Explore the Objectives & Priorities of Erasmus+ Youth

There are 4 main OBJECTIVES

The European Commission has set four main objectives for Erasmus plus programme in the field of youth. The objectives are linked to the values and issues that are important for all young people living in European Union member countries and beyond. So they are quite broad and of course common but should of course be understood within each local context.


Every project needs to aim to answer to at least one of these objectives.

• Growing and learning through mobility

The projects should provide opportunities for young people to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes in areas such as participation, social skills, solidarity, easing the entry to the labour market, and to participate as citizens in today’s Europe.

• Better youth work through international cooperation

Projects should give the possibility to increase the cooperation between organisations, working with young people. The projects should enable organisations to learn different methods and techniques from each other, find solutions for common problems and exchange good practices.
 

• Young people actively participating in creating policies that affect them

The projects should provide the space for meetings and reflections that will improve policies concerning young people at a local, national and European level. This is done in order to make sure that young people have a say in what concerns their lives and that the learning that happens outside of schools gets the recognition it deserves.

• Lots of opportunities even beyond the EU countries

The projects should enhance and increase international cooperation between EU and neighbouring partner countries. Such cooperation should enable young people, youth workers and their organisations to increase their capacity for higher quality youth work.
 

Priorities of Erasmus+ Youth Program

Beside the objectives, the European Union also sets priorities which are linked to the current situation of young people.

1. Exploring unemployment issues and working towards solutions, especially involving young people facing unemployment and other financial, social, geographical or cultural obstacles.
2. Promoting a healthy lifestyle, fighting addictions and obesity through outdoor activities, sports, cooperation activities and enabling young people to feel more included and better in a group, in their life and in their body.
3. Providing opportunities for young people to get to know, reflect and understand about policy-making in the EU, their place in the EU, the opportunities the EU offers and also the responsibilities that being part of it includes. It wants also to promote alternative forms of participation, not only voting.
4. Working in creative ways with young people on important competences they need in life, like languages, taking initiative, and working with computers… The idea is that young people can learn these competences by doing it in a way that is adapted to their way of learning.
5. To support youth work in entering the digital world, learning how to use a wide variety of tools and programmes in a competent and adapted way. Learning how to use these tools in a good and respectful manner so they can also support the learning of the young people and youth workers.
6. Different countries have various tools that recognise the learning that occurs outside of the school environment. Recognising that this learning is important in the lives of the young people for their employment and their social lives. A priority is given to projects that aim to involve people, public institutions, and non-profit and private organisations, in the promotion of existing tools and for the development of new ones.