YOU LIVE IN A CITY YOU LOVE?

JOIN THE USE-IT
NETWORK!

JOIN
THE USE-IT
NETWORK!

YOU LIVE IN A CITY YOU LOVE?

The initiative to start a new USE-IT always comes from young locals. That means: there is no boss with a big bag of money who decides where

the next USE-IT will come.

The initiative to start a new USE-IT always comes from young locals. That means: there is no boss with a big bag of money who decides where

the next USE-IT will come.

Read, set, Map!

Read, set,

Map!

Do you live in a city, do you know it well and do you want to show others the places locals actually go to? Then you can make a USE-IT map! Everybody who’s motivated can join us. 

The initiative to start a new USE-IT always comes from young locals. That means: there is no boss with a big bag of money who decides where the next USE-IT will come. Every USE-IT initiative has the same basic philosophy, but apart from that they're quite independent and they look for their own money. USE-IT is a quality label. It's always non-commercial, free, no-nonsense, up-to-date and made by young locals. If you stick to these rules, you can join the club. 

When you e-mail us, we invite you for an online coffee with our editor-in-chief, where you can ask all the questions you want. After that, the editor-in-chief is with you every step of the way, and the existing members can help you as well.

(c) margaux martins
(c) margaux martins

TIMELINE

TIMELINE OF A

OF A MAP
PROJECT

MAP PROJECT

01

GET IN TOUCH

If you are curious about making your own map, send an e-mail! 

USE-IT Europe gives practical support, feedback, a network to fall back on, access to the annual meeting and official membership. It has been there for a long time and over the years, many young local enthusiasts have contacted us! So maybe there’s someone else in your city who is willing to make the map with you. We can also answer all initial questions that you have, and it’s always nice to meet new people, right?

01

GET IN TOUCH

If you are curious about making your own map, send an e-mail! 

USE-IT Europe gives practical support, feedback, a network to fall back on, access to the annual meeting and official membership. It has been there for a long time and over the years, many young local enthusiasts have contacted us! So maybe there’s someone else in your city who is willing to make the map with you. We can also answer all initial questions that you have, and it’s always nice to meet new people, right?

01

GET IN TOUCH

If you are curious about making your own map, send an e-mail! 

USE-IT Europe gives practical support, feedback, a network to fall back on, access to the annual meeting and official membership. It has been there for a long time and over the years, many young local enthusiasts have contacted us! So maybe there’s someone else in your city who is willing to make the map with you. We can also answer all initial questions that you have, and it’s always nice to meet new people, right?

01

GET IN TOUCH WITH US

If you are curious about making your own map, send an e-mail! 

USE-IT Europe gives practical support, feedback, a network to fall back on, access to the annual meeting and official membership. It has been there for a long time and over the years, many young local enthusiasts have contacted us! So maybe there’s someone else in your city who is willing to make the map with you. We can also answer all initial questions that you have, and it’s always nice to meet new people, right?

02

BUILD YOUR TEAM

From experience and research, we know that there is a much bigger chance to finish your map if you have a team to work with. It’s also more fun! On top of that, the more tips from local young people, the better your map is. Ask friends, acquaintances, go to your local university and find other map lovers who want to do this great project with you. Also find a graphic designer and illustrator.

RESOURCES

maybe we are already in contact with somebody from your city.

02

BUILD YOUR TEAM

From experience and research, we know that there is a much bigger chance to finish your map if you have a team to work with. It’s also more fun! On top of that, the more tips from local young people, the better your map is. Ask friends, acquaintances, go to your local university and find other map lovers who want to do this great project with you. Also find a graphic designer and illustrator.

RESOURCES

maybe we are already in contact with somebody from your city.

03

FUND YOUR PROJECT

Once you have a team, you can talk to your city officials and local university, look for open calls for grants, find youth organisations or find other sponsors to help you with your project. USE-IT Europe will support you with knowledge and tips every step of the way. For more about funding, visit our resources page.

RESOURCES

all the results from our FUND-IT project

a guidebook full of tips on how to fund a map project, or any project you’d want to fund in the future

an editable template so you can bring a hand-out to anyone you talk to about USE-IT!

03

FUND YOUR PROJECT

Once you have a team, you can talk to your city officials and local university, look for open calls for grants, find youth organisations or find other sponsors to help you with your project. USE-IT Europe will support you with knowledge and tips every step of the way. For more about funding, visit our resources page.

RESOURCES

all the results from our FUND-IT project

a guidebook full of tips on how to fund a map project, or any project you’d want to fund in the future

an editable template so you can bring a hand-out to anyone you talk to about USE-IT!

04

START RESEARCHING

Find out all about places in your city, interview young people about where they like to go, organise crowdsourcing events, and use social media to select things to tip in your city. In this step, you can also look into your city’s history, local customs and hot topics. What would you show people who come to visit you from abroad? That’s what we want to know.

04

START RESEARCHING

Find out all about places in your city, interview young people about where they like to go, organise crowdsourcing events, and use social media to select things to tip in your city. In this step, you can also look into your city’s history, local customs and hot topics. What would you show people who come to visit you from abroad? That’s what we want to know.

05

WRITE YOUR MAP

Write your map text! For tips, look at our Style Guide or ask the editor in chief to check your first few pages. Once you’re done, the editor in chief will check all your text.

RESOURCES

USE-IT STYLE GUIDE

05

WRITE YOUR MAP

Write your map text! For tips, look at our Style Guide or ask the editor in chief to check your first few pages. Once you’re done, the editor in chief will check all your text.

RESOURCES

USE-IT STYLE GUIDE

06

DESIGN YOUR MAP

Find the perfect illustrator and graphic designer, think of the strong visual elements that represent your city and the atmosphere you want to give to your map : make it look as great as your city does!

06

DESIGN YOUR MAP

Find the perfect illustrator and graphic designer, think of the strong visual elements that represent your city and the atmosphere you want to give to your map : make it look as great as your city does!

07

DISTRIBUTE

Once your map is printed, your work isn’t done yet! You want people to see the beautiful map you made. Distribution can be done in your own city, of course, and that is the first thing you should think about. Do you want to put them in every location on your map, or just in some key distribution points? Are there hotels, hostels, b&b’s you can bring them to? And also don’t forget international organisations like universities, music venues, festivals, museums… A lot of people could use your map and spread the word!

Next up is the distribution in our network. We provide you with a list of cities around you to send the map to, and you can bring boxes to our annual European meeting, to make sure the map is available in the rest of Europe.

07

DISTRIBUTE

Once your map is printed, your work isn’t done yet! You want people to see the beautiful map you made. Distribution can be done in your own city, of course, and that is the first thing you should think about. Do you want to put them in every location on your map, or just in some key distribution points? Are there hotels, hostels, b&b’s you can bring them to? And also don’t forget international organisations like universities, music venues, festivals, museums… A lot of people could use your map and spread the word!

Next up is the distribution in our network. We provide you with a list of cities around you to send the map to, and you can bring boxes to our annual European meeting, to make sure the map is available in the rest of Europe.

08

GET INVOLVED IN THE USE-IT COMMUNITY

After you’ve joined us and worked on your map, there are so many other activities within USE-IT you can take part in! Initiate European learning projects for youth and youth workers, organise an international USE-IT meeting, step into the board, make plans for more sustainable tourism projects… There is always something to do and it gives you a great chance to gain international work experience and meet many new people you can visit all over Europe.

08

GET INVOLVLED IN THE USE-IT COMMUNITY

After you’ve joined us and worked on your map, there are so many other activities within USE-IT you can take part in! Initiate European learning projects for youth and youth workers, organise an international USE-IT meeting, step into the board, make plans for more sustainable tourism projects… There is always something to do and it gives you a great chance to gain international work experience and meet many new people you can visit all over Europe.

FREQUENTLY
ASKED

FREQUENTLY ASKED

QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS

Sometimes it's good to get clear answers to fundamental questions.

Sometimes it's good to get clear answers to fundamental questions.

HOW CAN I MAKE MY OWN MAP?

Great to hear that you want to join us! You are very welcome in our midst. Please e-mail info@use-it.travel, tell us where you are from and what you want to do and we’ll get back to you!

WHO DECIDES WHAT'S ON THE MAP?

USE-IT is made by locals. It is as simple as that. We don’t let anyone pay to be on the map, we don’t give our sponsors editing rights and we only put things on the map that we love and we want you to love.
+ precisions about no chains, no bullshit, local tips, real advice about tourist classic…?

WHERE DO I FIND THE MONEY TO MAKE A MAP?

USE-IT Europe gives practical support, feedback, a network to fall back on, access to the meeting and official membership. Not money.

Maps are made with local money. Here are some options:
→ The municipality. Most cities get money from the city
→ Tourist info. Are there any tourist organisations in your city that could help?
→ Youth centres
→ Universities
→ European Commission
→ Crowdfunding or sponsoring

Or from a mix of the above. Show as much initiative as possible to puzzle your budget together! For more information on this, you can check out our resources page, FUND-IT website, and the I want to start my own USE-IT document!

I WANT MY BUSINESS TO BE ON A USE-IT MAP! HOW DO I DO THAT?

Just be very good at what you do. Nobody pays to be on a USE-IT map, the locals choose places that they visit themselves and consider a great inside tip, a place that they would take their visitors to. We don’t take advertisements either.

IS THERE AN INITIATIVE IN MY CITY?

Our editor-in-chief can connect you to people who showed interest to make a map of your city before. Maybe together, you can make magic! E-mail info@use-it.travel for more info.

ARE THERE WAYS TO JOIN THE NETWORK WITHOUT MAKING A MAP?

Making a map is the classic way to join the network, but we are always happy to talk to people who are interested in what we do! Just e-mail info@use-it.travel and let’s talk!

CAN I MAKE A MAP OF A CITY OUTSIDE EUROPE?

Right now, we operate only in Europe. This has to do with the peoplepower we have and the fact that we don’t have enough knowledge of other continents to support the teams there to make a map. Maybe this will change in the future, but for now, we are a Europe-based organization.

I AM 37/59/99 and I STILL LOVE YOUR MAPS! WHY AREN'T I IN THE AGE GROUP?

Great that you love what we do! Of course you are totally welcome to use our maps and have that beer in the weird bar with socks on the ceiling or that ice cream in the best hidden ice cream shop in town. But when we make maps for everybody, we make maps for nobody. And we don’t want to make maps for nobody! USE-IT has always aimed at young people, which means that we focus on affordable tips and backpacking options, some party options, some non-party options, and we leave out the more expensive stuff or - for example - tips for people with children. But, if you feel it still works for you, please use and love our maps as much as we do. We are happy to have you.

USE-IT is a European network of young people making city guides and maps to share the best of their towns in a no-nonsense way.

USE-IT Europe
27 rue Jean Bart
59000 Lille, France

USE-IT is a European network of young people making city guides and maps to share the best of their towns in a no-nonsense way.

USE-IT Europe
27 rue Jean Bart
59000 Lille, France