YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: Bridges to Independence
The program YOUTH STRENGTHENING: Bridges to Independence supports municipalities in developing services for adolescents and young adults who are to be assisted in their transition to an independent life.
Discover your potential with AI support
- Find out if this grant matches your project
- Develop your application together with AI
- Get matched with many more suitable grants
Grant criteria
Funding objective
The aim of the funding is to support young people (aged 14 to 26) in their personal development through socio-educational measures, to help them secure stable housing, and to promote their social integration as well as their transition into training and the labor market.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel expenses
- Residual costs
- Material costs
Non-eligible expenses
- Retroactive costs
- Costs before project start
Eligible to apply
- Public Institutions
Funding requirements
- Only local providers of public youth welfare services are eligible to apply
- The proposed project must not have been started yet
- Municipal co-financing must be provided
Documents required for application
- Project concept
- Financing plan
- Co-financing declaration
- Checklist of documents
Evaluation criteria
- Quality of project planning
- Degree of innovation
- Sustainability of the measure
- Coherence of the support offer
Description
YOUTH STRENGTHENING: Bridges to Independence is an innovative funding program that supports municipal providers of public youth welfare nationwide in the design and implementation of support services for young people aged 14 to 26. The focus is particularly on care leavers as well as adolescents and young adults considered "disconnected" and facing precarious housing conditions or the risk of homelessness. The funding aims to accompany these target groups in their developmental process through socio-pedagogical measures, enable stable housing conditions, and promote their integration into vocational training and the labor market. Both personnel-intensive and material-related expenses are taken into account – a non-repayable grant supports the projects over a period of up to 65 months with annual funding amounts that may vary depending on the region.
The program promotes the development of holistic service structures by integrating four methodological components: outreach youth social work, low-threshold counseling and clearing, intensive case management, and the testing of new housing models. Through these modules, tailored support services can be created that are adapted to the individual needs of the young people. Municipal coordination offices work closely with partners from the non-profit sector, employment agencies, job centers, housing companies, and other local institutions to ensure seamless and cross-jurisdictional care. The goal is not only to bridge short-term crises but to sustainably promote the independence of young people and enable them access to secure living conditions and opportunities for social participation.
Eligibility to apply lies exclusively with local providers of public youth welfare, who can submit their projects within a two-stage selection process – initially through a declaration of interest and subsequently via a formal application. The funding requirements are clearly defined: the project must not have started yet and must be supplemented by municipal co-financing. The initiative “YOUTH STRENGTHENING: Bridges to Independence” thus makes a significant contribution to reducing poverty risks and promoting the social inclusion of young people. The funding not only supports individual personal development but also fosters the establishment of sustainable local networks that enable successful transition support into an independent and self-determined life.