EUROPE GOES LOCAL - MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES OF ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN, MOLDOVA, GEORGIA AND UKRAINE

During the mentoring programme, selected participants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine will have the opportunity to:

• Develop a personalized plan for enhancing local youth work in their municipality;
• Receive guidance and support from local mentors;
• Make the European dimension an integral part of local youth work provision;
• Implement youth work development plans on a local level;
• Offer tools and opportunities for local stakeholders to collaborate and develop common projects;
• Recognize and promote European best practices for peer-learning.

We are seeking individuals who are:

• Involved in youth work at the municipal level (municipal workers, representatives of NGOs cooperating with local authorities, other relevant entities);
• Committed to actively participating in all stages of the project throughout 2026;
• Interested in the knowledge of local youth work development;
• Equipped with ideas on how to develop local youth work in their region (e.g., youth policy development, enhancing E+ and ESC opportunities at the municipal level, fostering cooperation with local young people through various activities).

Please note that we can also involve teams of 2 relevant persons from the same municipality. They might represent only the local authorities or make a team of local authorities representative and i.e. NGO worker or a librarian or a local school teacher, etc..

Project Timeline:

• January 2026: Participants are selected and prepare letters of support from their municipalities.
• February 2026: Selected participants meet online for the onboarding meeting.
• 23–29 March 2026: Participants take part in a study visit in Finland to explore municipalities and organisations and develop their own plans.
• March–June 2026: Participants join a 2-day training with local mentors.
• End of June 2026: A mid-term evaluation meeting with study visit elements is organised in the Western Balkans with mentors and participants.
• Autumn 2026: Participants work locally on their youth work policy plans together with their local mentors.
• December 2026: Participants meet for a one-day closure and evaluation ceremony.

In the recruitment process, please be ready to:

• answer the questions in the application form about yourself and youth policy in your municipality. You can use the questions as a reflection tool in order to analyse the state of youth work in your place and have your initial ideas in which area would you like to develop; 
• answer the questions in the application form about your intentions and plans for the upcoming year and youth work development, in other words: your ideas and plans for youth policy development in your municipality that we can support with the mentoring programme;
• in case of being chosen, please present the letter of approval from a head / director of your local municipality within 2 weeks.

Participation is free of charge. The program covers all costs associated with each stage of the project.

Please fill out the application form until 9th January 2026 
You will be notified about the results until 15th January 2026