Strategic Partnerships are transnational projects designed to develop and share innovative practices and promote cooperation, peer learning, and exchanges of experiences in the fields of education, training, and youth. This is the second call of 2018 for projects regarding the field of youth. European organisations/groups of young people active in youth work can apply for funding under Key Action 2 for activities which are part of a Strategic Partnership for Youth.
This part of Key Action 2 is managed in each country by the National Agencies as part of the Erasmus+.

What activities are possible?

Youth partnership projects can last between six months and three years, and organisations can apply for funding to support a combination of activities.

Activities must contribute to overall project objectives, and create, develop, test and embed innovative approaches in youth work, including:

• strategic collaboration with local or regional authorities.
• new methods, tools or materials to build young people’s key competences, basic skills or language and IT skills;
• new methods, tools or materials to build capacity and professionalise or modernise youth work, including through the use of ICT, virtual mobility or online learning, sharing of best practise, reform of youth work curricula, etc.;
• cross-sector networking and activities; and
• new youth work approaches, including strategies to tackle social exclusion and early school leaving;

Under Key Action 2 Strategic Partnerships for youth, organisations can also apply to undertake transnational youth initiatives which bring together groups of young people from different countries to deliver initiatives fostering entrepreneurship and social commitment. Transnational youth initiatives may address the following:

• establishment of new networks of social enterprises, associations, clubs, NGOs;
• development and delivery of courses and training on entrepreneurship education (in particular entrepreneurship for social benefit and the use of ICT);
• activities that spread information, raise understanding and critical engagement with the media or other activities that encourage engagement with civic life;
• projects that deliver activities for direct community benefit, e.g. for disabled people, elderly, minorities, migrants, etc; and
• artistic and cultural initiatives, e.g. theatre plays, exhibitions, music performances, discussion fora, etc.

There are two different kinds of Strategic Partnership projects that you can apply for: projects supporting exchanges of practices and projects supporting innovation.

Further information is available in the guide for applicants.

iED is implementing several innovative projects for youth in order to assist them gaining the necessary knowledge to excellence in labour market and enhance their skills. Projects like this that we have already implement in the field of youth can be found here.

If you are interested in applying for this call you could contact us and further discuss the available options.

How many partners are needed?

Strategic Partnerships in the youth field must include a minimum of two partners from two different Programme Countries, including the applicant organisation.

The number of partners and funding will vary depending on the project’s aims and activities. Strategic Partnerships can receive a maximum of 450,000 euro in funding for the maximum project duration of 36 months (12,500 euro per month).

Who can apply?

Eligible participating

Participating organisation can be any public or private organisation, established in a Programme Country or in any Partner Country.

For example, such organisation can be: a higher education institution; a school/institute/educational centre; a non-profit organisation, association, NGO; a public or private, a small, medium or large enterprise; a public body at local, regional or national level; a social partner or other representative of working life, including chambers of commerce, industry, craft/professional associations and trade unions; a European Youth NGO etc.

When to apply?

Applicants have to submit their grant application by:

• 26 April at 12:00 (midday) CET 2018 for projects starting between 1 September of the same year and 31 January of the following year.

For Strategic Partnerships in the youth field: National Agencies may open the deadline to both types of Strategic Partnerships (i.e. supporting innovation and supporting exchanges of good practices) or only to one type of projects.

Applicants are invited to check the website of their National Agency for more precise information.

Duration of project

Partnerships in the youth field: between 6 and 36 months.

The duration has to be chosen at application stage, based on the objective of the project and on the type of activities planned over time.

In all cases, projects must end not later than 31 August 2021.

Where to apply?

To the National Agency of the country in which the applicant organisation is established.

Per deadline, the same consortium of partners can submit only one application and to one National Agency only.