Erasmus+ is the EU Programme in the fields of education, training, youth and sport for the period 2014-2020. Education,training, youth and sport can make a major contribution to help tackle socio-economic changes, the key challenges that Europe will be facing until the end of the decade and to support the implementation of the European policy agenda for growth, jobs, equity and social inclusion.
Fighting rising levels of unemployment – particularly among young people – has become one of the most urgent tasks for European governments. Too many young people leave school prematurely running a high risk of being unemployed and socially marginalised. The same risk threatens many adults with low skills. Technologies are changing the way in which society operates, and there is a need to ensure the best use is made of them. EU businesses need to become more competitive through talent and innovation.
Europe needs more cohesive and inclusive societies which allow citizens to play an active role in democratic life. Education and youth work are key to prevent violent radicalisation by promoting common European values, fostering social integration, enhancing intercultural understanding and a sense of belonging to a community. Erasmus+ is an important instrument to promote the inclusion of people with disadvantaged backgrounds, especially newly arrived migrants, in response to critical events affecting European countries.
Another challenge relates to the development of social capital among young people, the empowerment of young people and their ability to participate actively in society, in line with the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty to “encourage the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe”. This issue can also be targeted through non-formal learning activities, which aim at enhancing the skills and competences of young people as well as their active citizenship. Moreover, there is a need to provide youth organisations and youth workers with training and cooperation opportunities, to develop their professionalism and the European dimension of youth work.
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
• The Erasmus+ Programme shall contribute to the achievement of:
 the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy, including the headline education target2;
 the objectives of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020), including the corresponding benchmarks;
 the sustainable development of Partner Countries in the field of higher education;
 the overall objectives of the renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018);
 the objective of developing the European dimension in sport, in particular grassroots sport, in line with the EU
work plan for sport;
 the promotion of European values in accordance with Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union.
KEY ACTION 1 – MOBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS
This Key Action supports:
 Mobility of learners and staff: opportunities for students, trainees, young people and volunteers, as well as for professors, teachers, trainers, youth workers, staff of education institutions and civil society organisations to undertake a learning and/or professional experience in another country;
 Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees: high-level integrated international study programmes delivered by consortia of higher education institutions that award full degree scholarships to the best master students worldwide;
 Erasmus+ Master Loans: higher education students from Programme Countries can apply for a loan backed up by the Programme to go abroad for a full Master Degree. Students should address themselves to national banks or student loan agencies participating in the scheme.
YOUTH
Non-formal and informal learning opportunities in the youth field.
WHICH ACTIONS ARE SUPPORTED?
The following sections “Key Action 1″, Key Action 2” and “Key Action 3” present concrete Actions that are designed to achieve the Programme objectives in the field of youth. Among these Actions, the ones mainly – but not exclusively ­connected with the field of youth (non-formal and informal learning) are:
 Mobility projects for young people (Youth Exchanges and European Voluntary Service) and youth workers;
 Large-scale European Voluntary Service events;
 Strategic Partnerships;
 Capacity Building in the field of youth;
 Meetings between young people and decision-makers in the field of youth.
The Key Action 3 section also provides information about Erasmus+ Actions in support of youth policies, involving policy analysis and peer learning, prospective initiatives, tools and networks, cooperation with international organisations, dialogue with stakeholder organisations, which will be promoted under Erasmus+ in support of youth systems. These Actions are implemented through specific calls for proposals managed by the European Commission’s Executive Agency or directly by the European Commission. For more information, visit the websites of the Commission and of the Executive Agency.
WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF THESE ACTIONS?
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
The specific objectives pursued by the Erasmus+ Programme in the field of youth are to:
 improve the level of key competences and skills of young people, including those with fewer opportunities, as well
as to promote participation in democratic life in Europe and the labour market, active citizenship, intercultural dialogue, social inclusion and solidarity, in particular through increased learning mobility opportunities for young people, those active in youth work or youth organisations and youth leaders, and through strengthened links between the youth field and the labour market;
 foster quality improvements in youth work, in particular through enhanced cooperation between organisations in the youth field and/or other stakeholders;
 complement policy reforms at local, regional and national level and to support the development of knowledge and evidence-based youth policy as well as the recognition of non-formal and informal learning, in particular through enhanced policy cooperation, better use of EU transparency and recognition tools and the dissemination of good practices;
 enhance the international dimension of youth activities and enhance the capacity of youth workers and organisations in their support for young people in complementarity with the European Union’s external action, in particular through the promotion of mobility and cooperation between stakeholders from Programme and Partner Countries and international organisations.
Over the 2014-2020 period, 10% of the budget will be allocated in support of non-formal and informal learning opportunities in the youth field.