We stimulate partnerships between vulnerable youth and professionals from civil society organisations, public services and local governance bodies. This helps to develop new opportunities, spaces and approaches for youth to engage in collective action.

All of this work is sustained by locally co-designed models and solutions, which has resulted in a set of materials that build local capacity.

Strengthening Organisations

Downloads are available in Portuguese: please contact akfportugal@akdn.org.

• Participatory Diagnostics Methodology – This ready-to-use guide encourages reflection and the involvement of people and organisations in local needs assessment and decision-making processes. It begins with dialogue with communities, informal groups and local organisations and leads to the construction of local solutions and/or more adjusted locally rooted urban planning.


• Community Innovation Projects Model (PIC) – PIC brings together people and organisations to solve problems in a given community, through the identification of resources and possible solutions, based on local needs assessments.


• Blended-learning courses on Effective Presentations and How to Mobilize Companies for Social Projects. Module 1 of each course is available on the AKF Learning Hub. The courses are available in Portuguese, on demand, for training purposes via akfportugal@akdn.org.

Inclusive Services and Employers

• A blended learning course and other resources targeting EU Diversity Charters, companies and other employer organisations, in order to promote diversity, non-discrimination and equal opportunities in the workplace. Find out more. Take the first three lessons in English or Portuguese. Request the course for training purposes via akfportugal@akdn.org.

We engage with the government, municipalities, CSOs, universities, the private sector and practitioners’ associations to scale up these programmes nationally.

By working with others, the programme seeks to strengthen local governance, increase participants’ self-confidence and resilience, and create better opportunities for everyone.

Supporting Senior Citizens

AKF aims to ensure the well-being of seniors by increasing their participation and representation in society, including in local decision-making processes; strengthening formal and informal primary-care networks; and valuing seniors as a source of knowledge and experience in the community.

We:

• use participatory methodologies such as human-centred design to influence services and policies to be more senior-centred;


• provide opportunities for seniors to participate in decision-making bodies such as advisory boards or public fora;


• help senior citizens access and use digital resources to help reduce social isolation; and


• enhance caregivers’ access to geo-referenced and other resources to support their practices via a digital platform.