IP/10/556

Brussels, 12 May 2010

Survey: EU Youth in Action programme boosts language skills and job opportunities

Ninety five per cent of young people taking part in projects supported by the European Union's Youth in Action programme improved their language skills and 66% believe that the experience also increased their chances of finding a job, according to a recent survey conducted by the European Commission. 60% voted in the 2009 European Parliament elections, compared to an average of 29% among young Europeans.

These are the main results of a survey among 4 550 young people, youth workers and youth organisations performed at the beginning of 2010. The survey shows that the EU's funding of youth projects has a positive impact on participants. The survey was carried out in all Member States and focused on participants in transnational projects. It will now become a regular exercise in the context of the Commission's evaluation of the impact of the Youth in Action programme.

Main results of the survey

Among the young participants:

• 95% consider that they learned to communicate better with people who speak another language;

• 86% consider that they learned better how to achieve something in the interest of their community or society;

• 77% learned better how to identify opportunities for their personal or professional future;

• 92% say that the projects made them more receptive to multiculturalism in Europe;

• 66% believe that their job chances have increased thanks to the project experience.

Among the youth workers:

• 95% of the respondents consider that they will now give more attention to including an international dimension in their work;

• 88% consider that they gained skills and knowledge which they would not be able to gain through projects organised at national level.

Among the youth organisations:

• 92% consider as ´very true´ or ´somewhat true´ that participating in a project supported by Youth in Action increased their project management skills;

• 94% consider as ´very true´ or ´somewhat true´ that it increased their appreciation of cultural diversity.

Asked if they had been participating in a new international or European initiative since the end of their project or are planning to do so in the future, 83% of the young participants, 96% of the youth workers and 97% of the youth organisations responded positively.

Main findings of the survey in detail

Responses by young participants on the impact on certain attitudes

Participation in the 2009 elections for the European Parliament

The results of this survey confirm, from the point of view of the beneficiaries themselves, the effectiveness of the Youth in Action Programme, as regards its two main objectives: offering young people opportunities to acquire new skills through non-formal learning and encouraging them to participate actively in society. With a yearly total budget of about EUR 140 million, Youth in Action (2007-13) supports each year more than 7 000 projects involving more than 130 000 participants. Particular attention is paid to disadvantaged young people. The programme supports a large variety of activities including youth exchanges, transnational voluntary service as well as training and networking for youth workers.

To find out more:

Full report of the survey and information on the Youth in Action Programme:

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm

¹ :

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/eurobarometre/post_electoral/EB71.3-FocusonAge-EN.pdf