The basic starting point for our commitment was in 2012 in Ariccia (Italy), near Rome. Former participants of the Social Academy, a four-week summer school for aspiring priests from Central and Eastern Europe by Kommende Dortmund, gathered at a congress. Together, they discussed how the core idea of the Social Academy to promote the Common Good based on the Catholic Social Teaching could be carried forward. Connecting it to their specific reality, they focussed on how the vision of “giving Europe a soul” (Jacques Delors) could become a tangible reality.

The gathering gave rise to the idea of providing young people with motivating insights through socio-ethical project weeks in Central and Eastern Europe: a special community experience – based on the Christian view of humanity. As Kommende Dortmund and its beneVolens foundation have been active in youth work for a long time, they were able to support the alumni with the relevant educational and methodological expertise for a kick-off.

The first project weeks were organized and carried out at the beginning of 2013: The pilot week took place not far from the Latvian capital Riga focussing on the reality of abandoned children. Further projects followed in the same year in Slovakia (Spišská Kapitula/Kysak) and Romania (Timișoara).

Upon the successful finalisation of these pilots, the international congress “Giving Europe a Soul”, which took place in Zakopane (Poland) in 2014, served as the final spark for an internationally networked youth social movement with the founding of the registered association socioMovens.  This made it possible to expand the number and distribution of the project weeks as early as 2015.

The local experience of youth project weeks led to two subsequent developments: in many of the project towns and cities youth volunteering communities emerged, that aim to follow up with regular activities for the marginalised in society. At the same time, a reinforced international exchange between the communities emerged: both for the youth and the local coordinators regular, European exchange meetings were established. The socioMovens network gathered at international youth events in Berlin (Germany), Budapest (Hungary) and Kraków (Poland). Trainings for (future) coordinators are held on a regular basis in diverse places all over Europe and the partners implement joint projects.

Since 2022, the network has experienced a further institutionalisation by the establishment of the international foundation socioMovens. Giving Europe a Soul. The foundation, in which national sections can be established, has since been supporting the work on site and the networking between the various project locations. In parallel, the association socioMovens e.V. focuses on member maintenance as well as supporting the foundation.

In 2024 the socioMovens joined forces with other individuals and organisations forming the Alliance for a Europe of Human Dignity.