Ready to Start! 28 ALMA Projects for Social Inclusion of Disadvantaged Young People Through Transnational Mobility
A total of €11 270 631 has been awarded in grants to 28 ALMA projects (Aim-Learn-Master-Achieve) under the first Call for Proposals of the ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative.
These projects will contribute to the social inclusion of disadvantaged young people, not in employment, education, or training (NEETs), through mobility to another Member State. The grant amount per project varies from a minimum of €175 597 to a maximum of €635 775 euros.
This support aims to help Member States integrate ALMA in their ESF+ national programmes by piloting or scaling up ALMA activities. To ensure that ALMA is implemented in as many Member States as possible, the award procedure was competitive while ensuring a geographical balance.
The projects have now entered the Start-up phase, during which the beneficiaries are building up transnational partnerships with relevant actors in at least one other EU Member State for the implementation of the project.
In the Implementation phase (up to 14 months), every project is expected to send at least two groups of 8-12 NEETS to work-related placements in another Member State. The young people will live in another Member State for a 2-to-6 months’ period. They will also benefit from accommodation, and social activities. The follow-up with young people after their stay abroad will include counselling and professional guidance. Projects’ operators implementing the ALMA projects should also guarantee the dissemination of experiences and best practices at national level.
The 28 Grant Agreements were signed with project operators from Greece, Malta, Italy, Spain, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Portugal, Lithuania, and France. The Member States where transnational mobility will take place include Germany, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, France, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland. List of the signed Grant Agreements.
ALMA projects are based on the transformational effect of a work-related learning experience abroad and an individual tailor-based approach. Such cross-border social innovation projects have already supported around 7 000 young people in the EU.
