Youth organisations’ EU-funded projects given over €336,000

Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Clyde Puli recently presented 23 youth organisations with funding grant agreements under the EU-funded Youth in Action programme managed by the European Union Programmes Agency (EUPA). The total value of these agreements amounts to €336,581.

Among the organisations benefitting were the Mosta Youth Empowerment Centre, the Swatar Youth Group, Din l-Art Ħelwa, the Malta Medical Students’ Association, the Society of Contemporary Arts, the Ħal Tarxien Youth Centre, Inspire, Ċentru Tbexbix, Nature Trust (Malta) and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ. The projects run by these entities were selected after a call for applications.

The EU Youth in Action programme enables young people aged between 13 and 30 to go on exchanges where they communicate with people of different generations from different countries and cultures. It aims to promote mobility, non-formal learning, intercultural dialogue, encourages inclusion of all young people and provides support to youth work.

The types of projects that may be funded include youth ex­changes, youth initiatives, democracy projects, European voluntary services, cooperation with other EU countries, training and networking for youth workers and organisations as well as meetings with policy makers.

The next deadline for Youth in Action applications is October 1.

Over the past five years youth groups have received over €3 million in EU funds to implement 218 projects.

These projects enabled hundreds of young people to acquire and develop new skills useful for their personal, social and professional lives, including planning, budgeting, public relations, leadership, and how to become a member of a group.

Mr Puli said these educational programmes provide non-formal education that complement the govern­ment’s investment in the formal education sector.

He encouraged more groups and youths to get involved in projects and seek help from Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, EUPA and Meusac to apply for funds.

During the presentation, a series of information booklets were also launched. These booklets provide clear, simple guidelines and criteria related to the Youth in Action programme to encourage more youths and organisations to apply and make use of these funds.

EUPA national coordinator Robert Debono stated that in the coming months the agency will be reaching out to young people, youth organisations and youth workers to inform them about the programme.

Apart from printed material it will also use radio, television, the internet and other means to get its message across.

For further information visit www.facebook.com/yiamalta; www.yia.eupa.org.mt.