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Glossary Training & Youth in Europe

Sometimes you might get the impression that youth workers and trainers at international level are speaking a different language, even though it sounds similar to English. This page wants to provide you with a glossary of terms used in European youth work

[ Training Terminology | Youth in Action Programme Jargon | European Institutions and Structures ]

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>Training Terminology (mainly Youth in Action programme related)

  • Bi-Tri-Multi Training Course (Bilateral-Trilateral-Multilateral): this is a beginners training course for "youth workers" (people working with youth in whatever capacity) interested in European Youth Exchanges (Action 1 of the YOUTH programme). The Bi-Tri-Multi (BTM) simulates the different steps in setting up a youth exchange. It is organised by a group of National Agencies (so only participants from these countries can apply) and run by a group of experienced trainers. For a list of Bi-Tri-Multi courses, have a look at the European Training Calendar
  • GeT in NET Training Course (Get In networking projects): thanks to non formal education, this Training Course gives the skills to manage international youth projects within the framework of sub action 1.2 (Transnational Youth Initiatives) of the YOUTH in Action programme. The course objective is to develop high quality Networking projects.
  • SOHO Training Course (Sending Organisation Hosting Organisation): this is a training course for staff (volunteer, paid, etc.) of an organisation or structure interested in sending or hosting one or more volunteers within the framework of the European Voluntary Service (Action 2 of the YOUTH programme). For a list of SOHO courses have a look at the European Training Calendar
  • TicTac Training Course: this is a training course based on simulation games, inputs, and group work. The training supports mainly youth workers and leaders to develop Support Measures within the context of YOUTH Action 5. For a list of TicTac courses, have a look at the European Training Calendar
  • TC (Training Course): a training course is a non-formal learning activity of minimum 5 working days (according to Action 5 of the YOUTH programme) and focusses on different skills (intercultural, organisational, project management, communication, etc.) of the youth workers in order to improve the quality of the international projects. The working methods used during training courses are interactive (use of simulation, exercises, group work, ...) and build on the participant's own experiences. For a list of training courses have a look at the European Training Calendar
  • Seminar: brings together participants in an international group around a topic and provides a platform for discussion and to exchange good practices. The main differences to a training course are the shorter duration (less than 5 working days) and sometimes a more theoretical approach (less learning by doing). But in some cases it can be argued, whether a specific activity is a seminar or training course. For a list of seminars have a look at the European Training Calendar
  • SSV (Short Study Visit): these are learning opportunities to discover youth work and policy in different countries. They focus on a specific topic (related to the YOUTH programme priorities) and will provide the occasion to meet different (youth) organisations in the field of this topic, to exchange good practices and to set up networks or projects in the future. The SSVs are organised by or in co-operation with a National Agency of the YOUTH programme. For a list of Short Study Visits have a look at the European Training Calendar
  • Contact Making Seminar: they bring together representatives of different organisations or groups and provide opportunites to find partners to set up future YOUTH projects. At the same time information sessions about the YOUTH programme and workshops on necessary skills for international projects are conducted, but the training element is limited. For a list of Contact Making Seminars have a look at the European Training Calendar
  • ToT (Training of Trainers): this long-term training course has been organised several times and aims to give resource persons the skills and experience to be a trainer within the YOUTH programme and its Actions. The ToT involves three training courses (introduction, skills training and evaluation) with practice periods (setting up and running own training courses) inbetween. Recruitment is done via the YOUTH National Agencies and successful participants can be entrusted by the NA with their (inter)national training activities
  • ToM (Training of Multipliers): several Programme countries of the YOUTH programme have a network of decentralised resource persons assisting the National Agencies at giving information and counselling to youth workers setting up European YOUTH projects. Check with your YOUTH National Agency, if there is one for your country

Partnership on Training and Youth

  • ATTE (Advanced Training for Trainers in Europe): this is an experimental long-term training for trainers course developed in the Partnership for Training and Youth which aims to qualify European trainers in the youth field. The course is directed at people already active as trainers in different capacities who want to specialise in European youth training. More info at www.training-youth.net (under training courses)
  • T-Kits: this is a series of training kits or manuals for European youth work and training published within the framwork of the Partnership of Training and Youth. Existing T-Kits cover Project Managament, Organisational Management, Intercultural Learning, Intercultural Language Learning, International Voluntary Service, Training Essentials, Social Inclusion (and more to come). The T-Kits are available to download (pdf format) for free in different languages at www.training-youth.net (under publications)
  • Coyote: this is a half-yearly magazine targeted at European youth workers and trainers with background reading on priority topics, interviews with trainers, reviews of training methodologies, etc. Regularly, Coyote also publishes a 'supplement' being a new training tool or simulation exercise. You can subscribe to Coyote for free sending an email to or you can read it online at www.training-youth.net (under publications)

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>Youth in Action Programme Jargon

  • YOUTH programme? this was the European mobility programme from 2000-2006. It was replaced with the Youth in Action programme from 2007-2013. More at http://ec.europa.eu/youth/program/index_en.html
  • Youth in Action programme: this is the programme of the European Commission providing international mobility opportunities for young people in a non-formal educational setting. It is managed by decentralised National Agencies in all Programme countries. It is composed of 5 Actions for different activities. More at http://ec.europa.eu/youth/yia/index_en.html
  • Action 1 - Youth for Europe: supporting exchanges and youth initiatives and encouraging young people's participation in democratic life;
  • Action 2 - European Voluntary Service: encouraging young people to take part in a voluntary activity abroad that benefits the general public;
  • Action 3 - Youth in the World: encouraging cooperation with Partner Countries by building networks, promoting the exchange of information and assisting with cross-border activities;
  • Action 4 - Youth Support Systems: promoting the development of exchange, training and information schemes;
  • Action 5 - European Cooperation in the youth field contributing to the development of policy cooperation in the youth field.
  • Programme countries: EU Member States, EFTA/EEA countries and Pre-accession countries. They can participate fully in all YOUTH Actions.
  • (EU) Member States: the 27 countries, that are members of the European Union - this number can expand in the future with the accession of new member states (e.g. Turkey, Croatia, ...).
  • Pre-accession (or associated) countries: these are the countries that applied for membership to the European Union (e.g. Turkey, Croatia, ...) and are on the way to 'accession' to the EU. These countries participate fully in all YOUTH Actions. In 2004 many of the 'pre'-accession countries joined the EU and became member states.
  • EFTA/EEA countries: the three countries, which are members of the European Free Trade Association and of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).
  • Partner countries/neighbouring Regions: neither Member States of the European Union, nor Pre-accession countries, nor members of EFTA/EEA. There are 3 neighbouring regions: EECA = Eastern Europea & Caucasus (see www.salto-youth.net/eeca/); SEE = South East Europe (sometimes also called southern Balkans - see www.salto-youth.net/see/); EuroMed = around the Mediterranean Sea (see www.salto-youth.net/euromed/). They can participate in YOUTH projects under Action 3 (Youth of the World) in the Youth in Action programme - subject to specific criteria and procedures. 
  • Mediterranean partner countries: These are the 12 non-EU countries at or near the Mediterranean Sea, that can participate in the Youth in Action Programme. More about this here.
  • CIS: Commonwealth of Independent States (the former countries of the Soviet Union) - Now called within the YOUTH programme context EECA - Eastern Europe & Caucasus, to refer specifically to the 7 countries from East Europe and the Caucasus region, belonging to the priority area of the YOUTH programme. More here.
  • National Agencies: structures established by the national authorities in each Programme country in order to assist the European Commission in management and to assume responsibility for implementation of most of the YOUTH programme. 
  • National Euromed Youth Units:  units/offices appointed by the national authorities in each Euro-Med partner country in order to facilitate implementation of the Youth in Action Programme there.
  • Non-formal education: projects within YOUTH actively involve young people on a voluntary basis and provide them with opportunities to acquire skills and competences outside formal education and training systems. Even though they are not part of any formal educational curriculum, YOUTH projects are characterised by a carefully planned programme of personal and social education for participants and apply methods of intercultural learning.
  • Young people with fewer opportunities: young people from a less privileged cultural, geographical or socio-economic background, or with disabilities; better access for them to the activities developed within the YOUTH programme is a key priority for the European Commission. More info here. 
  • Community funding: financial contribution from the YOUTH programme awarded to selected projects
  • Youthpass - the recognition strategy. Every participant in a Youth Exchange, a European Voluntary Service, or a Training and Networking project is entitled to receive Youthpass, which describes and validates their non-formal learning experience. Through Youthpass the European Commission ensures that the experience gained within the programme is recognised as having been educational and as a period of non-formal and informal learning. For further information, click here.

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>European Institutions and Structures

  • EU - European Union: supra-national European institution composed of 27 member states (from Jan 2007) with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, working on a variety of issues: the most known are probably the Euro (monetary union), agriculture, exchange programmes, ... and youth. The European Parliament (which meets monthly in Strasbourg, France) is elected directly by citizens of the member countries and undertakes legislative work. The European Commission (based in Brussels) is the executive organ of the EU implementing and monitoring the treaties and decisions of the EU. The European Council is a meeting of the heads of state or government to discuss and plan EU policy. More at http://www.europa.eu.
  • CoE - Council of Europe: inter-governmental European institution composed of 45 member states (2003) with seat in Strasbourg, France, working in fields such as Human Rights, Democracy, ... and youth. The Council of Europe's deliberative body is the Parliamentary Assembly composed of representatives of the parliaments of their member states. The Committee of Ministers is the Council of Europe's decision making body composed of foreign ministers (or their substitutes) of the member countries. More at http://www.coe.int.
  • SALTO-YOUTH (Support, Advanced Learning, and Training Opportunities within the YOUTH programme): was created by the European Commission to support the quality of the YOUTH programme projects. The international operational network of 4 SALTOs made it easier to tackle European priorities. More at www.salto-youth.net.
  • Partnership (for European Youth Worker Training) or Covenant between the Council of Europe and the European Commission: since both the Council of Europe and the European Union had programmes focussing on youth work, they joined forces in setting up training courses on Citizenship Education and they jointly developed the Advanced Training for Trainers in Europe. Besides these courses they also publish T-Kits (Training Kits or Manuals) on different European youth work topics and Coyote, a magazine about European training and youth work. More at www.training-youth.net
  • European Youth Forum: The European Youth Forum works to empower young people to participate actively in the shaping of Europe and the societies in which they live, and in improving the living conditions of young people as European citizens in today's world. The European Youth Forum defends the interests of all young people in Europe. As a platform, it is the representative body of its member organisations towards institutions and partners active in the youth field. www.youthforum.org

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Author: Tony Geudens / Last modified: 2007-10-09

Link directly to this page: http://www.salto-youth.net/glossary/