In excess of 278,000 young people from across Europe have taken part in a Youth in Action project since 2007.
More than 77 per cent of these say that they have learned better how to identify opportunities for their personal or professional future and 66 per cent believe that their job chances have increased thanks to the project experience.
Young people are not the only ones who feel they have benefited from the programme, which is managed in the UK by the British Council and funded by the European Union to provide young people and those working in the youth sector the chance to experience a variety of opportunities for informal and non-formal learning with a European dimension.
Since 2007, more than 102,000 youth workers have also participated, with 88 per cent considering that they have gained skills and knowledge that they would not have otherwise developed through projects organised at a national level.
Ninety-two per cent of youth organisations say that participating in a project supported by Youth in Action has increased their project management skills.
Simon Williams, head of EU programmes at the British Council, said: "Youth in Action helps to build trust and understanding between people of different cultures, while broadening our young people's horizons and equipping them with the skills and understanding they need to become global citizens.
"Employers increasingly tell us that they strongly value the soft skills that participating in programmes such as Youth in Action can give. Increased confidence, self-awareness and team-working, as well as the ability to work effectively with people from different backgrounds and cultures - all of these are being recognised more and more as important skills for the modern workplace, both in the UK and in other countries. Youth in Action really can help young people develop their skills for life."
To find out more about Youth in Action, visit www.nya.org.uk/youth-in-action.
A free support and information event is also being run in Durham on 2 November 2011 by the National Youth Agency, which has been contracted to provide targeted information and support to young people and youth professionals in England about the European funding opportunities available through the Youth in Action Programme. For further details or to book your free place, visit www.nya.org.uk/events.
