INTERREG VOLUNTEER YOUTH (IVY)
Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) is an initiative promoted by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and managed by AEBR.
IVY offers the possibility to young people to serve as volunteers in cross-border, transnational or interregional programmes and related projects.
Volunteers support, promote and report about the achievements of Interreg programmes and projects, as well as generally promote cooperation and related values, across European borders and beyond. While helping their host organisations, volunteers acquire a unique experience of personal growth and gain skills that they can employ in their future experiences.
By involving young people in programmes of territorial cooperation, IVY aims at fostering a greater sense citizenship and civic engagement among young people. The volunteers experience cooperation and learn about the achievements of Interreg, IPA-CBC and ENI-CBC programmes and projects, while also contributing to it and becoming aware of the many benefits of collaboration across borders.
Duration: March 2017 – December 2024
AEBR role in IVY pilot initiative: holder of a Commission’s grant (DG Regio); managing the initiative
Target:
Organisations: Any Interreg Programme, National Authority and Project beneficiary can become an IVY host organisation, including Programmes and Projects based in European Economic Area (EEA) countries, countries involved in Pre-Accession Assistance Cross-Border Cooperation Programmes (IPA-CBC), and countries involved in Neighbourhood Cross-Border Cooperation Programmes (ENI-CBC). To apply, please find detailed information and the necessary documents here.
People: Young people between 18-30-year-old from any European Union and partner countries can participate. These include: Switzerland, the UK, member countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) (EU member states, Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland), countries involved in Pre-Accession Assistance Cross-Border Cooperation Programmes (IPA-CBC) (Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, and Turkey), and countries involved in Neighbourhood Cross-Border Cooperation Programmes (previous ENI-CBC, now also under Interreg) (Algeria, Armenia, Belarus*, Georgia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Republic of Moldova, Russia*, Tunisia and Ukraine).
*Following the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, the European Commission has suspended the cooperation with Russia and its ally Belarus in the European Neighbourhood Instrument cross-border cooperation programmes (ENI CBC). The decision includes also their participation in the IVY Programme, which is therefore suspended.).
Activities:
IVY is structured around two main strands:
- Interreg Project Partners help implement an Interreg project, focusing on specific aspects in fields such as solidarity projects, people to people projects, health projects, community-based projects, or other projects focusing on the social dimension of Interreg cooperation. Interreg Project Partners are therefore hosted by project beneficiaries involved in an Interreg project;
- Interreg Reporters help disseminate information on the benefits of territorial integration on the ground, through reporting successful on Interreg projects realised in a specific region. Interreg Reporters are therefore deployed either in the offices of the Interreg Managing Authorities and/or the Interreg Joint Secretariats.
Candidates from the following countries can participate:
- Any EU country
- IPA countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey
- EEA countries: Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway
- ENI countries: Algeria, Armenia, Belarus*, Georgia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Republic of Moldova, Russia*, Tunisia and Ukraine
- Switzerland
- the United Kingdom
Outputs / Deliverables:
The following outputs are delivered by the IVY programme so far:
- Increased visibility and attraction of Interreg and other CBC programmes among young people;
- Increased knowledge about cross-border cooperation, Interreg and other CBC programmes in IPA and ENI countries among European population;
- Increased number of people willing to get involved in cross-border cooperation;
- Improved communication around Interreg and other CBC programmes and especially its solidarity aspects.
For young volunteers:
- sense of awareness of the benefits of cooperation alongside the borders;
- greater or reinforced sense of civic awareness;
- development of new skills, new experiences and enhanced language skills, which would be helpful for future professional and personal perspectives;
- development of non-formal transferable skills essential for their future, such as flexibility, adaptation, leadership, pro-activity, creativity, self-esteem, organisational skills, etc..
Under implementation of “Citizens’ Engagement Activities”, IVY helps:
- raise awareness about the opportunities offered by EU funds,
- highlight the added value of the funds for territorial development, and therefore for local actors and citizens,
- engage in meaningful conversations with part of the population who can be unaware of what EU does in their local contests
What will the members of AEBR gain from this project:
- Possibility to host volunteers to support the visibility of their programmes and projects;
- Increased visibility of AEBR, especially toward European institutions and, particularly, DG REGIO;
- Strengthening the network of stakeholders involved in European Territorial Cooperation;
- Increased knowledge of cross-border cooperation among young people and citizens.
Responsible persons in AEBR about the IVY project: Martín Guillermo Ramírez, Anna Cinzia Dellagiacoma, Milena Pallotta, Bekhta Djilidjel
Link to IVY project web page: https://www.interregyouth.com/
Contact: ivy@aebr.eu
Mobile phone: +49 176 420 90 666
Address: Association of European Border Regions c/o BISDN
Körnerstraße 7,
10785 Berlin – Germany