Moving Forward: The new European Youth Programmes and their Relevance for the Western Balkan Region

The year 2021 marked the beginning of the new seven-year cycle of the EU programmes in the field of youth, namely the Erasmus+ Programme, youth chapter, and the European Solidarity Corps. The new Programmes are built on the past achievements and good practices, but are also introducing new opportunities for young people and organisations working with them, for the development of youth work and European cooperation. Both Programmes emphasise the international dimension, providing opportunities also for young people and actors in the field of youth in the Programme’s Partner countries.

With the series of 5 online workshops we aimed to inform in particular organisations working with young people, youth workers and other stakeholders in the field of youth from the Western Balkan Partner Countries and those interested in cooperation with this region about main aspects of the new Programmes and to stimulate reflection, innovative thinking and new developments in the youth field based on what the Programmes aim to achieve and the kinds of opportunities they offer.

Topics covered in the workshops were:

1. The new European Youth Programmes and their Relevance for the Western Balkan Region

2. The new European Youth Programmes: Development of Youth Work

3. The new European Youth Programmes: Inclusion & Diversity

4. The new European Youth Programmes: Solidarity and the Role of Volunteering

5. The new European Youth Programmes: Youth Participation in Democratic Life

All workshops included short presentations introducing information about the Programmes, relevant policies and concepts, youth work in the Western Balkan region and inspiring examples of practice from the region, as well as space for active participation and exchange with other participants.

You can find the recordings of the different presentations on our YouTube channel HERE.