We’re thrilled to announce the official launch of NEEDLES – Youth Re-stitching Communities [2024-1-EL02-KA210-YOU-000243666], a transformative initiative co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme. The project runs from December 1st, 2024 to May 31st, 2026 and is coordinated by a dedicated youth team in rural Greece, with the support of ComMedi as an experienced partner.

🧵 A Stitch in Time: The Vision Behind NEEDLES

NEEDLES is a youth-led solidarity project that uses traditional needlework—such as sewing, embroidery, and creative mending—as a powerful tool for inclusion, self-expression, and community building. Taking place in a rural Greek town, the project engages local youth, including migrants, Roma, and NEETs, in hands-on workshops that blend textile arts with storytelling. Participants will co-create a symbolic "Patchwork Wall" and host public events like exhibitions and social sewing circles, reviving intergenerational knowledge while fostering dialogue across cultures and generations.

Through accessible and low-cost creative practices, the project promotes well-being, empowers marginalized voices, and strengthens social bonds. NEEDLES is inspired by the belief that repairing and reusing fabric mirrors the mending of social ties, offering a hopeful, tactile response to isolation and exclusion.

🧶 Highlights from the 1st Kickoff Meeting

The kickoff meeting for NEEDLES took place on January 25th, 2025, bringing together the coordinator (Well Grow) and representatives of the partners organisations: ComMedi, Socialbility and ATIC to officially launch the project. Held in a collaborative and inspiring atmosphere, the meeting focused on finalizing the timeline for the first activities, shaping the content of the initial embroidery and mending workshops, and identifying key local stakeholders for outreach, including Roma youth and migrant communities. Roles and responsibilities were clearly assigned, and the team discussed the symbolic and participatory vision behind the creation of the "Patchwork Wall." Emphasis was placed on accessibility, inclusion, and using traditional crafts as a vehicle for empowerment and social healing.