OeAD congratulates the eight award-winning Austrian EU youth projects

In the category “European Initiatives” eight projects were honoured with the Austrian Youth Award 2022 on Thursday, 1 December 2022. Three youth projects funded by Erasmus+ and two projects funded by the European Solidarity Corps received the coveted award. Young people’s commitment in the European Year of Youth that took place this year was also commended and three “Your EU Year of Youth” initiatives were awarded prizes.

“As the national agency responsible for the EU funding programmes Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps I am particularly pleased that this international commitment of the youth sector in Austria is recognised and honoured. It is a nice confirmation of the impact and special nature of these transnational initiatives in youth work,” congratulates the OeAD’s managing director Jakob Calice.

Award for youth encounters and youth participation

With “Girls surfing on radio waves”, “Transversal Skills – Defeating NEET Unemployment!” and “Empowerment beyond borders” projects were honoured that promoted direct exchange of young people from different countries. At the same time these projects made an important contribution to strengthening the self-confidence of the young people involved: Young girls and women were familiarised with the art of radio making and gave their own voices and concerns a voice. Young people who have difficulties in integrating into the labour market were encouraged and acquired important new skills. Young people with a refugee background were able to connect with others who are in the same situation and to communicate their concerns directly to political leaders. “Erasmus+ promotes participation and exchange of young people and offers youth workers a chance for networking across Europe,” says Jakob Calice, pointing out the funding possibilities offered by the EU programmes.

Applause for initiatives in the European Year of Youth

In cooperation with the Federal Chancellery the OeAD launched the initiative “Your EU Year of Youth” on the occasion of the European Year of Youth. This has made it possible to provide additional funding from the EU programme Erasmus+ for European Year of Youth activities. “We are pleased that this initiative has made it possible to support the concerns and issues of young people in Austria,” emphasises Jakob Calice. As an example of the many successfully implemented “Your EU Year of Youth” projects three activities were brought before the curtain at the Austrian Youth Award: The Mobile Youth Work Telfs’ participation project “So sehe ich Telfs” (“This is how I see Telfs”), the school social work organisation Sera Soziale Dienste gGmbH’s project “Begegnung der Generationen” (“Meeting of the Generations”) and the youth and cultural centre SPEKTRUM’s “Culinary journey through Europe” were honoured.

Focus on young people’s initiatives

Youth projects of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) were also awarded the Austrian Youth Award 2022: With their solidarity project “SDG Ambassadors” a group of young adults convinced the jury this year. They took the United Nations’ Social Development Goals to heart and wanted to make more people aware of these important Sustainable Development Goals. They organised workshops and information events and trained SDG ambassadors. The Tyrolean ESC volunteer project “Volunteering for Solidarity in Tyrol” also received the Austrian Youth Award. In this project seven young volunteers from different countries worked in various social institutions in Tyrol and thus provided valuable exchange and support.