Posted: 1st November 2024

Future Narratives 2: Building knowledge, growing our community

Future Narratives empowers young people to imagine and create inclusive futures through storytelling and Futures Literacy, based on the principle that a future for all cannot be shaped by only a few.

Building on the foundations of Future Narratives 1, the second phase of our project deepens and expands our impact and our community. The first project introduced partners and young people to Futures Literacy and the power of personal, communal, and societal narratives, sparking meaningful transformations at personal, educational, and professional levels. Future Narratives 2 continues this work by refining the methodology and extending its reach. Our ultimate goal is to create spaces for young people to explore their histories, values, and aspirations to actively shape their futures.

The project began with an analysis of the social, ecological, and political realities affecting young people today, ensuring that our approach remains adaptable across different contexts. Partners conducted interviews with youth workers and educators to identify expectations and needs related to storytelling and Futures Literacy. A series of expert-led webinars further enriched the partnership’s understanding of these methodologies, helping to align practical experience with the latest innovations in Future Studies.

In June, the partnership gathered in Stockholm to share national findings, analyse best practices, and begin shaping a curriculum for youth workers. By balancing a global perspective with local insights, we are developing a methodology that is both regionally relevant and widely transferable.

We are now piloting the curriculum through training courses in Germany, Greece, Spain, and Sweden. These sessions introduce youth workers, practitioners, and educators to the Future Narratives methodology, combining theoretical foundations with hands-on applications. A key aim is to test the adaptability of this framework across different European regions and stakeholder groups, ensuring its long-term effectiveness.

As Future Narratives 2 progresses, we remain committed to providing young people and youth workers with the tools to navigate uncertainty, challenge dominant narratives, and imagine alternative possibilities. Through collaboration, experimentation, and ongoing dialogue, we aim to build a movement where storytelling and Futures Literacy empower young people to become active agents of change. We look forward to sharing more insights as the project develops and to continuing this journey together.