2022 European Year of Youth

Many reports indicate that more and more young people struggle with mental health problems due to the pandemic. In addition, the pressure of the millennial generation and Z’s related to work and the future makes everyday life very challenging for many of us. Any support in the current situation can make a real difference to our future!

In support of the young generation most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission will invest more than €800 million in implementing the Next Generation EU plan. This is also a massive opportunity for young people who live in EU partner countries such as Macedonia, Georgia, Armenia, or Serbia. Honoring the young generation in this way is, in my opinion, extremely important to reignite the enthusiasm for selfdevelopment and to show that we young people can count on support!

The decision to designate 2022 as the European Year of Youth is intended to give young people more and better opportunities for the future. Through this initiative, the Commission, together with the European Parliament, Member and Partner States, local and regional authorities, and above all young people, aims to:

- recognize and support the generation that sacrificed the most during the pandemic, give young people new hope, strength, and confidence in the future by communicating how the green and digital transition will provide them with new perspectives and opportunities;

- encourage all young people, in particular those with fewer opportunities, from disadvantaged, rural or remote backgrounds or vulnerable groups, to become active citizens who will contribute to positive change;

- promote the opportunities offered to young people by EU policies to support their personal, social and professional development. The European Year of Youth will be accompanied by the launch of the NextGenerationEU recovery plan to make Europe healthier, greener, and more digital;

- draw inspiration from the actions, visions, and insights of young people that will strengthen and reinvigorate the European Union, building on the results of the Conference on the Future of Europe.

In practice, this means many more opportunities for young people, especially for those who, on a daily basis, find it challenging to develop themselves for financial, geographical, or sociological reasons. So if you want to change your everyday life, don't just rely on your New Year's resolutions. Seize this opportunity and get involved in initiatives that will allow you to create a better tomorrow for yourself!

The projects in which you can take part are, above all:

1. Erasmus+ 2. European Solidarity Corps 3. DiscoverEU 4. EU Youth Dialogue 5. European Youth Week 6. Youth Guarantee 7. Erasmus for young entrepreneurs 8. Traineeships 9. Your first EURES job

Information on projects and other initiatives can be found on eurodesk. eu and europa.eu.

Kacper Król

Photos: Michał Arciszewski

Sources: Europa.eu Europeantimes.news