03.01.2023

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS IN THE EU CAN APPLY TO IMPLEMENT THE ALMA INITIATIVE

Public and private organizations and institutions with headquarters in a member state of the European Union can apply with project proposals under the call for implementation of the ALMA initiative. The invitation is implemented by the European Social Fund Agency ESFA within the framework of the Initiative for Social Innovation at the EU level. Applicants must be in the role of a "sending organisation" for young people under the ALMA (Aim-Learn-Master-Achieve) initiative. Projects should target young people from the NEET group who are neither working nor in education or training.

The main objective of the call is to support the Member States in the implementation of the ALMA initiative in the programs funded by the European Social Fund +. Under the ALMA initiative, opportunities are provided to disadvantaged young people to do internships and gain experience with an employer in another EU member state, and on their return to be supported to find a job.

Eligible project activities will be implemented in two phases - preparation and implementation. In the preparatory phase, it is permissible to build partnerships, including transnational ones, for the implementation of ALMA activities. In the second phase, organizations can carry out selection and training of participants, as well as mobility of young people in another EU member state for a period of up to 6 months. Young NEETs can count on counseling and career guidance after returning to their home country. In the framework of the second phase, a report on the lessons learned from the implementation of the activities can be prepared, and the experience gained can be disseminated at the national level.

The budget of the invitation is EUR 15 million. Grant funding for one project is from 300,000 to 650,000 euros, and the amount cannot exceed 80% of the total project budget. The application deadline is March 15, 2023. Project proposals are submitted online only through the eSINNIS (Social Innovation Information System) portal.

Details of the invitation and application documents can be found HERE.