Local youth as agents of culture

This practice promotes local youth engagement in reading and book culture, involving young people in literary award juries. These are the Mandarache category, decided by a jury of more than 4 500 young readers aged between 15 and 30, and the Hache Award, whose jury is made up of more than 2 000 teenagers aged between 12 and 14.   The opinions and voices of young people are central in deciding the prize winners. This approach helps them develop new skills, spark their interest in the world of books, and foster a sense of autonomy. It allows them to manage their own activities, and feel that the project belongs to them. By involving young people in the decision-making process, they gain a sense of authority and responsibility, which empowers them. They become agents of change instead of targets to be changed. This approach has proven to be highly successful: since 2005, 85 000 young people have registered and participated.