{"id":238238,"date":"2026-03-19T10:18:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T09:18:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danilodolci.org\/?p=238238"},"modified":"2026-03-19T10:18:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T09:18:48","slug":"sos-project-staying-leaving-youth-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danilodolci.org\/en\/news\/sos-project-staying-leaving-youth-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Staying or leaving: when the future feels somewhere else"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Growing up in a rural or remote area often means living with a question that eventually shows up: should I stay, or should I go?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staying can feel like being stuck, with few opportunities, and isolated due to distant and sometimes malfunctioning services. Leaving, on the other hand, often means giving up relationships, memories, and a sense of belonging<\/strong>. It\u2019s not an easy choice \u2014 and it shouldn\u2019t be the only option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across many rural areas in Europe, more and more young people face this dilemma. Depopulation is not just about numbers: \u00a0it is about the feeling that their own territory has no room<\/strong> for dreams, ideas and projects involving the younger generations. But is this really the case?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rural territories are full of stories, skills, landscapes, and relationships that are often overlooked. Giving a voice to the people who live <\/strong>there can change the way these places are seen and understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rural territories are full of stories, skills, landscapes, and relationships that are often overlooked. Giving a voice to the people<\/strong> \u00a0who live <\/strong>there can change the way these places are seen and understood. When young people are encouraged to participate, by conducting research in their local context, they are able to describe it realistically<\/strong>. This allows them to talk about it in an authentic way, creating new opportunities for future development.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participation is not just about \u201cbeing involved<\/strong>\u201d: it means being able to speak out, make choices, experiment with new forms of leadership and imagine alternatives that are more consistent with the needs of the area. Tools such as digital storytelling, podcasts, and geo-localised stories allow places and truths to be recounted from a particular perspective, based on the experiences of those who live there every day. Telling the story of a territory is also a way of taking care of it and claiming the right to stay \u2014 or to return<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with young people from other territories and countries also helps to realise that these questions are not individual, but shared. The challenges faced by rural areas are not atypical\u00a0 and the answers are not unique. Dialogue between young people, local communities, and institutions is essential for building fairer and more sustainable futures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These reflections gave rise to SOS<\/strong>, a project that promotes the active participation of the younger generation<\/strong> in the enhancement and sustainable development of rural and remote areas of Europe<\/strong>, strengthening skills in leadership, participatory research and digital storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January, Porto hosted the partnership\u2019s first meeting, to begin building this initiative together and setting out the initial operational steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this question \u2014 should I stay or should I go?<\/em> \u2014 resonates with you, keep following us or contact Riccardo Bellavista: riccardo.bellavista@danilodolci.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SOS \u2013 Should I Stay Or Should I Go?<\/strong><\/a><\/em> is funded by Erasmus+ \u2013 KA3: \u00a0Support for policy development and cooperation \u2013 European Youth Together 2025.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Partners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n