ALMA | Work Abroad Initiative Under the European Year of Youth 2022

The European Commission, under the European Year of Youth 2022, has launched the initiative ALMA (Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve) to encourage young people – especially those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds – in looking for and finding a job in a EU country other than their country-of-origin.

The European Year of Youth

The EU has declared 2022 the Year of Youth, saying it is in recognition of the sacrifices the younger generation made during the pandemic.

As part of the Year of Youth, activities, conferences and initiatives for young people are planned across all EU countries. There will be a special focus on young people with fewer opportunities.

There will also be increased efforts to include youth priorities in relevant EU policy areas and in the EU’s decision-making process.

The ALMA Programme

The flagship initiative of the Year of Youth is the ALMA programme which offers young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who don’t have a job the chance of work experience in other member states.

ALMA will offer participants:

• a supervised stay abroad for a period of 2 to 6 months in another EU Member State
• a comprehensive project cycle implying coaching and counselling at every step

The objective is to foster their inclusion within their home country by improving their skills, knowledge and experience and give them an opportunity to create new connections across Europe. The ultimate aim is their social inclusion and that they find their place in the job market.