Action-Specific features to increase Accessibility

Inclusion being a horizontal priority of the Youth in Action programme, each of the different Actions and sub-Actions of the programme contains certain features in order to increase social inclusion, accessibility of the programme, and participation of young people with fewer opportunities. Projects targeting youth workers and aiming at preparing and developing further inclusion activities are also essential, and thus supported by the programme. All details are described in the Programme Guide and specific Calls for Proposals.

Action 1 - Youth for Europe

Youth for Europe is easily accessible for young people with fewer opportunities. Beneficiary organisations and groups have the possibility to combine up to five similar or different activities of Youth for Europe in one project (so-called Multi-measure agreements).

• Youth Exchanges: In addition to multilateral youth projects, the possibility for bilateral youth exchanges exists in order to include young people with fewer opportunities and small, local organisations. The rather short-duration of the activity makes the involvement of this target group easy. Advance planning visits are an excellent means to build up a solid partnership before the project starts and to actively involve the young person. Exceptional costs related to the special needs of young people with fewer opportunities can be reimbursed up to 100%.
• Youth Initiatives: Youth Initiatives are easily accessible for young people with fewer opportunities because they can be implemented also by informal groups of young people and without necessarily having partners from other countries. They are geared to participation of young people in society at large. Advance planning visits are possible for Transnational Youth Initiatives. 15-17-year old youngsters may participate if accompanied by a youth worker or a coach. Generally, a coach (with youth work or youth initiative experience) may accompany and support the group from the outside when necessary. Financial support for the coach can be granted.
• Youth Democracy Projects: this sub-Action aims specifically to increase the political participation of young people. It is therefore a welcome tool also for the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities in policy-making at various levels. All costs directly related to the realisation of the project can be co-financed.

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Action 2 - European Voluntary Service

Through European Voluntary Service, structured and pedagogically supported short-term and long-term voluntary activities are offered to young people between 18-30 years, and in the case of volunteers with fewer opportunities also to 16-17-year old. Volunteers participate in different volunteer training sessions and receive tailor-made personal, linguistic and task-related support. Participation in EVS is free for the volunteers and full insurance cover is provided. An EVS activity can be as short as 2 weeks for volunteers with fewer opportunities or Group EVS activities. A special procedural flexibility for short-term projects between 2 weeks and 2 months is authorised.

Group EVS activities complement traditional individual EVS activities. In the volunteer recruitment criteria and process, the general accessibility has to be ensured. Crisis prevention mechanisms need to be in place. Advance planning visits facilitate the establishing of a solid partnership and the active involvement of young people with fewer opportunities. A reinforced mentorship is granted for the additional personal support of this target group and exceptional costs related to the special needs of young people with fewer opportunities can be reimbursed up to 100%. Follow-up activities are possible and structures of former EVS volunteers offer interesting opportunities for former volunteers to share their experiences and engage in new activities.

In the online-database of EVS organisations (Commission's website > http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.html) accredited organisations based in Programme Countries and South East Europe are published. The search mask allows identifying organisations willing to work with young people with fewer opportunities. The published information usually contains relevant information concerning the specific target group and available facilities and experience of the organisation. Accreditation itself is an easy and ongoing process.

Action 3 - Youth in the World

Action 3 represents the international cooperation strand of the programme, alongside with the international cooperation possibilities within European Voluntary Service. It might be helpful for example in establishing projects involving young people from immigrant communities and young people from the culture of origin.

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Action 4.3 - Youth Workers and Support Systems - Training and Networking

The various activities under Action 4.3 are useful tools for organisations to help preparing (inclusion) projects and developing European cooperation in youth work in general.

A positive and open attitude is essential for setting up inclusion projects that involve young people with fewer opportunities, but the youth workers coaching these projects also need specific skills. Seen the diversity in Europe, not all youth workers are educated and prepared to face challenges related to inclusion projects. Action 4.3 of the Youth in Action programme can be particularly useful for training youth workers to work with young people with fewer opportunities in a non-formal learning setting and at international level. Youth workers can learn from their colleagues from other countries and exchange about their respective realities and approaches towards inclusion through job-shadowing, seminars, study visits, training courses, etc.

In an inclusion project, it is vital for the organisations to know the partners and people they are working with. Young people from precarious situations need all the more reassurance that their project is going to be a positive experience. Strong partnerships and thorough planning are criteria for beneficial inclusion projects. Feasibility Visits, Partnership-Building Activities and Networking activities and other meetings are therefore an ideal means to strengthen the partnership and cooperation between organisations working with vulnerable groups with special needs.
Many youth workers gather and have gathered valuable experiences in working with young people with fewer opportunities and the YOUTH (in Action) programme. Action 4.3 allows youth workers to pass on skills, knowledge and adequate attitudes to their colleagues.

The SALTO Inclusion Resource Centre also offers different tools to spread good practice: project organisers can upload their methods in the SALTO toolbox for Training (www.salto-youth.net/toolbox/); experienced inclusion workers who are also active in training can list themselves in the TOY-database (Trainers Online for Youth www.salto-youth.net/toy/); SALTO can spread good project examples and innovative inclusion ideas via its Inclusion Newsletter (www.salto-youth.net/inclusionNewsletter/ ), etc.

Exceptional costs related to the special needs of participants with fewer opportunities in Action 4.3 Youth in Action projects can be reimbursed up to 100%, when duly explained and justified.
Through their Training and Cooperation Plans, National Agencies offer interesting opportunities for organisations and youth workers to become familiar with the programme, find partners and further increase the quality of youth work. Special adapted information and targeted training will increase the accessibility to the Youth in Action programme for young people with fewer opportunities and those working with them.

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Action 4.4 - Projects encouraging innovation and quality (centralised annual call for proposals):

Action 4.4 allows for experimentation of new approaches, methodologies and project formats. This may contribute significantly to the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities. Thematic focus may also point directly to inclusion projects. It is the case in 2007 with the priority theme being: integration of young people with fewer opportunities coming from European suburban areas.

Action 5 - Meetings of young people and those responsible for youth policy

This sub-Action promotes European cooperation in the youth field by enhancing structured dialogue between policy-makers and young people. It covers the European Youth Week, youth events organised by the EU Presidencies and youth seminars that take place at national, regional and local level. This sub-Action supports in particular the aims pursued by the Open Method of Coordination in the youth field and the European Youth Pact. The Commission, the responsible national youth authorities and National Agencies will ensure that participants in the above mentioned activities also include young people with fewer opportunities and those who are not formally organised in youth organisations, youth councils etc., and to provide appropriate support to them. The objective must be that they can fully participate in the structured dialogue and voice their wishes and concerns.

Support for activities to bring about better understanding and knowledge of the field of youth: this sub-Action, among others, contributes to collect information and evidence on the situation of young people with fewer opportunities and how to improve their social inclusion.

Cooperation with international organisations: the Partnership between the European Commission and the Council of Europe implies a wide range of activities related to European Citizenship, regional cooperation in the youth field, youth research and youth policy. A website, the magazine "Coyote" and so-called T(raining)-kits were created to distribute and multiply the outcome of these events > www.training-youth.net. The aspect of social inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities is systematically treated in the framework of the Partnership.

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