Working together to build trust and safety for young people: international ESF+-webinar brought together 150 participants

Coordinating the Participation and Inclusion of Children, Young People and Families and the Swedish ESF Council, which coordinates European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) development work in Sweden, jointly organised a webinar on 3 November 2026 on how trust and safety can be strengthened among young people in vulnerable situations. The event brought together more than 150 experts to learn about the results of ESF+-funded initiatives.

Strengthening trust and safety among young people in vulnerable situations is an important objective of ESF+-funded development work across Europe. In early November, Coordinating the Participation and Inclusion of Children, Young People and Families and the Swedish ESF Council organised a webinar where the results of Finnish and Swedish development work were presented to an international audience. 

“Cooperation with the Swedish ESF Council has opened new opportunities for exchanging experiences and sharing good practices from development work between Finland and Sweden. Our common goal is to strengthen the participation and inclusion of children, young people, and families. Organising a joint event also proved to be an excellent way to spread the results of the projects we support to audiences beyond the Nordic countries,” says Laura Ortju from Coordinating the Participation and Inclusion of Children, Young People and Families. 

Involving Young People in Development Work Strengthens Trust 

During the webinar, representatives from four development projects shared their experiences of strengthening trust and safety among young people in vulnerable situations. 

Ilona Mäki from the Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters presented good practices for preventing violence in young people’s intimate relationships. Kaisa Kiri from the Finnish Paralympic Committee introduced the Valtti (PAPAI) program, which supports children and young people with disabilities in finding a suitable physical activity or hobby. 

Linnéa Petersson from the Municipality of Uppsala presented a model for a multi-activity community centre, in which school facilities are used to provide easily accessible leisure-time activities. Saga Viberg from Södertälje, in turn, introduced a mentoring program aimed at young people facing socio-economic challenges. 

The project presentations highlighted the importance of involving young people in development work and strengthening their opportunities to influence matters that affect their lives. The significance of individualised support, a sense of community, and effective collaboration networks was also emphasised. 

Feeling heard, seen and supported matters 

The webinar also featured commentaries from two researchers. Tomi Kiilakoski from the Finnish Youth Research Society stressed that building trust requires young people to feel heard and to be confident that support will be available when they need it. Promoting participation and inclusion requires concrete action. 

Linnéa Bruno from Stockholm University highlighted the importance of everyday encounters in building trust. Research shows that trust increases young people’s willingness to seek support and can help prevent social exclusion, school dropout and involvement in crime. 

The shared message of the webinar was clear: strengthening children’s and young people’s participation, trust and sense of safety requires long-term cooperation, genuine opportunities for young people to influence decision-making, and working methods that become an integral part of services and everyday interactions.