Support for European cooperation in the youth field
Action 5 of the Youth in Action Programme aims to contribute to the promotion of European cooperation in the youth field. The European Commission is therefore encouraging cooperation in the following areas:
- exchange of good practice and cooperation between administrations and policymakers
- structured dialogue between policymakers and young people
- improving knowledge and understanding of youth
- contributing to the cooperation with international organisations in the field of youth.
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 youth organisations and those responsible for youth policy. The structured dialogue can take form of seminars, conferences and other events organised at local, regional, national or international level in order to establish a platform for debates between all the interested parties and enable them to formulate postulates and translate them into concrete actions.
What is a Meeting of young people and those responsible for youth policy?
A project has three phases:
- planning and preparation
- implementation of the Activity
- evaluation (including reflection on a possible follow-up).
Non-formal learning principles and practice are reflected throughout the project.
A project under Action 5.1 is developed with a view to implementing one or more of the following Activities:
- National Youth Meeting: taking place at local, regional, and national level in the Programme Countries with a view to a) offering space for debate, consultation, active participation and information on issues which are relevant to Structured Dialogue or European Union policies and topics, or b) preparing the ground of the official youth conference to be organised by the Member State holding the turn of Presidency of the European Union, or c) organising activities linked to the European Youth Week, or d) enhancing cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperation between formal and non-formal education areas. A National Youth Meeting may also consist of a series or combination of the above activities
- Trans-national Youth Seminar: gatherings of young people and policy-makers aimed at discussing, exchanging ideas and best practice, and/or adopting recommendations around topics centred on the priorities and objectives of the Structured Dialogue and the renewed political framework in the youth field12.
National Youth Meetings or Trans-national Youth Seminars can be preceded by activities of consultation of young people on the topics dealt with during the meeting (e.g. online consultations and questionnaires, group surveys,
What a Meeting of young people and those responsible for youth policy is not?
The following activities in particular are NOT eligible for grants under Action 5.1:
- academic study trips
- exchange activities which aim to make financial profit
- exchange activities which can be classed as tourism
- festivals
- holiday travel
- language courses
- performance tours
- school class exchanges
- sports competitions
- statutory meetings of organisations
- political gatherings
- work camps.
What else should you know about Meetings of young people and those responsible for youth policy?
Participation of decision-makers/experts under sub-Action 5.1
If the project foresees the participation of decision-makers/experts in the Activity, none of the costs directly related to their participation (travel, food, accommodation, visa, special needs, etc.) can be covered by the Youth in Action grant. These costs should be covered through other project funding sources, such as the promoters’ contributions, and/or national, regional, local or private assistance.
