Online Challenge - Develop your quality KA2 small-scale partnership project focused on youth participation

Are you part of a youth work, civil society organisation, local government or another organisation committed to bringing strategic changes to how youth participation is understood or developed - in your organisation or community?

Are you interested in applying for Erasmus+ KA2 Small-Scale Partnership Project in 2027 focused on youth participation? 

Then the Online Challenge is for you! Apply by 26 November 2026, together with your team and your partner(s)!

This edition of the Online Challenge aims to support those interested in submitting their E+ KA2 projects by the March 2027 deadline through tailored learning and mentorship opportunities.

During the Online Challenge, you can:

• develop the idea and write a real KA2 small-scale partnership project focused on youth participation
• bring your partner (already identified) or find relevant international partner(s) for the project and develop the project application together with them
• learn about youth participation and how it translates into competence building and strategic approaches for your organisation/community
• learn about quality elements of an Erasmus+ project
• get tailored and quality support from mentors (experienced in developing/assessing E+ KA2) who will help you to transfer your project idea into the application form
• take part in e-learning modules and weekly tasks connected to youth participation and project writing
• get a YouthPass (if you are part of at least 80% of all activities in the challenge).

Selection criteria

• potential beneficiaries who have little or no experience in Erasmus+ KA2 projects 
• representatives of youth work or youth NGOs/umbrella organisations
• representatives of NGOs working on democracy and civic education topics
• representatives of local government/municipalities, including local youth councils
• representatives of educational institutions/organisations (depends on the country where you plan to submit your project)
• all interested persons – no age limit
• all interested persons capable of communicating effectively in English

Participation requirements

Selected participants should be available to join ALL the following online meetings:

• 14 December 2026, 10:00-16:00 CET - first online learning session
• 14 January 2027, 10:00 - 16:00 CET - second online learning session
• 27 January 2027, 13:00-15:00 CET - Project Pitch meeting online
• March 2027 (date and hours to be confirmed) - closing meeting and evaluation

Other activities part of the Challenge

• December 2026-January 2027
  • work with your partners (identified before the Online Challenge) or find new partners with whom you can develop your project idea;
  • shape your project idea with a strong understanding of what youth participation is and how KA2 projects can be used to support it;
  • prepare a project pitch ready to be presented on 27 January 2027.
• February-March 2027
  • you can get into this phase only if you have a relevant project idea, fitting in KA2 small-scale partnership projects, with a clear focus on youth participation;
  • work with a mentor to develop your project idea (each mentor has allocated up to 8 hours/project to offer tailored feedback);
  • complete weekly assignments designed to help you write the project application.

Examples of types of partnerships supported through the Online Challenge and KA2 small-scale partnerships:

• Youth work associations aiming at building the capacity of their staff on supporting meaningful youth participation and exploring alternative forms of participation
• Youth-led NGOs upskilling their long-term activists in order to reach more young people with fewer opportunities, giving a voice to underrepresented youth
• Municipalities learning from each other on how to set up effective youth participation mechanisms in decision-making processes at local level
• Civil society organisations cooperating with youth centres and schools in order to improve civic education and youth participation cross-sectorally 
• Umbrella organisations in the youth field developing common materials / games / resources that would mainstream youth participation at any level
• Advocacy organisations for certain groups of young people with fewer opportunities working together to gain competencies in advocacy and preparing recommendations for strategic influence on youth policy

What is a KA2 small-scale partnership?

• a transnational project with a minimum of 2 organisations from 2 different Programme Countries
• lasts between 6 and 24 months, with a fixed lump sum of either €30,000 or €60,000 
• a simplified application form, designed as an entry point for newcomers and small organisations
• submitted by one partner to its own National Agency, by the March 2027 deadline
• responds to the following main objectives
  • increasing quality in the work and practices of the organisations and institutions involved, 
  • building capacity of organisations to work transnationally and across sectors;
  • addressing common needs and priorities mainly in the field of youth;
  • enabling transformation and change (at individual, organisational or sectoral level)

The main platform for online sessions will be ZOOM (Central European Time); additional online platforms will be used to facilitate the learning. Access to a personal computer and the Internet is required for all online meetings and activities.

The Online Challenge is part of the strategic partnership New Power in Youth (NPiY SNAC), between several Erasmus+ National Agencies in the field of youth and SALTO Resource Centres. Other NAs are welcome to support participants in this activity, even if they are not part of the NPiY SNAC.

Discover more about New Power in Youth via

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-power-in-youth/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newpowerinyouth