EU4Youth programme launches nine projects to enhance youth employment and entrepreneurship in the Eastern Partnership

From 4-6 July, the implementation of nine projects selected by the EU4Youth programme under the grant scheme is being launched in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The grant scheme, initiated by the EU co-funded programme EU4Youth, aims to provide support for young people with career development and employment in six Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.

The grants are awarded to the nine projects with a total budget of €6 million for activities aimed at empowering young people, especially disadvantaged young people. 

The programme offers a wide range of activities, including mentoring and training programmes, apprenticeships, the creation of centres and youth fairs, the development of innovative tools, etc. to help them acquire the necessary skills and take advantage of new opportunities. 

According to the European Training Foundation, ageing populations, high mobility, relatively high employment rates, emerging job creation and high educational attainment characterise the countries of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region. As of 2021, youth unemployment is highest in Georgia and Armenia, reaching 30.76% and 36.09% respectively. In Azerbaijan more than 16.49% of young people aged 15-24 are unemployed, in Belarus – 10.4% and in Moldova – 9.13%. In Ukraine the unemployment rate in 2021 was 19.11%, but this number has increased significantly due to the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine.

According to EU4Youth, the grant projects being launched this summer will help tackle youth unemployment in the region by promoting social entrepreneurship and providing broad support for young people’s career development and employment.

The programme will support the creation of networks and partnerships between youth-focused organisations and the creation of innovative tools that offer flexible learning opportunities for young people, helping them to acquire new skills and knowledge at their own pace. This could be particularly useful for those who may face geographical or financial constraints. 

The projects will also support the necessary infrastructure and resources for young people to start entrepreneurial activities.

Implemented by the Central Project Management Agency (CPMA), the EU4Youth Phase III Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship programme, financed by the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, is being carried out in the EaP countries. The initiative is primarily aimed at providing technical support to governmental and non-governmental organisations involved in youth employment and entrepreneurship issues.