Youth Organisations for Inclusion (YO-IN) is an EU-funded project promoting disability-inclusion in European youth organisations to ensure equal access for young persons with disabilities. The project establishes a Quality Label and supporting materials to encourage and recognise the efforts of organisations that choose to embark on an inclusion journey. 

From December 2025 to November 2027, the project will:

• develop the YO-IN Quality Label criteria and supporting materials;
• pilot the certification process with +10 youth organisations;
• launch policy recommendations to further support the Label and inclusive youth work.

Young persons with disabilities want to take part in youth activities. They want to join, learn, and contribute. But they can only do this if organisations are ready and accessible.

In Europe, 8.3% of young people aged 16–24 have a disability, and half say they face discrimination. But many still cannot join mainstream youth organisations. Not because they don’t want to, but because activities, spaces, or practices are not accessible enough.

Working together with organisations representing young persons with disabilities can make a big difference. It helps youth organisations share knowledge, learn new approaches, and build stronger and more inclusive communities.

The YO‑IN project supports youth organisations step by step on their inclusion journey. We offer practical tools and methods to help you:

• welcome and support young persons with disabilities with confidence;
• take real, long‑lasting steps to improve inclusion and accessibility;
• build stronger cooperation with disability organisations;
• encourage active and meaningful participation of young persons with disabilities;
• become a leader in inclusive youth work.

YO-IN will create sustainable and long-term transformations of Europe’s youth sector including:

• improved awareness, capacity, and peer-motivation among youth workers;
• progress towards greater inclusion, participation, and network building;
• inclusion and accessibility normalised in the youth and other sectors. 

Coming soon

The project is led by four organisations with complementary expertise in youth work, disability rights, and inclusive practices:

• European Disability Forum (EDF) is an umbrella organisation of persons with disabilities that defends the interests of over 100 million persons with disabilities in Europe. EDF acts as project coordinator and ensures disability inclusion and expertise in all project activities.
• Asociación Cultural Somos Europa (SOMOS) is a youth organisation experienced in non-formal education and capacity-building projects. SOMOS leads a European Network of youth organisations with more than 20 youth Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) from fifteen EU countries.
• High on Life (HoL) is a network of youth NGOs in Europe and overseas that focuses on empowering young people with fewer opportunities through intercultural learning and community projects.
• Fundación Bequal (Bequal) promotes the social inclusion of people with disabilities by highlighting the commitment and efforts of businesses that have incorporated organisational policies supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities, both as workers and as consumers or users of services.

Partners are supported by an Advisory Board, composed of representatives with expertise in youth policy and youth work, disability rights, and accessibility and inclusive design, including:

• European Youth Forum
• European Union Of The Deaf Youth
• International Federation Of Hard Of Hearing Young People
• Estonian Chamber Of People With Disabilities
• CBM Italia ETS
• Lithuanian National Forum Of The Disabled
• Sustento The Latvian Umbrella Body For Disability Organisation
• European Blind Union
• Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe

The YO-IN project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.