The GEAR UP!  (Global citizenship Education Actions to stRenghten yoUth engagement through local support to LAs and CSOs, to accelerate Progress towards sustainable development)  project consortium convened in Ancona, Italy, from March 6th to 7th, 2024, marking the beginning of an ambitious initiative aimed at strengthening youth engagement, fostering cooperation between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Local Authorities (LAs), and accelerating progress towards sustainable development.

GEAR UP! is a pioneering project focused on promoting Global Citizenship Education (GCE) actions related to sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on targeting young people through financial support to Third Parties, GEAR UP! aims to bridge gaps and empower local actors facing financial and administrative challenges.

The GEAR UP! consortium, composed of 1 Lead Partner, 10 Partners, and 6 Associate Partners representing 10 LAs, 1 Association of Local Authorities (ALAs), and 6 CSOs from 8 European countries, is committed to working collaboratively to address common needs and challenges. These include limited financial resources for CSOs and LAs, difficulties in engaging youth in global issues, and a lack of technical competencies to access EU funds.

The GEAR UP! project will engage at least 105 LAs and 335 CSOs, providing them with the necessary resources, training, and support to implement GCE activities and effectively engage with their communities. Through a sub-granting mechanism, national/regional CSOs will be able to transfer gained knowledge to their communities, while local authorities will gain insights into challenges within their local contexts.

This project is co-funded by the European Union. The contents of this publication is the sole responsibility of CROSOL and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.