PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES

			Promotion and development of young people's active citizenship
			Solidarity and social cohesion
			Development and promotion of quality support systems and Europe-wide co-operation

SPECIFIC PROGRAMME PRIORITIES

			European Citizenship
			Participation of young people
			Cultural diversity
			Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities

NEW PRIORITIES FOR 2012

Annual priorities

For 2012 the European Commission has defined the following set of annual priorities for applications for funding under Youth in Action:

			projects aimed at promoting young people's commitment towards a more inclusive growth, and notably projects tackling the issue of youth unemployment as well as projects aimed at stimulating unemployed young people's mobility and active participation in society. A strong priority will be placed throughout the Actions of the Programme on ensuring access for unemployed young people to all the opportunities that it offers;
			projects addressing the issue of poverty and marginalisation and encouraging young people's awareness and commitment to tackling these issues for a more inclusive society. In this context, special emphasis shall be placed in particular on the inclusion of young migrants, disabled young people, and where relevant Roma youth;
			projects stimulating young people's spirit of initiative, creativity and entrepreneurship, and employability, in particular through youth initiatives;
			projects promoting healthy behaviours, in particular through the promotion of the practice of sport and outdoor activities, as a means to promote healthy lifestyles as well as to foster social inclusion and the active participation of young people in society;
			projects aimed at raising young people's awareness and mobilisation in tackling global environmental challenges and climate change, thus encouraging the development of 'green' skills and behaviours among young people and youth workers and their commitment to a more sustainable growth.

Of these, we will give specific priority to projects focusing on youth unemployment and entrepreneurship, as well as to projects focusing on sport. Such projects will attract additional points in the assessment process.

For 2012 it is possible to gain points by demonstrating relevance to a UK national priority (relevance to UK youth public policy):

No specific UK national priorities have been set for 2012. It is possible for applicants to gain extra points by evidencing a clear link between their project idea and a relevant UK youth-related public policy or strategy, whether at national, regional or local level. This might be a UK government policy (e.g. a link to the Big Society Agenda), a policy area specific to one of the UK nations, or a local government initiative.

In order to be awarded the extra points available for a project's relevance to UK youth public policy, the application should clearly include verifiable evidence of each policy area you reference, e.g. the relevant Northern Irish, Welsh, Scottish or English government agency web address and/or a link to the relevant policy document. Each specific national policy area should then be reflected in the nature and design of the project.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

The following features of the Youth in Action Programme are important.

			Non-formal learning
			Youthpass
			Visibility of the Youth in Action Programme
			Dissemination and exploitation of results
			Anti-discrimination
			Equality between men and women
			Protection and safety of participants
			Multilingualism