Youth in Action

Overview

The Youth in Action Programme makes an important contribution to the acquisition of competences and is therefore a key instrument in providing young people with opportunities for non-formal and informal learning with a European dimension.

General Objectives:

The general objectives stated in the legal basis of the Youth in Action Programme are to:

• promote young people’s active citizenship in general and their European citizenship in particular develop solidarity and promote tolerance among young people, in particular in order to foster social cohesion in the European Union
• foster mutual understanding between young people in different countries contribute to developing the quality of support systems for youth activities and the capabilities of civil society organisations in the youth field
• promote European cooperation in the youth field.

These general objectives shall be implemented at project level, taking into consideration permanent priorities and annual priorities.

Permanent priorities:

• European citizenship
• Participation of young people
• Cultural diversity

In addition to the above-mentioned permanent priorities, annual priorities may be fixed for the Youth in Action Programme and communicated on the Commission, Executive Agency and National Agencies' websites.

Annual Priorities

For 2012 the European Commission has defined the following set of annual priorities for applications for funding under Youth in Action:

• projects aimed at promoting young people's commitment towards a more inclusive growth, and notably projects tackling the issue of youth unemployment as well as projects aimed at stimulating unemployed young people's mobility and active participation in society. A strong priority will be placed throughout the Actions of the Programme on ensuring access for unemployed young people to all the opportunities that it offers
• projects addressing the issue of poverty and marginalisation and encouraging young people's awareness and commitment to tackling these issues for a more inclusive society. In this context, special emphasis shall be placed in particular on the inclusion of young migrants, disabled young people, and where relevant Roma youth;
• projects stimulating young people's spirit of initiative, creativity and entrepreneurship, and employability, in particular through youth initiatives
• projects promoting healthy behaviours, in particular through the promotion of the practice of sport and outdoor activities, as a means to promote healthy lifestyles as well as to foster social inclusion and the active participation of young people in society
• projects aimed at raising young people's awareness and mobilisation in tackling global environmental challenges and climate change, thus encouraging the development of ‘green’ skills and behaviours among young people and youth workers and their commitment to a more sustainable growth. Of these, the UK National Agency will give specific priority to projects focusing on youth employment and entrepreneurship, as well as to projects focusing on sport. Such projects will attract additional points in the assessment process.

Eastern Partnership Youth Window

Following the adoption of the European Commission’s Joint Communication A New Response to a Changing Neighbourhood – A review of European Neighbourhood Policy in May 2011, additional funds will be available over the period 2012-2013 in order to increase the number of Youth in Action projects and participants from the six Neighbouring Partner Countries of the Eastern Partnership (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine), under the mechanism of a new ‘Eastern Partnership Youth Window’.

This means that there is significant additional funding of €743,000 to support projects in 2012 involving the UK and Eastern Partnership Countries for the following Actions:

In order to achieve its objectives, the Youth in Action Programme foresees five operational Actions.

Action 1 - Youth for Europe

Action 1 supports the following sub-Actions:

• Sub-Action 1.1 - Youth Exchanges: Youth Exchanges offer an opportunity for groups of young people from different countries to meet and learn about each other’s cultures. The groups plan together their Youth Exchange around a theme of mutual interest.
• Sub-Action 1.2 - Youth Initiatives: Youth Initiatives support group projects designed at local, regional and national level. They also support the networking of similar projects between different countries, in order to strengthen their European aspect and to enhance cooperation and exchanges of experiences between young people.
• Sub-Action 1.3 - Youth Democracy Projects: Youth Democracy Projects support young people’s participation in the democratic life of their local, regional or national community, and at international level.

Action 2 - European Voluntary Service

The aim of the European Voluntary Service is to support young people's participation in various forms of voluntary activities, both within and outside the European Union. Under this Action, young people take part individually or in groups in non-profit, unpaid activities.

Action 3 - Youth in the World

Action 3 supports the following sub-Actions:

• Sub-Action 3.1 - Cooperation with the Neighbouring Countries of the European Union: This sub-Action supports projects with Neighbouring Partner Countries, namely Youth Exchanges and Training and Networking Projects in the youth field.
• Sub-Action 3.2 - Cooperation with Other Countries of the World: This sub-Action concerns cooperation in the youth field, in particular the exchange of good practice with Partner Countries from other parts of the world. It encourages exchanges and training of young people and youth workers, partnerships and networks of youth organisations.

Action 4 - Youth Support Systems

Action 4 supports the following sub-Actions:

• Sub-Action 4.1 - Support to bodies active at European level in the youth field: This sub-Action supports the operation of non-governmental organisations active at European level in the youth field that pursue a goal of general European interest (ENGOs). Their activities must contribute to young people's participation in public life and society and the development and implementation of European cooperation activities in the youth field in the broadest sense.
• Sub-Action 4.2 - Support to the European Youth Forum: This sub-Action supports the ongoing activities of the European Youth Forum. A grant is awarded every year under this sub-Action.
• Sub-Action 4.3 - Training and networking of those active in youth work and youth organisations: This sub-Action supports the training of those active in youth work and youth organisations, in particular the exchange of experiences, expertise and good practice as well as activities which may lead to long-lasting quality projects, partnerships and networks. This sub-Action also supports the long-term mobility of youth workers; grant requests related to this measure are to be submitted following specific calls for proposals managed by the Education Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency in Brussels
• Sub-Action 4.4 - Projects encouraging innovation and quality: This sub-Action supports projects aimed at introducing, implementing and promoting innovative approaches in the youth field.
• Sub-Action 4.5 - Information activities for young people and those active in youth work and youth organisations: This sub-Action supports activities at European and national level which improve young people’s access to information and communication services and increase the participation of young people in the preparation and dissemination of user-friendly, targeted information products. It also supports the development of European, national, regional and local youth portals for the dissemination of specific information for young people.
• Sub-Action 4.6 - Partnerships: This sub-Action is for the funding of partnerships between the European Commission and local/regional public bodies, ENGOs and companies active in Corporate Social Responsibility in order to develop long-term projects which combine various measures in the Programme.
• Sub-Action 4.7 - Support for the structures of the Programme: This sub-Action funds the management structures of the Programme, in particular the National Agencies.
• Sub-Action 4.8 - Adding to the value of the Programme: This sub-Action will be used by the Commission to fund seminars, colloquia and meetings to facilitate the implementation of the Programme and the dissemination and exploitation of its results.

Action 5 - Support for European cooperation in the youth field

Action 5 supports the following sub-Actions:

• Sub-Action 5.1 - Meetings of young people and those responsible for youth policy: This sub-Action supports cooperation, seminars and Structured Dialogue between young people, those active in youth work and those responsible for youth policy.
• Sub-Action 5.2 - Support for activities to bring about better knowledge of the youth field: This sub-Action supports the identification of existing knowledge relating to the priorities in the youth field, established in the framework of the Open Method of Coordination.
• Sub-Action 5.3 - Co-operation with international organisations: This sub-Action will be used to support the European Union’s cooperation with international organisations working in the youth field, in particular the Council of Europe, the United Nations or its specialised institutions. Sub-Action 5.3 is not covered by this Guide.

How to Apply

You can find more information about the YOUTH IN ACTION programme via the websire including application forms and full guidelines

The following are Programme Countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria , Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovak Republic Slovenia Spain Sweden United Kingdom Iceland Liechtenstein Norway Switzerland

The Youth in Action Programme supports cooperation between Programme Countries and the following:

Neighbouring Partner Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, (FYROM), Kosovo, , Montenegro, Serbia, Countries of the Eastern Partnership: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Russian Federation, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority of the, West Bank and Gaza Strip, Syria , Tunisia

Cooperation is possible with the Other Partner Countries of the World listed below which have signed agreements with the European Union relevant to the youth field.

Afghanistan, Gabon, Niue, Angola, Gambia, The Palau, Antigua and Barbuda Ghana Panama, Argentina Grenada Papua New Guinea , Australia, Guatemala, Paraguay, Bahamas Guinea, Republic of Peru, Bangladesh Guinea-Bissau Philippines, Barbados Guyana Rwanda, Belize Haiti Saint Kitts and Nevis, Benin Honduras Sainte-Lucia, Bolivia India Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines, Botswana Indonesia Samoa, Brazil Ivory Coast Sao Tome and Principe, Brunei Jamaica Senegal, Burkina Faso Japan Seychelles, Burundi Kazakhstan Sierra Leone, Cambodia Kenya Singapore , Cameroon Kiribati Solomon Islands, Canada Korea, Republic of South Africa, Cape Verde Kyrgyzstan Sudan, Central African Republic Laos Suriname, Chad Lesotho Swaziland, Chile Liberia Tanzania, China Madagascar Thailand, Colombia Malawi Togo, Comoros Malaysia Tonga, Congo (D. R. of the) Mali Trinidad and Tobago, Congo (Republic of the) Marshall Islands Tuvalu, Cook Islands Mauritania Uganda, Costa Rica Mauritius United States of America, Djibouti Mexico Uruguay, Dominica Micronesia, Uzbekistan, Dominican Republic Mozambique Vanuatu, East Timor Namibia Venezuela, Ecuador Nauru Vietnam, El Salvador Nepal Yemen, Equatorial Guinea New Zealand Zambia, Eritrea Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia Niger, Fiji Nigeria,