The 'Youth in Action' program aims to enhance youth work by providing training, fostering partnerships, and improving the quality of youth projects across Europe. It addresses issues such as unemployment among young people, supports the development of youth workers, and promotes non-formal learning methods. Various international collaboration projects have been funded to broaden intercultural understanding and facilitate pathways for youth transitioning from education to employment.

1. Youth in Action
mobilising
the potential
of young
Europeans
Youth Support:
stronger backing
for youth projects
T he 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.
It also promotes research into youth work,
forming a much-needed bridge between
RFCMPWȩ?LBȩNP?ARGACȩGLȩRFGQȩ?PC?

2. ȩ2FCȩ@CLCȏ ȩRQȩ
include a broadened understanding among
the participants of the challenges facing
WMSLEȩNCMNJCȩ˜ȩLMR?@JWȩDMPȩRFMQCȩQSȎ ȩCPGLEȩ
disadvantages or from minorities. Projects
have boosted the expertise of youth workers
in areas ranging from structured dialogue,
RFPMSEFȩCȎ ȩCARGTCȩAMKKSLGA?RGMLȩQIGJJQ
ȩRMȩ
teamwork. They have also helped young
people to achieve a better transition between
school education and professional lives, to
tackle the problems of unemployment among
Youth in Action ͷ
Programme

3. ͷȧ young people, as well as to stimulate research the Youth in Action national agencies and the
on the impact of non-formal learning on key SALTO resource centres have increasingly
‘As a consequence of delivered high quality training events and
competencies for lifelong learning.
training trainers, I am built competence among youth workers, youth
now on the trainers These actions range from job shadowing to leaders and youth researchers. This has proved
panel for the national feasibility visits, from evaluation meetings to a valuable method of securing quality levels
agency and continue study visits, and to supporting partnership- across the Youth in Action programme and
to deliver many building and networking activities in areas such of assuring better recognition of non-formal
training sessions for as intercultural learning. Project promoters, education.
it. I have learnt so
much about the Youth
in Action programme
that I integrate it
into my professional
life and share my
knowledge with many
organisations.’
Some of the many
Youth Support projects
completed so far
1. Making information available to reviewed, including how it supports and interacts
young people with youth information work. The experience
gained by the representative of the youth non-
This 12-day job-shadowing project hosted in 2010 governmental organisation was shared with other
by ‘In Petto’, a youth information service in Antwerp, QR?Ȏ ȩȩKCK@CPQȩQMȩRF?RȩRFCWȩAMSJBȩJC?PLȩDPMKȩRFCȩ
DMASQCBȩMLȩBGȎ ȩCPCLRȩ?QNCARQȩMDȩWMSRFȩGLDMPK?RGMLȩ Belgian/Flemish experience and create strategies
work: management, information development for the further development of a planned youth
and distribution (printed and online), dealing information centre in Novi Sad (Serbia).
with questions from young people, detecting
information needs, selecting topics, involving young Project funded by
people, networking, and use of media and online the Youth in Action national agency in the Flemish-speaking
communication channels. Attention was given to community of Belgium
cooperation between the national, regional and Hosting organisation:
local levels, peer-to-peer work and the use of ͬ In Petto, Youth Service Information and Prevention, Belgium.
social games as methods for disseminating youth Partner organisation:
ͬ Omladinska nevladina organizacija (youth non-governmental
information. Youth policy in Flanders was also
organisation), Serbia.

4. Y O U T H S U P P O R T 3
2. Euro–African partnership for MPE?LGQ?RGMLQȩ˜ȩCBSA?RGML?Jȩ,%-QȩMȎ ȩCPGLEȩ
youth work intercultural learning opportunities for young people
around the world.
Empowering youth organisations and structures
Project funded by
in Ghanaian, Kenyan and South African civil
the the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency
society was the aim of this project. A group of
in Brussels
24 experienced youth workers from 11 European
countries travelled to these countries to work Coordinating organisation:
ͬ The European Federation for Intercultural Learning, Belgium.
with 96 local youth workers and multipliers.
Subsequently, a seminar in Europe in August 2010 Partner organisations:
Intercultura — AFS Portugal, Portugal; Organisation for
brought together European youth workers and Intercultural Education, Kenya; AFS Intercultura Espana, Spain;
six African participants to share experiences and $1ȩSQQR?SQAFNPMEP?KKCȩDɊPȩ'LRCPISJRSPCJJCQȩ*CPLCL
ȩSQRPG?ȩ
BCȏ ȩLCȩNMQQG@JCȩN?RFQȩ?FC?BȩDMPȩDSRSPCȩ#SPMzDPGA?Lȩ AFS Programmes interculturels asbl, Belgium; AFS Intercultur,
relations, which were compiled in a guide on Denmark; AFS Magyarország, Hungary; Intercultura, Italy; AFS
Intercultural Programs Finland ry, Finland; AFS Iceland, Iceland;
~$?AGJGR?RGLEȩ?ȩQSQR?GL?@JCȩ#SPMzDPGA?LȩN?PRLCPQFGNȩ
AFS Interkulturelle Begegnungen, Germany; AFS Interculterele
for change’. Programma’s v.z.w., Belgium; AFS Starptautiskas Apmainas
Programmas Latvija, Latvia; Intercultural Exchange Programmes,
The European Federation for Intercultural Learning Ghana; AFS Interculture South Africa, Zambia.
that coordinated the project is a European umbrella
organisation of 27 American Field Service (AFS)
2 T E ST I MO N I A L S
‘ Ichallenge able to use mywork with youngsters in
am now
stereotypes. I
personal experience to
‘ Projects like this not only help individual AFS
MPE?LGQ?RGMLQ–RM–EPMU–@SR–MĶ –CP–DSPRFCP–GLRCPASJRSP?J–
Latvia with the AFS goal in mind — to educate learning opportunities for AFS volunteers. Such
NCMNJC–RM–@C–KMPC–RMJCP?LR–RMU?PBQ–BGĶ –CPCLACQ–GL projects spread the idea of AFS and foster a better
the hope of building a peaceful world.
’ world through the people involved in the project and
RFMQC–RMSAFCB–@W–GR–BSPGLE–?LB–?Ĺ –CP–RFC–CVNCPGCLAC

5. ’
3. New impetus for structured QRP?RCEW
ȩDCCBGLEȩAMLRGLSMSQȩHMGLRȩPCȐȩCARGMLȩMLȩ Participants were
dialogue #SPMNC?LȩAMMNCP?RGMLȩGLȩRFCȩWMSRFȩȏ ȩCJB

6. ȩ'RȩGLTMJTCQȩ
consultations with young people and youth
able to share
The francophone youth council in Belgium (Conseil organisations at all levels in Member States, and at good practice,
EU youth conferences organised by the presidency
de Jeunesse de la Communauté française de and discuss tools
Belgique) brought together 33 representatives of countries, and has focused on themes such as
the national working groups for structured dialogue. youth employment. that should be
This involved European youth councils and youth Project funded by developed and
organisations from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Youth in Action national agency in the Flemish-speaking strategies that
Cyprus, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, community of Belgium
the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, could promote
Hosting organisation:
Sweden and the UK. The aim was to improve the ͬ Conseil de la jeunesse de la Communauté française, Belgium.
structured
structured dialogue instituted by the EU trio of Partner organisations:
presidencies of Belgium, Hungary and Spain. Portuguese National Youth Council, Portugal; Cyprus Youth dialogue in
Council, Cyprus; Dutch National Youth Council, the Netherlands;
Participants met in December 2010 in Belgium and the National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations, Sweden;
countries where
were able to share good practice, and to discuss Youth Society for Peace and Development of the Balkans, Bulgaria; this is not yet
tools that should be developed and strategies that Mladinski svet Slovenije, Slovenia; Gyermek és Ifjúsági Konferencia,
could promote structured dialogue in countries Hungary; Csoport-éka Association, Hungary; Consejo de la Juventud established
de Castilla y León, Spain; CNAJEP, France; Austrian Youth Council
where this is not yet established. Structured (OJV), Austria; Deutscher Bundesjugendring / German Federal
dialogue with youth is integral to the EU youth Youth Council, Germany.

7. 4 Y O U T H I N A C T I O N
The aim was to 4. Practice meets research representatives of the Youth in Action national
agencies, youth departments, and the Lithuanian
stimulate research Ministry of Social Security and Labour. The project
This three-day seminar, which took place in
on the impact Lithuania in December 2010, marked a milestone was organised by the Lithuanian Association of
in the recognition of non-formal education through Non-formal Education and organisations involved in
of non-formal the UNIQUE network, which focuses its work on the
evidenced-based research. It strengthened
learning on key cooperation among researchers and practitioners
recognition of non-formal learning, learning to learn
and support measures for trainers.
competences for providing non-formal learning in the context of
youth work. The aim was to stimulate research Project funded by
lifelong learning
on the impact of non-formal learning on key the Youth in Action national agency in Lithuania
competences for lifelong learning. Hosting organisation:
ͬ Lietuvos neformaliojo ugdymo asociacija, Lithuania.
Twenty-two youth work practitioners and Partner organisations:
educational researchers from European countries Unique — Verein fuer Innovation und Qualitaet in der Bildung,
Austria; Ushangary, Finland; Pame Ambro, Italy; NGO Support
took part, and gained a better understanding of Centre, Cyprus; Rede Inducar, CRL, Portugal; IKAB — Bildungswerg
each other’s contexts. Existing practices and trends e.V, Germany; Generation and Educational Science Institute —
in research methodologies, youth work and non- GENESIS, Austria; COS-Cooperativa de Educacao, Cooperacao
formal learning were reviewed. The programme was e Desenvolvimento, CRL, Portugal; Citizens in Action, Greece;
Assocation Cazalla Intercultural, Spain; TiPovej Institute for creative
designed to develop follow-up actions combining society, Slovenia; Dutch National Youth Council, the Netherlands;
youth work, non-formal learning and research. Generation and Educational Science Institute — GENESIS,
Discussions also took place with decision-makers, Germany.
4 T E ST I MO N I A L S
‘ The seminar was a
T?JS?@JC–ĺ
–PQR–QRCN
‘ Finding aeducation
between
good match
generating ideas for research and non-formal
introductory seminars on education will always
research methodologies take time, creativity and
and creating a com-
munity of research and
the will to learn.
’
education practitioners.
’ ‘ The seminar opened up
avenues that are now
being explored.
’
5. Dialogue to deter youth training course took place in Bansko (Bulgaria) in
extremism 2010.
Project funded by
This project brought together 24 young activists the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency
DPMKȩBGȎ ȩCPCLRȩASJRSP?Jȩ?LBȩPCJGEGMSQȩ@?AIEPMSLBQȩ in Brussels
from Bulgaria, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Israel, and
Coordinating organisation:
the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and ͬ Euro Mediterranean Centre for Cross-cultural Dialogue, Bulgaria.
Gaza Strip. It explored what role youth and youth Partner organisations:
organisations can play in intercultural and inter- Development no Borders, Egypt; Centro Studi ed Iniziative Europeo,
religious dialogue in preventing violent extremism Italy; Abu-Assukar Centre for Peace and Dialogue, Palestine;
among young people, particularly through using Youth Division of Tel. Aviv Municipality, Israel; Youth Human Rights
Initiative, Greece.
interactive non-formal methods. The six-day

8. Y O U T H S U P P O R T 5
6. Overcoming stereotypes in social implications and related media responsibility.
Kigali The participants were helped to develop skills so
they could multiply their experience and learning
Kigali served as a living classroom in this project, back home.
in which participants heard from survivors of Project funded by
mutilations, amputations and massacres in Rwanda the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency
in 1994, and saw the memorials and the recovery in Brussels
underway in society. It aimed to help form a new Coordinating organisation:
generation of young journalists that could promote ͬ European Peer Training Organisation, Belgium.
Partner organisations:
a culture of peace and diversity. In 2011 the project Pistes Solidaires, France; Instants Productions asbl, Belgium; Liga
brought together a network of 12 journalists from Pentru Educatie Culture si Sport, Romania; Urungano Youth Media,
Europe and 12 from Africa, to raise their awareness Rwanda; Bolu Valiligi — Bolu Governorship, Turkey; 33-Europe en
of their own stereotypes and prejudices, and the Espana, Spain; Iriba Afrique asbl, Burundi; BE International O.S.,
Czech Republic; Tartu Rotaract Klubi, Estonia.
6 T ES T I M O N I AL S
‘ Duringand days of confronted theirjournalists from
Africa
12
Europe
training where
own stereotypes
‘ Peopleand white people
black
may think that
‘ Discrimination andsociety
separation within
and prejudices, I learnt a lot and I understood one ?PC–BGĶ–CPCLR
–RF?R–QMKC only generate negative
thing above all: all human beings are equal.
’ are superior to others, thoughts and actions. It
‘ All kinds ofthey distort yourpreventand they create
positively,
discrimination
focus
you from thinking but in reality these are
only barriers that people
does not matter where
you are from — neither
unnecessary divisions. They stop you moving forward have created: people are your race nor your
and making great achievements as a human being.
’ all the same.
’ ’
origin.
7. Paths to working life education for young unemployed people. The The main
main achievement was that participants obtained
new ideas for reducing youth unemployment
achievement
This training course, which took place in Finland
in 2010, developed youth workers’ skills to make among early school leavers, and gained additional was that the
understanding of unemployment issues and
use of the Youth in Action programme, especially participants
the European Voluntary Service (EVS). It provided practices to deal with them. They shared ideas for
practical learning opportunities for 25 participants improving the transition between school education obtained
from Finland, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and professional lives. The project also provided new ideas for
1UCBCLȩ?LBȩ2SPICW
ȩMȎ ȩCPGLEȩRFCKȩRFCȩMAA?QGMLȩRMȩ RFCȩQN?ACȩ?LBȩRGKCȩDMPȩMȎ ȩCPGLEȩ#41ȩMNNMPRSLGRGCQȩ
PCȐȩCARȩMLȩRFCGPȩUMPIȩUGRFȩSLCKNJMWCBȩWMSLEȩNCMNJCȩ to young job seekers and for developing ideas for reducing youth
and to learn about youth unemployment across future projects. The range of international and unemployment
Europe, as well as enhanced cooperation within the national contacts that the participants acquired
provided a basis for long-term cooperation. The among early
Youth in Action programme.
course was prepared together with SALTO Inclusion, school leavers
The participants, from the youth work, social a Youth in Action resource centre.
work and employment sectors, visited local
youth workshops that provide skills training and Project funded by
the Youth in Action national agency in Finland
7 T ES T I M O N I AL S
‘ Duringcountries thatgained new contactswork
other
g the course I
can help me do my
in
better And I now have a better understanding
r.
of the Youth in Action programme and can
e
FCJN–W
WMSLEQRCPQ–ĺ–LB–RFC–@CQR–U?W–RM–FCJN
themsselves.
’