviors. By changing these environments, CONNECTION creates conditions where healthier choices are not just encouraged but become the new norm. This holistic strategy empowers young people to become agents of change in their communities, fostering healthier habits, relationships, and spaces for everyone. In partnership with organizations, governments, and local communities, CONNECTION brings together a diverse range of stakeholders to support the design and implementation of these youth-led interventions. Together, we aim to create lasting change, making healthy behavior not just accessible but the default option for future generations.

At CONNECTION, we aim to transform the health and wellbeing of young people through a novel, youth-centered approach. Our initiative focuses on empowering youth to lead the way in creating sustainable changes to improve physical activity and dietary behavior, ultimately helping to prevent diseases and improve overall health outcomes. 

Key elements of our approach include:

Youth-Led System Change:

We take an innovative approach by placing young people at the forefront of designing and implementing interventions that directly affect them. This ensures that solutions are tailored to their needs and lifestyles.

Reducing Health Inequalities:

A key focus of our project is engaging youth from disadvantaged areas to address and reduce health inequalities.

By including underrepresented voices, we aim to create inclusive interventions that benefit all. Collaborative Design with Stakeholders: Young people work closely with adult stakeholders—such as policymakers, educators, and health professionals—when designing interventions. This collaboration ensures that everyone’s perspectives are considered, supporting sustainable, community-wide solutions.

Evidence-Based Interventions: Our interventions are not just based on creative ideas but are grounded in a solid scientific evidence-base. By combining youth insights with proven strategies, we ensure that the initiatives are effective and impactful. International Scope: Our project spans seven countries—Belgium, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Italy, Netherlands and Portugal—bringing together diverse perspectives and experiences in a shared mission to create healthier environments for young people across Europe. Through these efforts, CONNECTION is making a significant contribution to creating healthier, more equitable futures for youth.