Chris Neal, who represents the British Youth Council (BYC) in Europe, believes the UK could become ineligible for annual EU funding that it currently receives if it left the union.
BYC calculates the UK youth sector receives about €10m (£8.6m) a year from the European Youth in Action fund, which is managed by the British Council. But this would be jeopardised if UK voters chose to leave the EU in a referendum on British membership planned for 2017.
Neal said: “Young people are facing a challenging future and European investment in youth work initiatives in the UK should be recognised and defended by the UK government, yet talk of withdrawal from Europe could mean we no longer are eligible to apply for these funds.”
“At a time when domestic sources of funding are squeezed, we need to give greater recognition to Europe for its support for youth work – if its future is to be secured.
“The short-term challenge will be how to replace a valued source of funding if we are no longer eligible.”
Youth in Action funding enables young people to take part in international mobility and outreach programmes, citizenship projects, develop their political education and participate in international dialogues.
Non-EU member states such as Norway and Switzerland are currently eligible to apply for the funding.
But Neal warned that having to renegotiate the UK’s eligibility could undermine the financial and cultural links between the UK and the rest of Europe.
Neal added that European youth initiatives had encouraged a trend for countries to share more youth work, and encourage young people to think of themselves as part of one world and one economy.
This year’s European Youth Week focuses on young people's active citizenship, with young people attending events in the 27 EU states over the week until 2 June.
