The European Year of Youth and SEM support to access EU funding

Article written by Andrea Camilleri, Executive at SEM

The European Year of Youth in 2022 aims to honour, support and engage with young people, in recognition of the sacrifices which youths have had to make during the COVID-19 pandemic. The European Year of Youth 2022 will shine a spotlight on the contribution of European youths for a greener, more inclusive and digital future.

When it comes to EU funding opportunities, the youth sector has always been one of the areas on which the EU has placed particular attention. Servizzi Ewropej f’Malta (SEM) is a government agency which provides support to citizens and organisations to make the most of Malta’s EU membership, including to access EU funding opportunities.

This includes assistance to local organisations and youths to access the two main EU funding programmes for this sector - the Erasmus+ programme and the European Solidarity Corps programme. The Erasmus+ programme is one of the most popular EU funding programmes with local organisations. For the last 35 years Erasmus+ has provided European youths with the opportunity to travel and improve their personal, professional and educational development.

Erasmus+ provides financial support for youth exchanges as well as opportunities for youth workers to improve their competence to work with youths. Youth exchanges enable youths to broaden their horizons and engage with youths from other countries, to learn about different topics outside the classroom.

Such opportunities for travel have been further enhanced through the DiscoverEU funding opportunity. This is a unique call funded through the Erasmus+ programme, which offers 18-year-olds with the opportunity to travel and experience European culture and heritage.

SEM has supported numerous organisations to tap into Erasmus+ funding for youth projects, including support to The Scout Association of Malta to apply for several youth exchanges promoting informal learning on the environment, European cultural diversity and mental health among other topics. SEM can provide support not only to access EU funding but also to implement EU funded projects and is currently assisting the Association in a youth exchange project focusing on mental health for youths, including the issues they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recognising the importance of youth involvement in decision-making, the Erasmus+ programme also supports youth-driven projects which engage young people to learn about decision-making and participate at both local and European levels. Such projects bring together young people and decision-makers to discuss policies, particularly how youth policies should be shaped.

SEM has also assisted the Malta Model United Nations Society “MaltMUN” to benefit from this funding opportunity. MaltMUN is a youth-led voluntary organisation which aims to provide youths with debating skills. In 2021, MaltMUN implemented a youth conference titled, ‘Remedy or Recovery? Unmasking the Silent Pandemics’. This conference gave youths the opportunity to debate and provide their opinion on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact. The conference also incorporated other topics such as gender equality, environmental issues and peace and security.

Youths who wish to engage in volunteering activities and improve their local community are provided with an excellent opportunity to do so, through the European Solidarity Corps programme. This EU funding programme offers young people with the opportunity to engage in volunteering projects either locally or abroad.

SEM is currently assisting Sezzjoni Żgħażagħ Pawlini Munxarin, a youth organisation based in Gozo, to implement the ‘Raise Your Voice’ project, through European Solidarity Corps funding. This project focuses on gathering the perspectives of Munxar residents on local identity and the recording of podcasts based on interviews with them. This project further highlights how the active involvement of youths in the community can bring about positive change, for the benefit of local and European communities.

For information on funding opportunities in the field of youth, the European Year of Youth 2022 or any other matter related to the EU, kindly contact SEM on 2200 3300, info.sem@gov.mt or by visiting www.sem.gov.mt.