Novas propostas de colaboração

De Itália, através dos nossos contactos do YES Project, recebemos a seguinte comunicação:

The paragraphs that follow present a selection of the current opportunities under the Youth in Action Programme which the YES Network partners could take advantage of. Please read the actions below with the following reflections in mind:

Reflections on a possible project under this action for the YES Network:

- Who could be the promoter (and hence the lead partner) of a project under this action?
- What theme could the project network select?
- Ideas for activities? Considering that the website and newsletter will be soon up and running, which activities could be developed using the tools already available?
- Would ALL YES partners participate in a youth exchange project?



Action 1.1 – Youth Exchanges

An extract of the important things to bear in mind for a youth exchange project:

What a Youth Exchange is
A Youth Exchange allows one or more groups of young people to host or to be hosted by a group from another country in order to participate together in a joint programme of activities. Youth Exchanges are aimed for groups of young people aged between 13 and 25.
These activities, based on a transnational partnership, involve the active participation of young people and are designed to allow them to discover and become aware of different social and cultural realities, to learn from each other and to reinforce their feeling of being European citizens.

Partners
Each Youth Exchange has one host partner group and one (bilateral exchange) or more (trilateral or multilateral exchange) sending partner groups. Any exchange must involve at least two different Programme Countries of which, at least one is an EU Member State.

Each partner group has a representative. The representatives of the host and sending groups will be jointly responsible for carrying out and monitoring the project properly and for ensuring the active involvement of all participants.
A partner must be:
• a non-profit organisation or association legally established in one of the Programme Countries or a local, regional or national public body involved in youth work
or
• an informal group of young people.

Duration
The duration of a Youth Exchange project, including preparation, implementation, evaluation and follow-up activity may last up to 15 months.
The duration of the exchange activity must be between 6 and 21 days (travel days included).

Place
The exchange activity usually takes place in the country of the host partner group.
A Youth Exchange can be itinerant, implying the movement of all young people involved through two or more Programme Countries during the exchange activity.

Theme
The Youth Exchange must have a thematic concept, which the partner groups wish to explore together because of its relevance to their everyday experience. The chosen theme should be translated into the concrete daily activities of the exchange activity.
Examples of themes are participation of young people in society, racism, xenophobia, local heritage, environment or drug abuse, etc. The Youth Exchange must have a clear European dimension.

Funding – what is paid for by the EU

Sending group
• 70% of actual travel costs (young people and group leaders);
• contribution to an advance planning visit (100% of travel costs + flat rate);
• fixed amount for the preparation of activities per country (including insurances);
• actual exceptional costs covering visa, visa-related costs, vaccination costs or relating to young people with fewer opportunities/special needs or to the special nature of activities (up to 100%)
• actual costs for the implementation of follow-up activities (up to 10% of the overall Community grant).

Host group
• fixed amount per project to cover general activity costs;
• flat rate per participant (young people and group leaders) per day;
• fixed amount for the preparation of activities per country;
• fixed amount for the implementation and evaluation of activities (including insurance);
• actual exceptional costs relating to young people with fewer opportunities/special needs or to the special nature of activities (up to 100%)
• actual costs for the implementation of follow-up activities (up to 10% of the overall Community grant).

Exceptional costs
Exceptional costs cover visa and visa-related costs as well as vaccination costs.
All other exceptional costs are related to young people with fewer opportunities and/or with special needs.

Please note that more info concerning funding and eligibility is found in the Programme GUIDE.

DEADLINES
The next deadline is June 1, 2007


Action 1.3 - Youth Democracy Projects



What is a Youth Democracy Project?
Youth Democracy Projects aim to increase the active participation of young people in the life of their local, regional or national community or at international level by supporting their participation in the mechanisms of representative democracy.
A Youth Democracy Project is a project developed by a European partnership, allowing the pooling, at European level, of ideas, experiences and methodologies from projects or activities at local, regional, national or international level, in order to improve young people’s participation. Projects funded under this Action allow the creation of new networks and the exchange and dissemination of good practice in the field of youth participation.
The concept of active citizenship for young people implies full and complete participation in society, commitment and the ability to practise that citizenship.
Therefore, the idea of a Youth Democracy Project is to recognise and support the various forms in which young people participate in their own environment, to enhance their relations with the mechanisms of representative democracy and to help them to take advantage of the available opportunities for participation. This can be achieved by projects encouraging a greater participation of young people in the mechanisms of representative democracy.

Partner groups
Projects must have a national and a transnational networking dimension. This means that:
• projects must be based on partnerships from at least two different countries in order to fulfill the criteria of transnational networking;
• in each country at least two different partners must be involved in order to fulfill the criteria of national networking.

Participants
Young people must be aged between 13 and 30 and legally resident in a Programme Country. Any Youth Democracy Project must have a minimum of 16 participants.

Duration
The duration of the project, including preparation, implementation, evaluation and follow-up must be between 6 and 18 months.

Theme
The Youth Democracy Project must have a thematic concept, i.e. clearly focusing on the general priorities of the Youth in Action Programme, active participation of young people, cultural diversity, European citizenship or social inclusion or on the following topics:
• the future of Europe or
• the political priorities identified in the framework of European cooperation in the youth field.

How to apply?
Applications to be sent to the National Agencies:
The coordinating partner group applies, on behalf of all the partners, to its National Agency.

How is the activity financed?
The Community grant is based on the principle of co-financing. It complements the applicant's own financial contribution and/or national, regional or local assistance that has been obtained elsewhere.
The Community grant may cover, with a maximum amount of 25 000 €, up to 60% of the eligible costs incurred, for the implementation of the project, in the following categories:
• travel, accommodation and subsistence costs related to the carrying out of the activity;
• costs linked to the organisation of conferences;
• publication and dissemination costs;
• other direct costs linked to the implementation of the project;
• indirect costs up to a maximum of 7% of the direct costs.

DEADLINES
The next deadline is June 1, 2007

Action 5.1 – Meetings of young people and those responsible for youth policy

What are the aims and main characteristics of this sub-Action?
The aim of this sub-Action is to promote European cooperation in the youth field by encouraging structured dialogue between policymakers and young people.
This sub-Action supports cooperation, seminars and structured dialogue between young people, those active in youth work and youth organisations and those responsible for youth policy. This includes the youth events organised by the member states holding the Presidency of the European Union and youth events at local, regional, and national level preparing these Presidency events.

Participants
Transnational Youth Seminars must have a minimum of 60 participants. Young people participating in a Youth Seminar must be aged between 15 and 30.

Partners
Transnational Youth Seminars must involve partners from at least five Programme Countries.

Duration
The duration of the project including preparation, implementation, evaluation and follow-up activity may last up to 9 months.
The duration of the Transnational Youth Seminar must be between 3 and 6 days (excluding travel days).

N.B.
Priority will be given to projects reflecting the general priorities of the programme, i.e. participation of young people, cultural diversity, European citizenship and social inclusion and to the priorities of the structured dialogue.
Other priority themes of this sub-Action are the future of Europe and the political priorities identified in the framework of European cooperation in the youth field.
In addition, annual priorities may be fixed for the Youth in Action Programme. These annual priorities of the Programme and of the structured dialogue are set out in the annex of the Programme Guide.

Who can apply?
Any non-profit organisation or association established in one of the Programme Countries can submit projects under this sub-Action.

DEADLINES
The next deadline is June 1, 2007