Erasmus+ is the EU Programme for lifelong learning. It supports activities in education, training, youth and sport across all sectors including Higher Education, Further Education, adult education, schools and youth activities. The aim is to boost skills and employability as well as to modernise education, training and youth work across Europe.
Fund Information
Funding body: European Commission
Maximum value: Discretionary
Application deadline: 01/10/2020
Background
Erasmus+ is the European Programme for education, training, youth and sport for the period 2014-2020. It was proposed by the European Commission, as Erasmus for All, on 23 November 2011.
Erasmus+ brings together all the previous EU and international schemes for education, training, youth and sport, replacing the seven previous programmes including the Lifelong Learning Programme and Youth in Action.
Education and training are at the core of the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, and of the Integrated guidelines for the economic and employment policies of the Member States.
Objectives of Fund
The youth strand of Erasmus+ is the successor programme to the Youth in Action programme. It is aimed at youth organisations and youth services and is specifically designed to meet their needs.
Youth activities under Erasmus+ aim to improve the key competences, skills and employability of young people, promote young people’s social inclusion and well-being, and foster improvements in youth work and youth policy at local, national and international level.
Value Notes
Erasmus+ has an overall budget of €14.77 billion, which includes €1.8 billion for international cooperation.
The level of grants awarded as well as the duration of projects varies depending on factors such as the type of project and the number of partners involved. Available funding includes the following:
The maximum grant for a Capacity Building project is €150,000.
The maximum grant for Large-scale European Voluntary Service events is €200,000.
Strategic Partnerships can receive up to a total of €450,000 for projects with duration of 36 months.
Who Can Apply
A wide range of youth organisations and groups working with young people are eligible to apply, including:
Public bodies.
NGOs (CIC, CIO, registered charities, limited company – no share capital).
Unincorporated youth groups.
Private limited companies (some restrictions apply).
Informal groups of young people (one member of the group must be aged 18-30).
Additional requirements and restrictions may apply depending on the type of project.
Full eligibility requirements are given in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.
Location
EU Member States, the EFTA/EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, EU candidate countries: Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the Swiss Confederation. Note: Switzerland will not now participate in Erasmus+ as a Programme Country as initially envisaged, but will instead take part as a Partner Country.
Restrictions
Individuals are not eligible to apply. All applications must be made through an organisation.
Statutory meetings between organisations or politically influenced events are not eligible for grants under the Structured Dialogue Action.
Eligible Expenditure
Mobility projects for Young People and Youth Workers
Key points:
Key Action 1 activity managed by the British Council as part of the UK National Agency.
- Each project can last between three and 24 months.
Support is available for:
- Mobility of Young PeopleYouth exchanges for people aged 13 -30 lasting 5 to 21 days, excluding travel time.
- European Voluntary Service (EVS) for people aged 17-30 lasting 2 to 12 months.
- Mobility of Youth WorkersTraining and networking for youth workers of any age.
- Youth Worker mobility activities can last from 2 days to 2 months, excluding travel time.
- Strategic Partnerships in the field of Youth
Key points:
Key Action 2 activity managed by Ecorys as part of the UK National Agency.
- Strategic Partnerships can last between 6 months and 2 years.
- Must include a minimum of two partners from two different Programme Countries, including the applicant organisation.
Support is available for:
- Projects focusing on activities designed to improve youth provision across the participating countries. Activities could include:
- Developing, testing and implementing innovative youth work practices.
- Recognition of skills and competences.
- Transnational youth initiatives – cooperation activities jointly carried out by groups of young people.
- Training, teaching and learning activities such as blended mobility of young people, joint staff training events, mobility of youth workers and teaching and training assignments.
- Structured Dialogue: Meetings between young people and decision-makers in the field of Youth
Key points:
Key Action 3 activity managed by Ecorys as part of the UK National Agency.
- Projects can last from 3 to 24 months and must promote the active participation of young people aged 13 and 30.
Support is available for:
- Projects promoting the active participation of young people, allowing them to make their voice heard on how youth policies should be shaped and implemented in Europe. Activities could include:
- National meetings and transnational seminars that include the active participation of young people in debate and dialogue.
- National meetings and transnational seminars that prepare the ground for official Youth Conferences run by the Member State holding the Presidency of the European Union.
- Youth policy debate events organised during European Youth Week.
- Any other meetings, events, seminars or debates between young people and decision-makers.
- Large-Scale European Voluntary Service events
How To Apply
The actions of the Erasmus+ Programme are divided into ‘decentralised actions’, managed by the British Council and Ecorys (as the UK National Agency) and ‘centralised actions’ which are managed at a European level by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) located in Brussels.
Applications for all actions are made via an online application process in response to Calls for Proposals. Details of open Calls are given in the Calls for Proposals section of this report.
To apply, organisations must first register on the on the European Commission Authentication Service (ECAS). A useful video guide on how to register on ECAS is available on the UK Erasmus+ website
Once registered, log in to the Funding and Tenders Portal with the ECAS account details and register on the Unique Registration Facility (URF) to obtain a unique Participant Identification Code (PIC).
Further information and advice is given in the Call guidance, available on the UK National Agency and EACEA websites.