Deadline: 18-Jul-25
The United Nations Development Programme and UNICEF Albania are launching a Call for Proposals (CfP) under the EU-funded EU4Youth project, which supports the pilot implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Albania.
The CfP aims to diversify the Youth Guarantee partnership models to deliver inclusive and integrated employment and skills opportunities to vulnerable NEETs aged 15–29, in collaboration with all labour market actors, within the municipalities of Tirana, Shkodra, and Vlora.
Objectives
- LOT 1. Establishing Youth Guarantee local partnerships to reach out to NEETs and refer them to the pre-preparatory or preparatory services of the Youth Guarantee in each of the three pilot municipalities.
- LOT 2. Establishing Youth Guarantee local partnerships to deliver Youth Guarantee pre-preparatory and preparatory services for vulnerable NEETs in each of the three pilot municipalities.
- LOT 3. Establishing Youth Guarantee local partnerships to deploy mobile services to reach out to and provide pre-preparatory and preparatory services to NEETs residing in communities with no local employment structures.
Funding Information
- The overall financial allocation made available under this call for proposals is USD 610,778.
- The amount allocated per LOTs is:
- LOT I under the administration of UNICEF – USD 219,807
- LOT II under the administration of UNDP – USD 240 971
- LOT III under the joint administration of UNDP and UNICEF – 150,000 USD
- The duration of each proposed action under this call for proposal should be 12 months.
Expected Outcomes
- The EU4Youth project aims to achieve three main outcomes:
- Outcome 1: Enhanced inter-institutional capacities to effectively implement and govern the Youth Guarantee in Albania.
- Outcome 2: Strengthened local engagement and partnerships that effectively support the integration and retention of vulnerable NEET youth in the labour market through well-monitored and adaptive Youth Guarantee programmes.
- Outcome 3: Enhanced capacity and effectiveness of VET systems in producing a skilled workforce prepared to contribute to the green economy, with reduced student drop-out rates and increased engagement with the private sector.
Eligible Activities
- LOT I: Local partnerships to reach out to NEETs and refer them to the pre-preparatory or preparatory services of the Youth Guarantee.
- Individual door-to-door information sessions: Conduct one-on-one outreach to collect information on NEETs’ living conditions and expectations, while informing them about the goals and instruments of the Youth Guarantee scheme.
- Group information sessions: Facilitate collective meetings to gather insights from NEETs and raise awareness about the Youth Guarantee and its services.
- Open career guidance days: Open days where NEETs engage with professionals of different professions (e.g., carpentry, coding, cooking, graphic design, tourism etc.).
- Skills Bootcamps Programs for young people on how to reach out to vulnerable NEETs in rural/ remote communities.
- Community-based engagement activities: Organize educational, cultural, and sports events targeting NEETs to build trust, create a youth-friendly environment, and encourage NEETs to engage with the Youth Guarantee.
- Family engagement initiatives: Implement activities that involve NEETs’ families to share information and encourage their participation in decisions about their children’s future.
- Active living awareness for NEETs with disabilities: Conduct information and awareness activities promoting active participation and inclusion for NEETs with disabilities and their families.
- Labour market orientation sessions: Deliver informational sessions and activities on labour market trends and challenges to help young people make informed career choices.
- Development of Individual Referral Plans (mandatory): Support NEETs interested in enrolling in the Youth Guarantee by creating tailored personal development plans.
- Referral to the Youth Guarantee (mandatory): Refer NEETs to appropriate pre-preparatory or -preparatory services, in accordance with NAES procedures and individual profiles.
- LOT II: Local partnerships to deliver pre -preparatory and preparatory services for vulnerable NEETs.
- Individual needs assessments: Conduct comprehensive evaluations of NEETs’ social, economic, and personal circumstances to identify appropriate support and integration pathways.
- Social support mediation: Facilitate access to public and non-public social services, such as financial aid, housing, healthcare, or childcare, based on assessed needs.
- Life and soft skills development: Offer individualized support to build essential life and soft skills, such as communication, self-confidence, time management, and adaptability.
- Foundational skills training: Provide accessible training in basic literacy, numeracy, and digital skills to enhance participation in further education, training, or employment (pre-preparatory service).
- Vocational profiling sessions: Carry out structured assessments to explore individual interests, preferences, and aptitudes, helping inform career or training directions (preparatory service).
- Entrepreneurship training and mentoring: Deliver targeted specialized training and mentoring for vulnerable NEETs interested in self-employment, equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and pathways to benefit from NAES’s self-employment programmes (preparatory service).
- Employability mentoring: Offer personalized mentoring to help NEETs improve job readiness, strengthen application skills, and prepare for integration into the labour market (preparatory service)
- Supported employment and vocational rehabilitation: Deliver targeted training and structured support for NEETs with multiple barriers, including those with disabilities, to prepare them for and sustain employment.
- Job coaching and mentoring for NEETs with disabilities: Provide ongoing one-on-one support from trained job coaches to assist NEETs with disabilities in navigating the workplace and maintaining employment.
- LOT III: Establishing Youth Guarantee local partnerships to deploy mobile services to reach out to and provide pre-preparatory and preparatory services to NEETs residing in communities with no local employment structures.
- Mobile assessment and registration support: Facilitate on-the-spot socio-economic assessments and Youth Guarantee registration for NEETs who cannot access employment offices.
- Individual and group outreach sessions: Conduct door-to-door and group information sessions in local communities to gather insights on NEETs’ living conditions and needs, while raising awareness about the Youth Guarantee’s objectives and procedures.
- Family sensitization and community engagement events: Organize sessions with families and local influencers to promote support for NEETs’ participation in training or employment, especially for vulnerable groups like young women and NEETs with caregiving responsibilities.
- Community-based engagement activities: Organize local fairs, cultural gatherings, recreational and sport events in distant communities to build trust, foster social connection, and create informal entry points for NEETs to engage with the Youth Guarantee.
- Development of Individual Referral Plans (mandatory): Support NEETs interested in enrolling in the Youth Guarantee by creating tailored personal development plans.
- Referral to the Youth Guarantee (mandatory): Refer NEETs to appropriate pre-preparatory or -preparatory services, in accordance with NAES procedures and individual profiles.
- Community-based foundational trainings: Deliver foundational training sessions in remote areas using mobile classrooms, schools or community centers.
- Life and soft skills development: Offer individualized support to build essential life and soft skills, such as communication, self-confidence, time management, and adaptability.
- Entrepreneurship training and mentoring: Deliver targeted specialized training and mentoring for vulnerable NEETs interested in self-employment, equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and pathways to benefit from NAES’s self-employment programmes (preparatory service).
- Mobile career tours: Organize guided visits to local businesses using mobile units, giving NEET youth hands-on exposure to workplaces, career paths, and professional environments.
Ineligible Costs
- In general, costs for activities that are not contributing to the achievement of the objectives of this Call for Proposals
- Debts and debt service charges (interest)
- Provisions for losses or potential future liabilities
- Costs of activities financed by another action
- Procurement of equipment that does not directly contribute to the objectives of the Call for Proposals
- Indirect capacity development costs (However, these costs can be planned for and included in the direct costs of the project proposal)
- Fines and penalties imposed by government authorities or incurred as a result of legal disputes with third parties
- Unforeseen expenses unspecified in the project proposal budget
Eligibility Criteria
- Civil Society Organizations will be eligible to apply for a grant, but in each case the proposed initiatives will have to demonstrate partnership and integrated approaches in the implementation and contribute to a strengthened communication between local level actors.
- Civil Society Organizations (CSOs):
- Must be an active legal entity.
- Must be a non-for-profit making organization, legally registered and operating in Albania (in accordance with Law No. 8788, dated 07.05.2001).
- At least one among the lead applicant or co-applicants must be actively operating in the target municipalities.
- Must hire, for the period of the grant, at least a youngster between 20 and 29 years old to act as mediator and support the development of the activities. The mediator’s role is established in the profile approved by Youth Guarantee Executive Coordinator as outlined in Annex/Attachment 0. It’s the NGOs responsibility to provide training and capacitate the youngster to act as mediator.
- Have previous experience in implementing similar actions in scope and objectives.
- Municipalities:
- Must be one of the 3 targeted municipalities.
For more information, visit UNDP.