The British Council is the UK's National Agency for the Youth in Action Programme. The Youth in Action Programme (2007-2013) is funded by the European Commission and provides young people with a variety of opportunities for non-formal and informal learning with a European dimension.

The Youth in Action programme gives young people an opportunity to experience other cultures and countries. These programmes range from group exchanges and youth initiatives to individual voluntary service. The programme also provides funding to help people working in the youth sector develop skills and establish contacts necessary to enhance their work. The Youth in Action programme is supported by funds from the  Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, and the European Commission  (Education and Culture).

The objectives of the programme are, the promotion and development of young people’s active citizenship; solidarity and social cohesion; as well as the development and promotion of quality support systems and European-wide cooperation.

Specific programme priorities are:

European Citizenship

Participation of young people

Intercultural dialogue

Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities.

In addition to the above mentioned permenant priorties of the Youth in Action programme, each year the European Commission fix annual priorties.

For 2010 the priorties are:

• European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion
  
  This priority is intended to encourage projects aimed at raising young people's awareness of everyone's responsibility in tackling poverty and marginalisation as well as at promoting the inclusion of groups with fewer opportunities. This concerns in particular projects aimed at stimulating young people's reflection on the prevention, ways out, and consequences of poverty, projects tackling the issue of marginalisation and various forms of discrimination, such as those based on gender, disability, or ethnic, religious, linguistic, or migrant grounds. In this context particular attention will be paid to projects promoting the active involvement of:
  
  - disabled young people, encouraging exchange between young people with and without disabilities as well as projects focussing on the issue of disability in our society
  
  - young people from migrant backgrounds or ethnic, religious, or linguistic minorities. In this context projects involving Roma young people shall be encouraged wherever relevant
  
  
• Youth unemployment and promotion of young unemployed people's active participation in society
  
  This priority is intended to encourage projects tackling the issue of youth unemployment and is aimed at stimulating young unemployed people's active participation in society.
  
  
• Awareness-raising and mobilisation of young people around global challenges (such as sustainable development, climate change, migration, the Millenium Development Goals)
  
  This priority is intended to encourage projects aimed at raising young people's consciousness of their role as active citizens in a globalised world as well as at fostering their sense of global solidarity and commitment vis-a-vis current issues.

The programme is divided into 5 Actions:

• Action 1 – Youth for Europe

• Action 2 – European Voluntary Service

• Action 3 – Youth in the World

• Action 4 – Youth Support Systems

• Action 5 – Support for European Cooperation