In March 2017, the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) joined the call from former European Commission President Juncker to engage young people in solidarity activities. The initiative Interreg Volunteer Youth offers young people aged 18-30 the possibility to serve as 'Interreg reporters' supporting an Interreg programme in promoting the concrete results of Interreg projects or as 'Interreg project partners' on a concrete project. You can read more about the initiative and current offers and news on the IVY webpage.
The Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) initiative aims at offering the possibility for young people to carry out these activities while getting reimbursement, covering notably travel, lodging, food and insurance. The participants should not have to pay for their experience and should receive adequate support, in line with the European Solidarity Corps charter.
Applications by young volunteers may be submitted directly to the Association for European Border Regions., to whom DG Regional and Urban Policy has entrusted the management of the initiative.
Between 2017 and 2021, over 700 volunteers were deployed! For 2022, we have signed a 3-year-long contract with the aim to deploy another 420 by the end of 2024.
But what this initiative offers exactly?
The IVY initiative offers the possibility to young Europeans aged 18-30 to serve as volunteers in cross-border, transnational or interregional programmes and related projects. The initiative is aimed at involving young European volunteers to support, promote and report the concrete achievements of these programmes and projects, as well as generally promote cooperation across borders and related values such as solidarity. IVY will give volunteers the opportunity to familiarise with the Interreg programmes and projects, make them aware of the many benefits of collaboration among EU internal and external borders as well as enhance their sense of European solidarity, citizenship and civic engagement.
What an Interreg Project Partner will do?
The Interreg Project Partners help with Interreg project implementation, focusing on specific aspects or difficulties to be solved in fields such as solidarity projects, people to people projects, health projects, community-based projects, projects focusing on the social dimension of Interreg cooperation. The Interreg Project Partner are therefore deployed in the territory of one of the Interreg projects beneficiaries;
What an Interreg Reporter will do?
The Interreg Reporters focus on communication activities. He/she help with disseminating information on the benefit of territorial integration on the ground, through reporting about successful Interreg projects that has a solidarity/social inclusion/cooperation dimension. The Interreg Reporter are therefore deployed either in the offices of the Interreg Managing Authorities and/or the Interreg Joint Secretariats.
