Transnational Inclusive Horizon Handbook Developed within the YOUTH IMPACT Project

The following organisations contributed to its development: the Union of the Blind of Montenegro, the Croatian Union of the Blind, the Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted of Slovenia, the Union of the Blind of Herzeg-Bosnia, and Emphasys Centre – Education, ICT Training, Research and Development from Cyprus. Each organisation brought its experience, expertise and understanding of the specific challenges faced by young people with visual impairments and young people with disabilities in their respective environments. It is precisely this combination of diverse national perspectives and a shared vision of an inclusive society that has given the handbook its transnational strength.

The Transnational Inclusive Horizon Handbook was not conceived as just another analytical document describing the current situation, but as a practical tool that connects rights, opportunities and concrete pathways for action. In addition to improving the position of young people with visual impairments, it equally addresses the situation of young people with disabilities more broadly, recognising that the challenges they face are often interconnected – from inaccessible information and digital environments to barriers in education, employment and active participation in community life.

A particular value of the handbook lies in the fact that it goes beyond merely identifying barriers. Its purpose is to present the rights and opportunities available to young people – both in the partner countries (Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Cyprus) and at the level of the European Union. The document systematises information on legislative frameworks, available services, support programmes, educational and professional opportunities, while also providing a clear overview of European policies and initiatives relevant to young people.

An equally important segment of the handbook focuses on mobility opportunities at the European Union level. Young people with visual impairments and young people with disabilities often lack accessible information about programmes such as Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, youth exchanges and other forms of international participation. The Transnational Inclusive Horizon Handbook therefore provides an overview of these programmes, explains how they are adapted to young people with fewer opportunities, and encourages young people to see themselves as equal participants in the European space of education, mobility and cooperation. In this context, mobility is not viewed merely as travel, but as an opportunity for personal development, skills acquisition, strengthening self-confidence and building international support networks.

The development process of the handbook was grounded in the active participation of young people themselves. Through two transnational online panel discussions, young people with visual impairments from partner countries shared their experiences – describing the difficulties in accessing reliable and accessible information, the extent to which support in education often depends on individual goodwill, the discouraging nature of administrative procedures, but also their strong motivation to be active, to learn, to work and to contribute to their communities. Their voices were not merely recorded; they became the foundation for the recommendations and conclusions that form the core of the handbook.

The Transnational Inclusive Horizon Handbook has been translated into the languages of the partner countries – Montenegrin, Croatian, Bosnian, Slovenian, Greek and Turkish – as well as into English, ensuring its accessibility in a broader regional and European context. In addition, in line with the accessibility principles promoted by the project, the handbook is available in digital format, audio version and Braille, ensuring full accessibility for young people with visual impairments.

This handbook represents more than a publication. It is the result of joint work, dialogue and the shared conviction that young people with visual impairments and young people with disabilities are not passive beneficiaries of support, but active agents of change. Its purpose is to strengthen their access to information, increase the visibility of their rights and open new horizons of opportunity – from the local community to the European space of mobility and participation.