European Youth Foundation

The Council of Europe’s European Youth Foundation carried from 20 to 24 May 2024 a training course on project management for international youth organisations. Thirty-three participants from 31 youth organisations and networks were involved in this activity.

The need for project management skills was raised in numerous occasions by international youth organisations, who apply to the European Youth Foundation for different types of grants for international projects. Project management skills in this context focus on managing all the phases of the project cycle, and specifically doing so within international youth organisations, and in relation to the priorities of the Council of Europe.

This training course came also in the post-pandemic context where the need for more capacities for youth organisations has been identified. The training course was a contribution to skilling up persons who have project management roles in their organisations. The training course focused on increasing the competence in managing international youth projects for persons working as volunteers or staff in international youth organisations.

The main take aways from the course concern the value of youth organisations as safe spaces for young people, the evolving need for flexibility in grant management that youth organisations expect from the EYF, as well as the need for continuous skill developed of the young people with project management roles in youth organisations.