Applications open for Youth Learning Projects

This funding call supports youth-led group initiatives that enable disadvantaged young people to develop practical skills through hands-on learning and real-world problem-solving. It is designed to promote active learning approaches where young participants collaborate to design and build solutions that address local community needs.

The programme is based on experiential education principles, meaning participants learn by doing rather than through traditional classroom instruction. It encourages innovation, creativity, and social engagement while building confidence and employability skills among youth.

Projects must be implemented in countries where Orange operates, excluding a specified list of countries, and must directly respond to real local challenges.

Purpose and Strategic Goals

The main purpose of the programme is to empower disadvantaged youth by giving them opportunities to develop technical, social, and problem-solving skills through collaborative projects.

Key goals include:

Strengthening youth employability and practical skill development
Promoting social inclusion and equal opportunity for disadvantaged youth
Encouraging digital literacy and responsible use of technology, including AI awareness
Supporting innovation through FabLab-based prototyping and design thinking
Enhancing teamwork, leadership, and communication skills
Connecting youth projects to real community needs and Sustainable Development Goals
Building confidence through public presentation and real-world validation

The programme prioritizes learning environments that combine creativity, technology, and community engagement.

Key Focus Areas

The initiative supports a wide range of interdisciplinary learning and innovation areas.

Core focus areas include:

Youth skills development and capacity building
Cross-disciplinary, project-based learning approaches
Local problem-solving and community innovation
Social inclusion and empowerment of disadvantaged youth
Digital literacy and responsible use of digital technologies
Artificial intelligence awareness and ethical digital skills
FabLab-based prototyping, engineering, and fabrication
Community engagement and stakeholder collaboration
Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Experiential and active learning methodologies

Programme Approach and Learning Model

The programme is built on an “active pedagogy” model where learning happens through direct experience, teamwork, and problem-solving.

Key features include:

Minimum of 35 hours of collaborative group work per project
Youth-led design and implementation of solutions
Focus on real-life challenges rather than theoretical exercises
Emphasis on creativity, experimentation, and iteration
Strong collaboration between youth, mentors, and local partners

This approach helps participants build both technical and soft skills in a practical setting.

Project Requirements

All projects must meet strict design and implementation criteria to ensure real impact.

Core Requirements

Must address a clearly defined local need
Must involve disadvantaged youth aged 13–25
Must be youth-led with active group participation
Must include at least 35 hours of structured project work
Must produce a tangible, functional solution or prototype
Must include public presentation of results

Partnership Requirements

Collaboration with a local organisation, community group, cooperative, or company is mandatory
Partner must validate project needs and participate in evaluation
FabLab partner or equivalent prototyping facility is required
Referral partners (schools, NGOs, refugee groups, cultural organisations) are required if applicants do not directly work with disadvantaged youth

Eligible Activities

Projects can include:

Designing and building prototypes or digital tools
Developing solutions for community challenges
Creating sustainable development solutions linked to SDGs
Using FabLabs for fabrication and testing
Collaborative digital innovation projects
Community-based problem-solving initiatives

Ineligible Activities

The programme does NOT fund:

Top-down training or teacher-led programmes
Standalone digital workshops without project output
Media production-only projects (e.g., films, campaigns)
Intercultural travel or exchange programmes
Mentoring-only initiatives without hands-on projects
Infrastructure construction projects

Funding Rules

Funding is designed to directly support youth project delivery and participation.

Eligible costs include:

Project coordination and development support
Materials, tools, and prototyping resources
Partner collaboration costs
Participant-related support costs

Ineligible costs include:

General organisational overheads
Staff salaries unrelated to the project
Non-project or administrative expenses
Activities not directly linked to youth project delivery

Importantly:

Participation must be free for all young participants
Funding must directly support learning-by-doing activities

Implementation Requirements

Projects must demonstrate strong organisational and delivery capacity.

Key expectations include:

Clear implementation plan and timeline
Defined roles within youth teams
Strong partner engagement strategy
Balanced gender participation
Structured session planning and learning objectives
Evidence of feasibility and technical capacity

Duration and Funding Cycle

Projects run for 1 year per funding cycle
Annual call for applications
Projects may be renewed for up to 3 years
Renewal depends on evaluation results and progress reporting
Continued funding requires updated project plans and demonstrated impact

Geographic Eligibility

Projects must be implemented in countries where Orange operates, excluding:
France, Belgium, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Spain, and Tunisia.

Why the Programme Matters

This programme is important because it shifts youth education from passive learning to active creation. It gives disadvantaged young people real opportunities to build skills, solve community problems, and develop confidence through practical experience.

By combining digital innovation, FabLab technology, and community engagement, it strengthens both employability and social inclusion. It also helps youth understand how technology, sustainability, and teamwork can be applied to real-world challenges.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applications often fail due to:

Lack of genuine youth leadership in project design
Projects without a clear local problem or need
Missing FabLab or prototyping partner
Treating the project as a training course instead of a creation process
No tangible final output or solution
Insufficient involvement of disadvantaged youth
Weak implementation plan or unclear roles

Tips for a Strong Application

Strong proposals clearly demonstrate hands-on impact and collaboration.

Best practices include:

Ensure youth actively design and lead the project
Clearly define the local problem being solved
Include a strong FabLab or technical partner
Focus on building a working prototype or solution
Integrate digital skills and responsible tech use
Show clear involvement of disadvantaged youth
Plan for public presentation and community validation

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the main purpose of the programme?

To empower disadvantaged youth through hands-on learning
To develop practical skills by solving real local problems
To promote inclusion, creativity, and digital innovation

Who can participate?

Youth aged 13–25
Priority for disadvantaged young people
Must be part of a group-based, youth-led project

What kind of projects are supported?

FabLab-based prototypes
Digital tools or software solutions
Community problem-solving projects
SDG-related innovation initiatives

What is required in every project?

Minimum 35 hours of group work
A clear local problem definition
A FabLab or technical partner
Public presentation of results

What funding cannot be used for?

Staff salaries or general overheads
Pure training or workshops
Media production-only projects
Travel-only or mentoring-only programmes

How long do projects last?

1-year funding cycle
Renewable up to 3 years based on evaluation

Why is youth leadership important?

It ensures real skill development through ownership
It builds confidence, creativity, and responsibility
It improves long-term employability and engagement

Conclusion

This youth-led innovation programme empowers disadvantaged young people to become problem-solvers by engaging them in real-world, hands-on projects. Through collaboration, digital innovation, and FabLab-based creation, it builds essential skills, strengthens social inclusion, and connects youth learning directly to community needs and global sustainability goals.