SAME Council Meeting 2025

On 29 and 30 August 2025, SAME member organisations came together in Lübeck, Germany, for the SAME Council Meeting, combined with a training seminar on European funding. The gathering brought together representatives from different countries and organisational contexts across the network, creating a diverse space for coordination, exchange, and joint reflection on the future development of SAME. The Council Meeting focused on strategic updates, programme developments, network growth, governance, and cooperation between member organisations. Participants exchanged updates on activities such as Summer Camp 2025, SAD4Beginners, outreach visits in several countries, preparations for Act.ival 2026, and ongoing strategic planning. The meeting also created space to discuss safeguarding, internal communication, future General Assembly preparations, and relations with current and potential member organisations. One important outcome of the meeting was stronger alignment around future priorities and next steps within the network. Another concrete result was the acceptance of PNTP Moldova as a Candidate Organization, marking a further step in SAME’s growth in Eastern Europe. Alongside the Council, participants also joined a training seminar on European funding led by Ivana Davidovska. The session introduced relevant European programmes and other funding opportunities for youth organisations, while also offering practical exercises on how to adapt existing initiatives to different calls. The main output of this part of the programme was a first hands-on exploration of concept development in relation to donor priorities. The main outcome was that participants left with a better overview of funding opportunities and a stronger understanding of how to position youth-led initiatives more strategically in a changing funding landscape. Together, the Council Meeting and the seminar strengthened both the internal cohesion of the network and the practical capacities of its member organisations.