COOPOWER

Strengthening cooperative employment practices for the empowerment of vulnerable youth.

Project overview

Duration: April 2025 – March 2028
Lead Partner: Center for the Study of Democracy (Bulgaria)

Project Aim

The COOPOWER project aims to tackle the persistent issue of youth unemployment and social inequality in the Danube Region, with a special focus on young people aged 15 to 30 who face significant barriers to entering the labour market. These challenges may stem from limited access to education, economic hardship, or living in disadvantaged areas. Bringing together nine partner organisations from eight countries, the project creates space for collaboration across sectors—engaging youth, local authorities, civil society, researchers, and employers alike—to co-develop practical solutions tailored to regional realities.

Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, COOPOWER emphasizes shared learning and local adaptation. Through pilot programmes, local cooperation incubators, and a transnational dialogue hub, the project fosters exchange and builds networks that outlive the project’s timeframe. Its ultimate goal is to strengthen local capacities, support vulnerable youth in finding meaningful employment, and contribute to a more cohesive and inclusive Danube Region.

Specific objectives

SO1: Establishing baseline and capitalising on existing knowledge and practices

SO2: Strengthening local cooperation and enhancing transnational policy discourse

SO3: Evidence-based learning for adaptable solutions

CSD as the Lead Partner

The Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) is a European public policy institute based in Sofia, Bulgaria. For over 30 years, CSD has worked to improve the quality of democratic governance all over the world and promote inclusive democratic growth by turning research into practical policy solutions. Its work supports better institutions, fairer labour markets, and stronger community resilience across Europe and beyond.

COOPOWER is a natural extension of CSD’s efforts to create opportunities for vulnerable groups, especially young people. The project tackles real barriers to youth employment by promoting cooperative stakeholder models that build skills, trust, and long-term local engagement, helping rural youth across the Danube Region access meaningful work and become active contributors to their communities.

Being part of the Danube Region Programme allows CSD and the COOPOWER consortium to scale impact, share knowledge, and build a more connected and socially resilient region.