AU-EU Youth Action Lab: Empowering Youth Initiatives in Africa and Europe
The AU-EU Youth Action Lab is a dynamic platform that empowers youth-led initiatives across Africa and Europe to address global challenges. By providing funding and support, the Youth Action Lab encourages young people to implement their innovative ideas and solutions, helping to connect youth across continents and bring their voices to key policy-makers in both the African Union (AU) and European Union (EU).
General Call for Proposals
The Youth Action Lab invites youth initiatives to submit proposals for funding to bring their ideas to life. This initiative aims to foster cross-continental collaboration, peer learning, and networking between youth in Africa and Europe, enabling young people to share knowledge, work together on common issues, and gain a platform to influence policies at various levels.
In the next three years, the Youth Action Lab will periodically open calls for proposals, encouraging diverse youth from eligible countries—including Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and EU member states—to participate.
Grant Types Available
The Youth Action Lab offers four unique grant types, each with a specific focus but united in their ambition to support youth initiatives through a “powershifting” approach:
Innovation Grants: Aimed at youth-led projects that design, test, or scale innovative solutions to global challenges.
Entrepreneurship Grants: Designed for initiatives focused on creating entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for young people.
Representation Grants: Supports grassroots initiatives led by marginalized young people who amplify their voices and advocate for their communities.
Cooperation Grants: Facilitates collaboration between youth from Africa and Europe to work on joint advocacy efforts.
Each grant provides funding for a maximum period of 12 to 18 months, depending on the grant type. Importantly, applicants can only apply for one grant opportunity at a time to focus on achieving impactful results.
Why Powershifting?
The Youth Action Lab’s powershifting grants emphasize three core principles:
Youth-Driven Decision-Making: A Youth Advisory Board reviews and selects the proposals, ensuring that decisions are made by and for youth.
Sustainable Support: Grants focus on fostering stability, resilience, financial security, and organizational capacity for youth initiatives.
Streamlined Processes: Application and reporting procedures are tailored to be accessible and meaningful for youth organizations.
How to Get Involved
If you’re a young leader or part of a youth initiative in an eligible country and have an innovative idea to tackle global issues, the Youth Action Lab’s grants offer a unique opportunity to bring your vision to life. Explore each grant type below to find the best fit for your initiative:
Innovation Grants: Supporting the design, testing, or scaling of innovative solutions.
Entrepreneurship Grants: Promoting entrepreneurship and employment projects.
Representation Grants: Amplifying voices of marginalized youth.
Cooperation Grants: Enabling collaboration between youth from Africa and Europe.
For more information, visit the AU-EU Youth Action Lab’s website to discover the full potential of each grant type and how you can apply. Join a growing community of young changemakers committed to making a difference in Africa, Europe, and beyond!
Learn more and join the movement. Let’s create a future where young leaders thrive and make a lasting impact!
Link to apply: https://aueuyouth.com/youth-action-lab/
