Calling all young people and youth workers: there is one final call for the youth sector for the final year of this programming period of ERASMUS+, closing on October 1, 2020. Want to know more? Read on.
Erasmus+ is the European Union’s programme for education, training, youth and sport. Each year, young people, youth workers and youth organisations can access Erasmus+ funding to participate in international opportunities.
Since its inception, the programme has touched and changed numerous people’s lives. Through non-formal learning methods, young people and youth workers alike have had, and still have, the possibility of discovering new skills and cultures, as well as the opportunity to collaborate on developing innovative outputs and sharing of good practices.
Kylie Fenech, 20, grew up with the Youth in Action (former Erasmus+ programme) and the Erasmus+ Programme in her life, and she sees non-formal learning as ingrained in her. Her first memory of a youth exchange is from when she was just four years old, and she remembers ‘helping out’ her mother, a youth worker, on a youth exchange being hosted here in Malta.
At the age of 15, she participated in her first youth exchange in Cyprus, an experience which ignited in her a deeper passion for non-formal learning. At first hand, she experienced directly the impact of participating in such programmes. She claims that a certain connection, different to an ordinary friendship, is formed when you spend a week living and sharing experiences with the same people, and that a sense of common understanding is created.
Kylie will keep on exploring the opportunities made available though Erasmus+, as well as to encourage other young people to join her. She also hopes to experience volunteering through the European Solidarity Corps, another European initiative, and to carry out this experience abroad once she graduates from university.
Mary Rose Formosa, 54, a mother of four who works as a Learning Support Educator, has had a completely different experience with Erasmus+. Up to a few years ago, she had no idea that Erasmus+ for young people and youth workers existed. She discovered Erasmus+ through word of mouth back in 2013, when the programme was known as Youth In Action. One of her children was one of the 11 founder members of an informal group, Dyslexic Teens Dialogue, and as a way of supporting them, she started doing admin work and seeking funding opportunities.
In 2014, Dyslexic Teens Dialogue was awarded its first project, a youth exchange, and in the case of Mary Rose, a new door of unexpected opportunities was opened.
In 2015, at the age of 50, she was bold enough to enrol in a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Youth and Community Studies at University of Malta, whilst continuing to work full time – a move she never foresaw in her wildest dreams. She is currently working on her thesis and, this year, she will be graduating as a qualified youth worker … but that’s not all that’s in store for her in 2020.
In 2018, Dyslexic Teens Dialogue was awarded another youth exchange and, following this project and through her personal experiences, Mary Rose, together with the young people, was inspired to create a new Erasmus+ project, a Transnational Youth Initiative. This project was in the pipeline for almost two years and, in October 2019, Dyslexic Teens Dialogue submitted the project proposal and was successfully awarded the 21-month project.
For Mary Rose, Erasmus+ is a ‘treasure trove of opportunities’ and she encourages other informal groups to embark and explore such funding programmes including training for youth workers abroad through Erasmus+. She has so far attended five Transnational Cooperation Activities, training activities and conferences organised by National Agencies abroad, which have helped her to network with youth workers and professionals, and to keep on improving in her work.
In this current Erasmus+ programming period (2014-2020), approximately 260 Projects were realised under the youth sector, taking into consideration the remaining call for 2020. A project which stood out in this programming period is ‘The KEY’ (Keep Educating Yourself).
Through ‘The Key’ (Keep Educating Yourself), ŻAK partnered with the Youth.inc Programme, managed by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ and two international partners. Its purpose was to reach out and share experiences in mobility projects with vulnerable young people, especially early school leavers. The project focused on enhancing the importance of non-formal education and tackled subjects such as youth unemployment, early school leavers, creativity and entrepreneurship through three youth exchanges.
One of ‘The Key’ participants, Tyrone Vassallo, a 16-year-old member of ŻAK Birkirkara, affirms that he does not regret the opportunity he was given as this enabled him to form new friendships, discover different cultures and, more importantly, have tonnes of fun.
For Kimberly Mifsud, a 17-year-old member from ŻAK Birżebbuġa, the project provided her with a lot of opportunities which she will cherish for the rest of her life. It allowed her to express herself in different ways. Kimberly claims that, after this exchange, she feels that she has learnt a lot and that it was an opportunity to share her thoughts and opinions with others.
The current Erasmus+ programming period (2014-2020) will come to an end this year. Over the past seven years, hundreds of Maltese youth organisations have participated as coordinators and partners, leading to approximately 13,780 mobilities involving Maltese young people, predominantly under youth exchanges, to take place.
If you are interested in participating in a youth exchange or to realise your idea into a project, please contact the European Union Programmes Agency on eupa@gov.mt or 2558 6130.
Trends within the Youth Sector for the current Erasmus+ programming period (statistics for the 2014-2019 as 2020 still ongoing)
€10 million+ funds distributed to organisations within the youth sector
749 applications submitted
294 awarded applications (projects)
39% success rate following rigorous assessment
13,780 total number of mobilities within the youth sector
3: number of calls per year
1: call remaining for 2020
October 1, 2020: date of upcoming call
