What is the Youth in Action Programme?
The Youth in Action Programme is the new Youth programme established by the Commission for the period 2007-2013. It is open to young people aged 13 to 30 in the Member States and in third countries, in particular those covered by the new neighbourhood policy. With a view to involving young people in society as active citizens, the programme is intended to strengthen their sense of belonging to Europe. It should also contribute to their education, in the broad sense, and develop their sense of solidarity and mutual understanding. "Youth in Action" comprises five actions, including youth exchanges, the European Voluntary Service and "Youth of the World" which is designed to develop projects with partner countries from neighbouring countries of the EU.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
The general objectives of the programme are to:
- promote young people's active citizenship;
- develop young people's solidarity;
- foster mutual understanding between peoples through young people;
- support youth activities and the capabilities of civil society organisations in the youth field;
- promote European cooperation in youth policy.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
- Promote young people's active citizenship
- Develop solidarity among young people
- Fostering mutual understanding between peoples through young people
- Support youth activities and the capabilities of civil society organisations in the youth field
- Promote European cooperation in youth policies
ACTIONS
The new programme provides for five types of specific actions to pursue the general and specific objectives.
Action 1 - Youth for Europe
This action is mainly geared towards reinforcing the active commitment of young people by supporting mobility and initiatives for young people and projects for participating in democratic life.
Action 2 - European Voluntary Service
The aim of this action is to step up young people's participation in various forms of voluntary activities, both within and outside the European Union.
Action 3 - Youth of the World
This action helps develop young people's mutual understanding and active engagement through an open-minded approach to the world. It provides the opportunity for exchanges of young people and youth workers between the programme's partner countries.
Action 4 - Youth workers and support systems
This action aims to support organisations active at European level, in particular the Youth Forum. It promotes the development of exchanges, networking, training, projects to stimulate innovation and the quality of youth workers' actions, and partnerships with regional or local entities.
Action 5 - Support for policy cooperation
The aim of this action is to organise dialogue between the various actors in the field of youth, in particular young people themselves, youth workers and policymakers, to contribute to the development of policy cooperation in the youth field and to take the necessary steps and establish the networks needed for a better understanding of the field of youth.
More information & the programme guide:
