EPO4YOUTH – Advancing Juvenile Justice and Detention Conditions in Europe

Erasmus+ KA220-YOU Cooperation Partnership in Youth KA220 n. 

• Starting date: 01.10.2025
• Budget: €400.000
• Length: 30 months
• Coordinator: Associazione Antigone
• Partners: 10 partners – 9 countries
• Project webpage

EPO4YOUTH is a European initiative that strengthens the capacity of the European Prison Observatory (EPO) network to improve detention conditions and uphold the fundamental rights of young people deprived of their liberty across Europe.

Coordinated by Antigone, the project focuses on a critical and often neglected area of the European justice system: the situation of young detainees. Despite the presence of international standards aimed at protecting detainees’ rights, many young people in European detention facilities continue to experience inadequate conditions. The project responds to the urgent need for consistent improvements, more effective implementation of existing regulations, and stronger cooperation among member states.

EPO4YOUTH aims to build a coherent, research-based, and youth-centered approach to juvenile detention reform in Europe. It combines research, advocacy, and professional training to foster collaboration among experts, promote transparency, and support more inclusive and humane practices in the field of justice.

General Objective: To reinforce the European Prison Observatory network, making it more effective in monitoring prison conditions and protecting the rights of young detainees across Europe.

Specific Objectives

• Enhance network collaboration

• Update research and identify best practices

• Advocate for civil society participation

• Promote inclusive and equitable models

Expected Results

• Stronger network coordination, enabling more consistent and impactful actions at both national and European levels.

• Comprehensive national reports providing up-to-date assessments of juvenile detention conditions and identifying opportunities for reform.

• An open-source European database consolidating research findings and best practices to guide policymakers and practitioners.

• Greater civil society engagement, leading to more transparent and accountable detention systems.

• New guidelines and training for young journalists, encouraging responsible and rights-based reporting on minors in conflict with the law.

EPO4YOUTH responds to a pressing gap in the European justice system: the need to ensure dignity, fairness, and opportunity for young people in detention. The project combines research, advocacy, and training to promote real and lasting change within European detention systems.

Through this comprehensive approach, EPO4YOUTH contributes to the Erasmus+ priorities of fostering social inclusion, cooperation, and justice, and ensures that the rights of young people remain at the centre of European policy reform.

Project Partners:

Ø ANTIGONE ONLUS (Italy) – Coordinator
Ø Fachhochschule Dortmund (Germany) – Beneficiary
Ø Bulgarian Helsinki Committee Association (Bulgaria) – Beneficiary
Ø Greek Society for the Study of Crime and Social Control (Greece) – Beneficiary
Ø HELSINSKA FUNDACJA PRAW CZLOWIEKA (Poland) – Beneficiary
Ø LATVIJAS CILVEKTIESIBU CENTRS BIEDRIBA (Latvia) – Beneficiary
Ø Associação Nacional Para o Desenvolvimento da Economia Social (Portugal) – Beneficiary
Ø Association for the Defense of Human Rights in Romania-the Helsinki Comittee (Romania) – Beneficiary
Ø Magyar Helsinki Bizottság (Hungary) – Beneficiary
Ø Europamente ETS (Italy)- Beneficiary