1.4.2009   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78/2

CALL FOR PROPOSALS — EACEA/05/09

‘Youth in Action’ Programme

Action 3.2 — ‘Youth in the world’: Cooperation with countries other than the neighbouring countries of the European Union

2009/C 78/02

1.   OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION

Through Action 3.2 of the ‘Youth in Action’ Programme, the European Commission, via the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, aims to support projects which promote cooperation in the youth sector between Programme Countries and partner countries other than those which are neighbours of the European Union.

The objectives of the call for proposals are:

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to improve the mobility of young people and youth workers;

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to promote youth empowerment and active participation;

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to foster capacity-building for youth organisations and structures in order to contribute to civil society development;

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to promote cooperation and the exchange of experience and good practice in the field of youth and non-formal education;

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to contribute to the development of youth policies, youth work and the voluntary sector;

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to develop sustainable partnerships and networks between youth organisations.

Preference will be given to those projects which best reflect the priorities of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme, namely:

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participation of young people;

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cultural diversity;

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European citizenship;

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inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities;

and as a specific priority for 2009:

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the mobilisation and awareness-raising of young people vis-à-vis global issues such as sustainable development, migrations and climate change.

In addition, the projects must deal with one of the following themes:

1.

Strengthening of civil society (including youth structures), active citizenship and democracy

2.

Fight against racism and xenophobia

3.

Intercultural, inter-ethnic and inter-religious dialogue

4.

Post-conflict resolution, reconstruction and rehabilitation

5.

The active role of women in society

6.

Minority rights

7.

Youth contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (1).

The cooperation is addressed to persons working in the youth sector, youth workers and youth leaders, young people themselves and other actors involved in youth organisations and structures and interested in running projects promoting cooperation in this field.

Geographic scope

Notwithstanding the geographic scope of this call for proposals as defined in Section 5.2 of the Applicants’ Guidelines, taking into account the overall framework of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (2) as well as the outcomes and follow-up of the first Africa-Europe Youth Summit, attention will be devoted to projects aiming at strengthening Euro-African dialogue, exchange and cooperation in the field of youth.

2.   ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Proposals must be submitted by non-profit organisations. These organisations can be:

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non-governmental organisations (NGOs),

or

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public bodies.

The same applies to the partner organisations.

Applicants must – at the time when they submit their proposal – be legally registered for at least two years in one of the Programme Countries. The Programme Countries are as follows:

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the Member States of the European Union (3): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom;

—

those countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which are parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA): Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;

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candidate countries for which a pre-accession strategy has been established, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions laid down in the framework agreements concluded with these countries with a view to their participation in EU programmes: Turkey.

Projects must involve partners from at least four different countries (including the applicant organisation), including at least two Programme Countries, of which at least one is a Member State of the European Union, and two Partner Countries.

3.   ELIGIBLE ACTIONS

Projects must be set up including activities with a non-profit-making purpose and come under the field of youth and non-formal education.

Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

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development of partnerships and networks,

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seminars and conferences,

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training of youth workers and multipliers,

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development of training tools,

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information and awareness campaigns in favour of young people,

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job-shadowings for youth workers,

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feasibility and study visits,

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evaluation meetings,

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youth exchanges.

Projects must start between 1 November 2009 and 31 December 2009. They will have a minimum duration of six months and a maximum duration of 12 months.

4.   AWARD CRITERIA

Eligible applications will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

Qualitative criteria

Qualitative criteria will represent 75 % of the points available within the evaluation procedure (coefficient 3).

—

Relevance of the project in relation to the objectives and priorities of the Programme (25 %)

In this respect the following aspects will be assessed:

(a)

the project meets the general objectives of the Youth in Action Programme;

(b)

the project meets the objectives, priorities (including the geographical focus) and themes of this call for proposals.

—

Quality of the project and of the working methods that it comprises (50 %)

In this respect the following aspects will be assessed:

(a)

the project has a considerable multiplier effect and will have a sustainable impact;

(b)

the quality of the partnership, and in particular the clarity of the tasks, description of the partners’ actual role in the cooperation, as well as the experience and motivation of the partners to set up the project/cooperation;

(c)

the project foresees appropriate measures aimed at ensuring dissemination and exploitation of its results;

(d)

the active involvement of young people in the project;

(e)

the work programme is clear, consistent and of high quality;

(f)

the budget is consistent with the activities planned in the work programme.

Quantitative criteria

Quantitative criteria will represent 25 % of the points available within the evaluation procedure (coefficient 1).

—

Profile and number of participants and of promoters involved in the project (25 %)

(a)

the balance of the partnership, which must be twofold: the projects must both involve a similar number of organisations located in the Programme Countries and in the Partner Countries, and also ensure fair representation of national groups;

(b)

the number of partners involved in the project and the number of countries covered by the partnership;

(c)

the number of young people and youth workers directly involved in the project.

5.   BUDGET

The total budget allocated to the cofinancing of projects under this call for proposals is estimated at EUR 2 600 000.

Financial assistance from the Agency may not be granted for more than 80 % of a project’s total eligible expenses. The maximum grant may not exceed EUR 100 000.

The Agency reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

6.   DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

Applications must be sent no later than 1 June 2009 to the following address:

Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency

‘Youth in Action’ Programme – EACEA/05/09

BOUR, 4/029

Avenue du Bourget, 1

BE-1140 BRUSSELS

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by post, date as per postmark,

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by an express courier company, the date of receipt by the courier company being taken as proof of posting (please include a copy of the receipt).

Only applications that are submitted using the correct form, duly completed and dated, including a balanced budget (revenue/expenditure) and sent as a single copy (the original document), will be accepted. They must be signed by the person authorised to enter into legally binding commitments on behalf of the applicant organisation.

Applications sent by fax or e-mail will not be accepted.

7.   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Detailed Applicants' Guidelines and application forms can be found on the Internet at the following address:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/funding/2009/call_action_3_2_en.php

Grant applications must use the application form specifically designed for this purpose and contain all the annexes and information required.

(1)  More information is available at: http://www.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml

(2)  More information is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/development/geographical/regionscountries/euafrica_en.cfm

(3)  Persons from overseas countries and territories and, if applicable, public or private institutions based there, are eligible under the ‘Youth in Action’ programme, depending upon the rules of the programme and those which apply in the Member State with which they are connected. A list of these overseas countries and territories is given in Annex 1A of Council Decision 2001/822/EC of 27 November 2001 on the association of the overseas countries and territories with the European Community ‘Overseas Association Decision’ (OJ L 314, 30.11.2001).