Montilla is a town located in Andalusia, where many municipalities find that they are unable to cater to the specific needs of the younger members of the population. Without youth centres, young people - especially those under the age of 18 - are unable to enjoy leisure activities, connect with their peers, or find answers and solutions to the educational, professional and personal issues that concern them. The non-profit Universal Social Foundation decided to respond to this situation by establishing The Youth House.

The main objective of the LEADER Youth House project is to offer a comprehensive service to the young population. In promotes civic participation and social visibility, provides group and individual guidance counselling and leisure activities.

The building which hosts the Casa Joven was refurbished in order to provide spaces well suited to youth-led activities. These include a games room; a living room (with a reading area and a television / cinema area); a workshop that can be used for different types of classes; a consultation room in which individuals can meet with experts from the Universal Social Foundation; an association room with a meeting table (that can be used by the groups and associations that the young people create); and an outdoor area for outdoor activities.

The Youth House has worked to recruit young people who can then act as ambassadors for involving the rest of the young population of Montilla, building trust and shaping the development of the service.  Once enough young people had started to use the space (about 100), a programme of advisory activities was launched in response to their needs and interests.

Scheduled activities include workshops focused on topics that the young people wish to explore, such as socio-emotional education, healthy lifestyles, sexuality and equal relationships, modern technology and social networks and healthy and sustainable consumption. Guidance and advice is provided relating to issues that most concern young people and personalised support and mentoring by trained professionals is available to those who need it.

The Casa Joven has become an example of a people-centred organisation which listens to young people and encourages their full participation through the way that the centre and its schedule are organised.

The Youth House project has achieved the active participation of some 100 young people from Montilla and nearby towns. It is hoped that this number will double in the coming years.

The way in which young people participate in this initiative is innovative: young people are given an active role in the management of the centre and in the organisation of its activities. Moreover, they are encouraged to increase their active participation at a social level outside the centre.