Guide to Using the “No Borders to Youth” Platform

Platform Introduction

The “No Borders to Youth” (NBTY) platform is the culmination of the KA220-YOU – Cooperation partnerships in youth project, co-financed by Erasmus+, developed through an international collaboration between the Portuguese Red Cross Youth, the Psychology Association of the University of Minho (Portugal), liminal (Greece) and Fundazione Magtel (Spain). 

1.1 Context

Inclusion and accessibility are fundamental pillars for building a just society, where every person, regardless of their abilities or circumstances, can fully participate, contribute and thrive. Creating inclusive environments is an active commitment to valuing diversity, promoting a sense of belonging, and ensuring that everyone has access to the same opportunities. Similarly, accessibility ensures that services, tools, and spaces are usable by all, without physical, sensory, or cognitive barriers, reflecting a true commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

It is in this context that the “No Borders to Youth” (NBTY) platform emerges. Created to combat the exclusion of young people with visual and/or hearing impairments, it uses principles of inclusion and accessibility to offer a digital tool with content that responds to the needs of youth workers, educators and young people, as well as organizations. 

This platform stands out as an accessible and inclusive space, ensuring that all users — including those who are blind or deaf — can acquire knowledge about Mental Health and Well-being, Inclusive Societies and Green and Sustainable Europe, three of the eleven EU Youth Goals, as well as develop non-formal education activities that will contribute to building a more connected and equitable community. The NBTY embodies the vision of a barrier-free society, where every young person has the opportunity to develop their potential and play an active role in promoting European values such as citizenship, sustainability and well-being. 

1.2 Who and Why

The platform was designed so that youth workers and educators, even if deaf and blind, can work on the themes of Mental Health and Well-being, Inclusive Societies and Green and Sustainable Europe, as well as for organizations that want to work to make their work more accessible. The platform provides informative materials and resources, as well as non-formal education activities adapted to the three themes mentioned above, allowing for greater inclusion during the approach to the themes. 

1.3 Accessibility

The “No Borders to Youth” (NBTY) website, developed by the University of Minho, includes an accessibility menu plugin that reinforces its adaptability and inclusivity, allowing users to adjust the experience according to their specific needs. This menu offers options such as increasing or reducing font size, color contrast adjustments to improve visibility, enabling high contrast or reading mode, and pauses on animated elements. These tools ensure that people with visual, motor or cognitive disabilities can access and interact with the website autonomously and effectively. 

The interface is responsive, providing a consistent experience across devices, and the accessible language makes it easy to understand for all audiences. 

2. Technical Requirements

Before you begin, check the following requirements: 

  • Compatible devices: Computers, tablets and smartphones. 
  • Recommended browsers: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari (updated versions). 
  • Accessibility tools: Compatible with screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver  

3. How to Access the Platform

Open the browser and type: https://nbty.apsi.uminho.pt/  

4. Platform Structure

Home

In the header, you will find the following tabs that direct to key topics: 

4.2 About the Project

The “About the Project” section presents detailed information about the project’s objective, mission, and methodologies, offering the user a comprehensive and clear view of its purpose. 

When scrolling through the page, the user will find an introduction to the main thematic areas covered by the platform, organized as follows: 

  • Mental Health and Wellness: An introduction to the topic, highlighting the importance of taking care of mental health and promoting wellness practices. 
  • Inclusive Societies: Information on how to foster social inclusion, equality and diversity in communities. 
  • Green and Sustainable Europe: An insight into practices and initiatives to build an environmentally sustainable future in Europe. 
  • Tips for Facilitators: Suggestions and guidance for professionals and organizations that lead or facilitate activities related to the platform’s themes. 
  • Forum: Interactive space for discussion and sharing of ideas between users. 

In each of these sections, the user can click on  the “Learn More” button  to be directed directly to the corresponding tab, where they will find more detailed information on the topic. 

4.3 Mental Health and Well-Being

  • Topic Tab: Comprehensive introduction on the topic of Mental Health and Well-being, designed to empower facilitators. 
  • Activities Tab: Set of non-formal education activities to work on issues related to the theme, adaptable to audiences that include blind or deaf people. 
  • Resources tab: Additional materials to support facilitators and provide additional information to participants.

4.4 Inclusive Societies

  • Topic Tab: Comprehensive introduction on Inclusive Societies, aimed at empowering facilitators. 
  • Activities Tab: Set of non-formal education activities to work on issues related to the theme, adaptable to audiences that include blind or deaf people. 
  • Resources tab: Additional materials to support facilitators and provide additional information to participants. 

4.5 Green and Sustainable Europe

  • On Topic Tab: Comprehensive introduction on the topic of Green and Sustainable Europe, aimed at empowering facilitators. 
  • Activities Tab: Set of non-formal education activities to work on issues related to the theme, adaptable to audiences that include blind or deaf people. 
  • Resources tab: Additional materials to support facilitators and provide additional information to participants.

4.6 Tips for facilitators

On this page you will find a feature that allows facilitators to reflect on the inclusive practices they already apply and identify areas for improvement. The checklist contains items that help assess the level of accessibility of the activities and resources offered by organizations. 

How to use: 

  • Access the “Tips for facilitators” tab. 
  • Explore each item and check what is already implemented. 
  • Identify the points that can be improved and plan adaptations. 

4.7 Forum

This tab offers a space dedicated to sharing questions, suggestions, experiences and good practices in the areas of inclusion and accessibility. Here, facilitators, participants, and other stakeholders can collaborate, learn from each other, and build a stronger, more inclusive community. 

How to use: 

  1. Access the “Forum” tab in the main menu. 
  2. Add a new topic or participate in existing discussions. 
  3. Share ideas to help promote inclusion and accessibility. 

4.8 Contact Us

The “Contact Us” tab  allows users to contact the consortium organizations directly. This section is designed to facilitate communication between users of the platform and the organizations responsible for the project. 

5. Inclusive Features

5.1 Accessibility Button

The accessibility button is located in the upper right corner of the home page, to ensure an inclusive experience for all users. This button allows you to: 

  • Adjust the contrast of the page to make it easier to read. 
  • Change the font size for better visibility. 
  • Enable additional features to meet the specific needs of users with visual impairments. 
  • Turn on narrator 

How to use: 

  • Click on the accessibility icon in the upper right corner and choose the options that best suit you. 
  • Atalho CTRL+ U 

5.2 Language Selection and Machine Translation

The NBTY platform offers an automatic translation feature that allows users to choose the language in which they want to view the interface and content. This feature ensures a personalized and inclusive experience, adapting to the preferences of each user. 

How to change the language: 

  • Locate the language button, positioned in the upper right corner of the interface. 
  • Click on the button and choose the desired language from the available options. 
  • The platform will automatically update to display the content in your chosen language. 
  • If necessary, you can change the language at any time by repeating this process. 

Note: The quality of the translation may vary depending on the complexity of the text and the language chosen. For specific questions, it is recommended to contact support. 

5.3 Other features

The platform is designed to be completely accessible. Here are some key features: 

  • Screen Reader: Automatically enabled for compatibility with software such as JAWS and NVDA. 
  • Image Descriptions: All images have detailed descriptions.  
  • Shortcuts.

6. Technical Support

If you encounter difficulties, use the support: 

7. Usage Tips

  • Save the site to favorites for faster access. 
  • Adjust the accessibility settings on your profile to personalize the experience. 
  • Participate in the forums to exchange ideas with other youth workers. 

8. Security and Privacy

  • We ensure that all data is treated confidentially. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.