DCA

Title: “DCA”- Differences Challenge Assumptions Date: 2024 – 2026
Location: Portugal, Romania, Poland, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan
Donor: Erasmus+

The Differences Challenge Assumptions (DCA) project is an Erasmus+ Capacity-Building initiative that brings together youth organizations from Europe and neighboring regions to tackle discrimination, stereotypes, and negative narratives about diversity. The project aims to empower young people and youth workers to critically analyze, challenge, and shift harmful paradigms in society, ultimately promoting social inclusion, tolerance, and democratic participation.

Project Focus

The DCA project addresses the pervasive issues of bias and discrimination that affect minority groups, migrants, refugees and other marginalized populations. Deeply ingrained social and cultural attitudes often normalize exclusion and inequality, which impacts not only individuals but also societies and economies at large.

The project takes a holistic, intersectional approach by recognizing that multiple identities overlap—such as gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status—and require tailored strategies for inclusion. Through research, training, and advocacy, DCA works to shift societal narratives and build communities where diversity is valued and celebrated.

Objectives

The DCA project is designed around three main objectives:

1. Develop innovative tools for youth workers to challenge negative narratives and biased paradigms around diversity.
2. Create a network of 21 Intersectionality Experts across seven countries to lead awareness-raising and educational initiatives in their communities.
3. Engage at least 4,900 young people (1,400 offline and 3,500 online) to foster sensitivity to diversity and inspire action against discrimination.

Methods

To achieve its goals, the project will use a mix of research, non-formal education, and community interventions:

• Capacity-building trainings on diversity, intersectionality, and narrative-shifting tools.
• Country-based and comparative research on how diversity is represented in media, education, and policies.
• Development of a practical toolkit with methods and strategies for challenging negative biases.
• Local workshops and online campaigns to engage youth directly and spark dialogue in their communities.
• Dissemination and advocacy activities to share results with civil society, policymakers, and media.

Expected Impact

The project is expected to bring significant benefits, including:

• Stronger capacity of civil society organizations to tackle exclusion and bias.
• A sustainable network of trained experts to continue promoting diversity and inclusion.
• Increased awareness and empowerment among young people, encouraging them to act against discrimination in daily life.
• Broader impact at community and policy levels through advocacy, public debate, and shared tools.

The consortium is comprised of: Teatro Metaphora (Portugal), the partnership includes A.R.T. Fusion (Romania), SNRDIMU (Poland), Have A Dream (Egypt), Jordan Youth Innovation Forum – JYIF (Jordan), EuroMed EVE (Tunisia), and the Moroccan Family Forum – MFF (Morocco).