Interreg Volunteer Youth | Cooperation Across Borders
Introduction
The Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) initiative provides an exceptional opportunity for young people seeking to make a positive impact on our world by collaborating on solidarity efforts.
Through cooperation, IVY volunteers, in partnership with local stakeholders, confront the various challenges facing Europe and its neighboring regions. Together, they strive to identify and implement collective solutions to these issues.
IVY is an initiative spearheaded by the European Commission, specifically aimed at fostering youth engagement and cooperation for the communities.
So, Keep reading the article and discover how to participate!
The IVY mission
The Interreg Volunteer Youth program wants to encourage teamwork by focusing on three missions:
- Help with cooperation projects by getting enthusiastic young people involved
- Show everyone how cooperation benefits local communities and more
- Give young people the confidence and ability to join in on cooperation efforts.
Through IVY, young people volunteer in programs and projects that help European cooperation across borders in different areas like the environment, education, research, health, transport, sustainable energy, and more.
These projects get funding from Interreg programs, also called European Territorial Cooperation programs, as part of the European Union’s Regional Policy.
IVY volunteers, hosted by Interreg programs or projects, can pick between two ways to help out:
- As Interreg Reporters, they showcase the results of Interreg programs.
- As Interreg Project Partners, they assist in carrying out projects.
While supporting their host organizations, volunteers can also learn new skills in European cooperation projects, which helps them grow personally during this special experience.
Volunteers get to see firsthand what it’s like to work with organizations in other EU or nearby regions.
In this way, IVY volunteers play a part in building a strong and united Europe in the areas where they work.
The countries involved
Interreg Volunteer Youth operates in these countries:
- All European Union countries (including outermost regions)
- Neighboring partner countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
- Countries involved in Pre-Accession Assistance Cross-border Cooperation Programs (IPA-CBC): Serbia, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, and Turkey
- Countries involved in Neighbourhood Cross-border Cooperation Programs (ENI-CBC) and Interreg NEXT: Algeria, Armenia, Georgia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Republic of Moldova, Tunisia, and Ukraine
Each volunteer experience lasts 2 to 6 months, and volunteers also get financial support to cover their living expenses.
In fact, the “Interreg Volunteer Youth” initiative is funded by the European Union and the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR).
Do you want to know more?
All available placement offers are here and you can apply at this page.
Finally, if you need more information and you want to apply, visit the project website.
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