The European Youth Forum has announced that applications are now open for the European Youth Capital 2026. This annual award is given to a city that demonstrates a strong commitment to the development and participation of young people in society.

Being named the European Youth Capital has a lot of benefits for a city. It may boost the city’s reputation and attract tourists and companies, while also inspiring other towns to invest in the development of their own young citizens.

Moreover, the application process also provides a chance for decision-makers and youth organisations to collaborate, discuss youth goals, and get feedback on their ideas from an expert committee.

If you think your city has enough of what it takes to become the next European Youth Capital, keep reading!

The Selection Process

The selection process is very competitive, with towns from all throughout Europe invited to apply. To be eligible for the title, communities must submit a detailed submission outlining their objectives for youth development; a team of experts will then evaluate the applications. 

More in detail, cities must submit an application together with a local youth organisation, outlining the following:

• the past performance in the youth field;
• their motivation;
• an initial plan for the year;
• and their willingness to secure the long-lasting legacy of the proposed actions.

An expert jury will select up to five short-listed candidates:  they will receive feedback and ideas on how they can improve their applications before a final winner is chosen and revealed at the European Youth Capital Award Ceremony in November 2023.

The application deadline is on 6th of February 2023; if you need more info about the application process, follow the European Youth Forum webinar that will take place on Tuesday 10 January 2023.

Conclusion

Since 2009, the European Youth Capital title has brought communities together by creating friendly city environments for young people. This title can be a great chance for towns to demonstrate their commitment to young people and inspire other cities to follow their example. Don’t miss the opportunity to apply!

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The EYP History Book is Now Available

The Charter on Youth and Democracy

L'articolo Applications open for the European Youth Capital 2026 proviene da Youth Networks.

The European Youth Parliament (EYP) is a non-profit organization that brings together young people from all over Europe to encourage intercultural dialogue and active citizenship. EYP just published a book that covers the history of the organisation and its members to commemorate its rich history and effect.

If you want to know more about the EYP history book and how to get a copy, keep reading!

The meaning of the EYP history book

The European Commission, in partnership with the European Parliament and the Robert Bosch Stiftung, published this book. A team of authors and editors, including EYP’s previous president, Tomasz Grzyb, collaborated on it.

The goal of the EYP history book is to give a detailed description of the organization’s history from its creation to the present. It covers chapters on EYP’s founders, the organization’s early years, and its growth and spread across Europe. But not only this: inside the book there are interviews with former members and employees, as well as images that visually tell the story of the organization.

The EYP history book is available for purchase on the EYP website. The book is also available for download as a PDF from the EYP’s publication library.

If you are interested in the topics of youth policy and active participation, this book and the story it tells will surely end up inspiring you.

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The Charter on Youth and Democracy

Dialogue with Young People on Energy, Inflation, and Conflict

L'articolo The EYP History Book is Now Available proviene da Youth Networks.

The European Youth Forum, an organisation that represents over 25 million young people in Europe, in 2022 developed the Charter on Youth and Democracy: a document that outlines the rights and responsibilities of young people in democratic societies. 

The Charter on Youth and Democracy is a detailed document that addresses various topics related to young people’s involvement in democracy, such as:

• the right to vote;
• the freedom of speech and assembly;
• the access to information:

The Charter highlights the necessity of young engagement in decision-making and encourages the development of structures and procedures to facilitate youth participation.

Let’s take a closer look at this document!

The Importance of Youth Participation

Youth participation makes a significant impact on the functioning of a healthy democracy. Through that, young people can have a say in the decisions that affect their lives; moreover, it ensures that the needs and perspective of young people are taken into consideration.

In this scenario, representatives from youth organisations and young elected from around the EU co-created the Charter in a bottom-up approach. It has 49 recommendations organised into four categories:

1 Education, collaboration, and information;

2 Empowerment, leadership, and democratic involvement of youth;

3 The Impact of New Technologies and Digitalization;

4 Youth policy inclusion and political representation;

But how can this document lead to a concrete outcome? Keep reading to find out!

The Role of Governments and Civil Society in Youth Participation

The importance of this document lies in its ability to require governments to take specific actions to support and encourage youth participation. To make youth participation a concrete outcome, governments can move in two directions. 

On one hand, providing young people with the necessary information, resources, and support to enable them to participate in the democratic process. Alternatively, governments can also create opportunities for young people to get involved in decision-making processes at the local, national, and international levels.

Governments are not the only ones having a key-role in this context: civil society organizations, like youth organizations and NGOs, also have an important role to play in promoting youth participation in democracy. These organisations provide young people with the necessary skills, knowledge, and support to become active citizens. 

Conclusion

The Charter on Youth and Democracy is an important document that recognizes the vital role that young people play in democratic societies. It promotes the empowerment of young people to engage in democracy and make choices that affect their lives.

For more information, you can read the charter on Youth and Democracy here.

Read also

Dialogue with Young People on Energy, Inflation, and Conflict

European Solidarity Corps Proposals 2023 with €142 Million in Funding

L'articolo The Charter on Youth and Democracy proviene da Youth Networks.

Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education

The Erasmus+ Action ECBHE supports international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnerships between organisations active in the field of higher education. It supports the relevance, quality, modernisation and responsiveness of higher education in third countries not associated to the Erasmus + programme for socio-economic recovery, growth and prosperity and reacting to recent trends. In particular:

• economic globalisation;
• decline in human development;
• rising social, economic and environmental inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asia and Pacific Regions

In this session, the focus will be on Asia (Region 5) and Pacific (Region 8), thus addressing the following countries:

• Region 5: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam;
• Region 8: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia – Federated States of, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

The online info sessions suits therefore any organisation based in any of these countries or any organisation willing to submit a project proposal under the Erasmus+ programme involving organisations from these countries.

How To Join

To join the info session register first. The working language is English.

You can find further information about grants and the Erasmus Plus programme guide to get prepared in advance.

Read also

2022 Erasmus+ European Universities call launched

Erasmus Plus Programme Guide 2022 Just Published

L'articolo Online Info Session: Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) proviene da Youth Networks.

It is off recent news on the Erasmus Plus Guide 2021-2027 that the initiative EU Aid Volunteers is now part of the European Solidarity Corps. The European Solidarity Corps offer a funding for public and private organisations to run volunteering projects in their own country or abroad. Such projects address societal challenges, environment protection, social inclusion, and much more. ⁣⁣Besides giving an access to the EU funding, the Corps allows your organisation to bring new ideas into your working environment, boost your green credentials & step up your European and international profile.

EU Aid Volunteers

EU Aid Volunteers is an opportunity to promote:

• cooperation among active European citizens,
• working together with communities in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or post-crises.

At the same time, it encourages partnerships between local, national and global organizations.

Unfortunately, despite the great outcomes of the initiative, EU Aid Volunteers has seen a stop due to the pandemic. Recruitment, training and deployment were suspended until further notice. Indeed, the initiative provides that European volunteers go undertake their experiences on post-crisis or critical countries. Which means that part of projects happen in extra-EU countries, where security and safety might have been tough to manage during the most uncertain times.

However, thanks to the situation easing all over the world, the initiative will start back in letting organisations propose their project from January 2022.

Sending and Hosting Organisations

Each organisation wishing to take part in EU Aid Volunteers needs to meet the high quality standards of volunteer management of the EUAV legislation. This guarantees the certification.

• EU-based Sending organisations submit an evidence self-assessment form. It shows that they comply with and commit to all the standards and procedures of the EUAV initiative.
• Hosting organisations based in non- European Union (EU) countries complete a self-assessment form and submit it together with three references. It is to demonstrate their capacity to comply with and commit to the requirements of the initiative.

More information on Hosting and Sending Organisations.

if your organisation has already received the certification, you can start looking for partners.

What To Expect

• Volunteering Opportunities in humanitarian aid projects worldwide (online or in presence);
• Technical Assistance, for European organisations working in the humanitarian sector in third countries, to strengthen their capacities to participate in the initiative;
• Capacity Building, for local staff and volunteers of organisations in countries hit by disasters or crises to foster a more effective and principled humanitarian response.

Read also

European Solidarity Corps 2021-2027: First Call for Proposals

How To Write A Project: Erasmus+ Writing Challenge

L'articolo EU Aid Volunteers For Organisations In Need proviene da Youth Networks.

Here some short extracts from Sintija Bernava’s article:

In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. This has had a revolutionary impact, however, we still have a long way to go before respect for human rights is truly universal. 

In the time of the pandemic, it has become more difficult to assure the security and well-being of allall. This includes access to health care, food, water and sanitation, work, education. We can see the human rights agenda being instrumentalized for political purposes.

International solidarity is essential in the global response. In fact, no one country can beat this alone and some countries have better possibilities to respond than others.  No one should be left behind.

When we take a human rights-based approach to development, the outcomes are more sustainable, powerful and effective. Society is stronger and more resilient when women and men can play a meaningful role in political, economic and social life, contributing to policy-making. It affects their lives, including by accessing information, engaging in dialogue, expressing dissent and joining together to express their views. Moreover, it includes the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, unfortunately, in many regions these rights are shrinking.

Global challenges are more connected than ever, but our responses are more fragmented. That’s why collective action is the only answer for the multiple crises that humanity is facing.

If you want to learn more about the topic, click here to read the complete article by Sintija Bernava “Human Rights at the Frontline” published by “Donum Animus”.

Related Article: About racism in the youth work sector

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Young people from several countries from Europe, Africa, and Asia shared over 140 myths and legends and then they selected and translated into 7 languages! 

Faced with the reality of living and working in a multicultural environment, we need to know more about other cultures. In order to open a window to another culture, we should learn different languages.  They have chosen myths and legends as a source of language learning material because they have this added value of teaching foreigners’ behavioral models, traditions and practices of other cultures. These stories are selected, adapted, recorded and translated in several languages by young people from Bulgaria, Italy, Latvia, and Egypt. They are available on the web-based platform: www.myths.studio with free access.

Immerse yourself in foreign cultures through knowing their MYTHS and LEGENDS. Have a go and find your story you want to use! You can also contribute to the project and share your own story!

L'articolo Immerse yourself in foreign cultures through knowing their MYTHS and LEGENDS. Find a story in “OPEN LIBRARY”. proviene da Youth Networks.

All organizations involved (whether they are direct beneficiaries or project partners) in mobility activities within Erasmus +: Youth and ESC in the national territory are required to comply fully with the ordinances ordered by the Ministry of Health and the Region Presidents. The organizations are required to liaise with the competent local and health authorities and are invited to inform the National Youth Agency of the decisions taken. 

There will be the opportunity to ask the Italian National Agency for a refund of the costs of the activities and mobilities that will be canceled due to this situation. The Agency has not yet communicated on how to proceed with the request, or whether the lump-sum or only the actual expenditures will be refunded.

For more information check the official announcement (in Italian) HERE and HERE.

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What are the objectives of the call?

• Support initiatives from at least five youth organizations from different regions spread across the EU’s and further Programme Countries’ territory to share their ideas about the EU values.
• Encourage wider civic participation and help foster a sense of European citizenship.

The budget foreseen for this call is 5.000.000 euros, and up to 500.000€ for each project!

The maximum EU co-financing rate will be 80%.

The call is not released yet, stay tuned!

To learn more about the call check the annual work programme 2020

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Since the beginning of the ‘Erasmus+’: the Union Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport many things changed, but not the growing tendency of the funds for the actions under this programme! In 2014 the amount of the fund was almost 1.8 billion euro, when for this year the founds reached almost 3.4 billion euro!

The programme aims to provide over 4 million Europeans with the opportunity to gain competences and have a personal, socio-educational and professional development through studies, training, work experiences or volunteering abroad. Furthermore, the programme also fosters quality improvements, innovation, excellence and internationalisation of organisations active in education and training, youth and sport, and promotes initiatives that support policy reforms at all levels.

In the fields of education, training and youth, the Erasmus+ Programme supports three types of Key Actions:

Key Action 1: Learning mobility of individuals;

Key Action 2: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices;

Key Action 3: Support for policy reform.

As you can compare with the Annual Work Programme of “Erasmus+”: the Union Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport for the year 2019, these main 3 Key Actions remain the same as last year.

In addition to these three Key Actions, specific activities are also covered by Erasmus+, namely activities related to European integration through Jean Monnet and activities in the field of sport.

Through its different actions, the programme aims to reach a positive and sustainable impact on education, training, youth and sport policies and practices.

Check out the article to learn more about the opportunities supported by Erasmus +: New Erasmus+ Programme Guide!

And enjoy the possibilities we are given!

L'articolo Where the European money will go in 2020? proviene da Youth Networks.