These have been selected as research sites for their range in economic potential and redistributive environments. Not all areas will be investigated to the same degree of detail, but rather, UPLIFT areas fall into following levels of research:

  1. EU level – analysis of inequalities on a national and regional scale
  2. Urban level – researching socio-economic inequalities on the urban scale of all 16 UPLIFT urban areas
  3. Case study level – investigating individual and household strategies, youth policy contexts in 8 UPLIFT urban areas
  4. Implementation level – exploring policy co-creation with vulnerable youth in 4 UPLIFT urban areas

Using a range of methods – including data analysis, interviews, and participatory workshops – UPLIFT aims to understand the lived experience of inequality amongst young people, particularly as it pertains to housing, education and employment in 16 different areas across Europe and the UK.

The project will first use existing data sets to understand the different factors contributing to socio-economic inequality in each of the 16 different areas.

Eight of these sites will include further research, where interviews and workshops with both young people and adults will take place to investigate individual experiences of inequality.

A final four cities, Amsterdam, Barakaldo, Talinn and Sfantu Gheorghe, will be where the project explores policy co-creation. Together, with the UPLIFT researchers, young people in each of these four areas will design potential policy solutions to address their experiences of inequality.