Good practice projects

One in five young people in Europe cannot find a job. The lack of quality employment opportunities threatens an increasing number of young people with a sense of exclusion.

There is no single remedy, but there is a need for wide-ranging efforts to seek solutions. The EU programme Youth in Action is a valuable part of these efforts, with its focus on learning through experience. The brochure 'Youth Employment' gives some examples of how non-formal learning and Youth in Action contribute to building up young people’s knowledge and skills, and give them a glimpse of what it requires to seek and hold down a job or to become an entrepreneur. It makes them more employable. It also shows how this sector is countering youth unemployment and helping young people get back on track — particularly those who for one reason or another are marginalised or discriminated against, who lack confidence in themselves, or who have little sense of engagement in society.

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Youth Exchanges respond to young people's natural desire to explore the world. The experience of multicultural Europe at a local level broadens the mind, and is a trigger for developing tolerance and mutual understanding. This practical engagement in European integration offers young people a sense of being a European citizen rooted in something that they have done themselves. They also acquire a broad range of skills and knowledge about the world of work, which can help them to improve their job prospects later on. Exchanges focus on a theme relevant to the participants' daily lives, such as young people in society, racism and xenophobia, understanding between different cultures and religions, women in society, local heritage, or the environment. This fact-sheet presents some examples of the thousands of projects completed so far.

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Young people are naturally inventive, creative, and enterprising. Youth Initiatives build on this sense of adventure, and encourage young people to become involved in all aspects of their daily lives, at local level, and also in the wider world. The aim is to provide them with a platform for developing their own suggestions, proposing their own improvements and finding their own solutions. This gives them the opportunity to develop their experience in responsibility, autonomy and involvement, in the context of a common interest. In a world of constant change, Youth Initiatives helps young people to try out their own ideas, to devise their own projects and to carry them out in their own way and so to develop entrepreneurial skills. This fact-sheet presents some examples of the thousands of projects completed so far.

website: link

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Youth Democracy projects aim at boosting young people’s involvement in the democratic process at local, regional and European level. The objective is to provide young people with ideas about and experiences of democracy, to spark new national and transnational networks and exchanges of good practice. Youth Democracy projects improve young people’s understanding of how democracy works, helping them to make the most of their right to participate in the decision-making structures of a democratic society. European cooperation in the youth field promotes continuous dialogue between young people and policy makers, encouraging the exchange of good practice and supporting structured dialogue.

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European Voluntary Service enables young people to go abroad to provide unpaid service for a maximum one year. This is a true learning process in which young people face challenges in an unknown environment, and learn to exploit their own potential and abilities, developing self-confidence and independence that is useful at any stage of their subsequent lives. Through first-hand experience of other cultures right around the world, the young people involved broaden their perspectives, develop tolerance, understanding, and a sense of a common identity and responsibility. The awareness of diversity also helps young people to form decisions on their own next steps – including in professional terms – in a more informed fashion, and employers too value the skills and maturity that participants acquire. This fact-sheet presents some examples of the thousands of projects completed so far.

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The Youth in Action programme provides the opportunity for those involved in youth work to come together and compare experiences, and helps improve the quality of their work – and get better results out of the programme. It funds training for youth workers and people working in youth organisations. The benefits include widened understanding among the participants of the challenges facing young people – and notably those suffering disadvantage, or in minorities. Projects have boosted the expertise of youth workers in areas ranging from structured dialogue to effective communication skills, and to teamwork. All this has proved a valuable method of securing quality levels across the Youth in Action programme and of assuring better recognition of non-formal education.

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NC-30-08-697-EN-C

The Youth in Action Programme (2007-2013) targets young people aged 15-28 (in some cases 13-30), and aims to promote active European citizenship, non-formal learning, solidarity and tolerance, intercultural dialogue and mobility among Europe’s youth. To this end, it supports a wide variety of youth projects designed to facilitate dialogue and joint activities among young people from different backgrounds. The programme allows young people to engage in youth activities such as exchanges, voluntary service and youth initiatives throughout the European Union and beyond. With around 150 000 young Europeans participating, the Youth in Action Programme has a huge impact not only on the young participants and youth workers themselves, but also on youth NGOs and national youth policies in general.

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2008 is a special year for the Youth in Action programme, as it marks the celebration of 20 years of fruitful cooperation in the area of youth through the implementation of European programmes benefiting young people and youth workers. It all sprang from the strong belief that in addition to formal education, non-formal learning experiences are also valuable: spending some time abroad to develop a specific project with young people from other countries is an enriching and educational experience. Since the launch of the first programme, called Youth for Europe, in 1988, more than 1.5 million young people and youth workers have participated in tens of thousands of EU-supported projects!

brochure - 2009 - 23 pages

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In today’s increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, global cooperation and solidarity are very important values. P romoting such values amongst young generations across the globe is a key step to pave the way for more open and cohesive societies. Encouraging exchanges among young people and supporting the development of their skills and capacities as future leaders is fundamental to enhance mutual understanding and lay the basis for constructive dialogue and solid relationships with our partners around the world.

brochure - 2009 - 27 pages

website: link

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NC-77-07-290-EN-C

The Eurobarometer opinion poll on young people 2007 is a special one - it is the first one which reflects the answers of young people in all 27 Member States of the European Union. I find it particularly interesting to note that in 2007 the European Union has become an equivalent for freedom of movement for 90% of the young people. This is a clear progress compared to the findings of the last Eurobarometer youth survey of 2001. I was also pleasantly surprised to read that an important majority of young people state their interest in politics and current affairs.

brochure - 2007 - 16 pages

website: link

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NC-76-06-691-EN-J

Youth in Action is the EU programme for young people. It aims to inspire a sense of active European citizenship, solidarity and tolerance among young Europeans and to involve them in shaping the Union’s future.

postcard - 2007 - 2 pages

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A new impetus for European youth - White paper

The decision to publish this White Paper on youth policy, and especially the decision to conduct wide-ranging consultations beforehand, is rooted primarily in the desire to promote new forms of European governance. The White Paper is fully coherent with the Commission’s White Paper on Governance adopted in July of this year: the point is to open up the European Union (EU)’s decisionmaking process to the people who will be affected by those decisions, and that includes young people.

brochure - 2001 - 76 pages

website: link

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This is the first time that the Commission is publishing a report on Youth in the European Union. It is a first effort to compile data and statistics in order to give a picture of the situation of young people in Europe. This report was requested by the Council of the European Union and constitutes one of the supporting documents of the Commission’s Communication for the new youth cooperation framework, entitled “An EU Strategy for Youth: Investing and Empowering”.

brochure - 2009 - 108 pages

website: link [12 MB]

2011 was designated as the EU-China Year of Youth with a view to further promoting and deepening partnerships between Europe and Chine. On 11th January 2011, The European Commission hosted in Brussels the official opening ceremony of the year.

This publication provides a snapshot of the main highlights of this event.

website: link [7 MB]

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Youth in Action Programme in figures in 2008

website: link [412 KB]

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This leaflet illustrates the main results of a survey launched by the European Commission among participants of projects
supported by the Youth in Action Programme in 2010. The outcomes of this survey show a strong impact of the Programme on young participants, on social animators dealing with young people (youth workers) and on youth organisations. This impact relates not only to skills and competences acquired by participants, but also to their being active citizens.

website: link [257 KB]

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The Youth in Action Programme in figures in 2007!

website: link [200 KB]

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20 years of European Programmes in the field of youth in figures

website: link [180 KB]

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Youth in Action Programme in 2009

website: link [372 KB]

2011 marks the 15th Anniversary of the European Voluntary Service. This leaflet describes the qualitative outcomes
drawn from a survey launched by the European Commission in March 2011 among participants in EVS projects supported by the Youth in Action Programme.

website: link [151 KB]

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This leaflet illustrates the main results of a survey launched by the European Commission among participants of projects
supported by the Youth in Action Programme in 2011. The outcomes of this survey show a strong impact of the Programme on young participants, on social animators dealing with young people (youth workers) and on youth organisations. This impact relates not only to skills and competences acquired by participants, but also to their being active citizens.

website: link [167 KB]

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Youth in Action Programme - Overview of the implementation of the Programme from 2007 to 2010

website: link [121 KB]

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EU Youth Report 2009

This is the fi rst time that the Commission is publishing a report on Youth in the European Union. It is a fi rst eff ort to compile data and statistics in order to give a picture of the situation of young people in Europe.

This report was requested by the Council of the European Union and constitutes one of the supporting documents of the Commission’s Communication for the new youth cooperation framework, entitled "An EU Strategy for Youth: Investing and Empowering".

website: link

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Flash Eurobarometer on Youth

Investing in and empowering young people is essential to achieve the objectives set out in the Europe 2020 strategy. Quality education and training, opportunities for mobility and active participation of young people in society are key elements to turn the EU into a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy delivering high levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion.

website: link

NC-31-10-316-EN-C

The Youth in Action Programme (2007-2013) targets young people aged 15-28 (in some cases 13-30), and aims to promote active European citizenship, non-formal learning, solidarity and tolerance, intercultural dialogue and mobility among Europe’s youth. To this end, it supports a wide variety of youth projects designed to facilitate dialogue and joint activities among young people from different backgrounds. The programme allows young people to engage in youth activities such as exchanges, voluntary service and youth initiatives throughout the European Union and beyond. With around 150 000 young Europeans participating, the Youth in Action Programme has a huge impact not only on the young participants and youth workers themselves, but also on youth NGOs and national youth policies in general.

website: link

PDF Version

NC-30-11-073-EN-C

The Youth in Action Programme (2007-2013) targets young people aged 15-28 (in some cases 13-30), and aims to promote active European citizenship, non-formal learning, solidarity and tolerance, intercultural dialogue and mobility among Europe’s youth. To this end, it supports a wide variety of youth projects designed to facilitate dialogue and joint activities among young people from different backgrounds. The programme allows young people to engage in youth activities such as exchanges, voluntary service and youth initiatives throughout the European Union and beyond. With around 150 000 young Europeans participating, the Youth in Action Programme has a huge impact not only on the young participants and youth workers themselves, but also on youth NGOs and national youth policies in general.

website: link

Printed version

NC-78-09-627-EN-C

website: link

Printed version

Youth in Action Programme in figures in 2010

website: link [355 KB]

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2011 was designated as the EU-China Year of Youth with a view to further promoting and deepening partnerships between Europe and Chine. This publication provides an overview of the year!

website: link [19 MB]

PDF version