European Union Calls for Proposals to Support Innovative Ways to Develop Local Community through Sport, Culture, Education and Tourism
GYUMRI, Armenia—The European Union Ambassador to Armenia Piotr Świtalski on April 11 announced a €2.9 million Grant Scheme designated to promote an inclusive and empowered society in Armenia, by facilitating participation of the civil society and local authorities in poverty reduction and sustainable development process at local level. It will contribute to raising the economic competitiveness, creating jobs and reducing tendencies of outward migration in regions.
“The EU is committed to reinforce and support Civil Society Organisations and Local Authorities in Development in Armenia,” Switalski noted. “We believe that we can do so by facilitating the participation of the civil society and local authorities in poverty reduction and sustainable development process at local level. Innovative ways to develop local community through sport, culture, education and tourism can contribute significantly to this objective.”
This call for proposals has an objective to enhance people to people contacts and local community development within the country and within the region through sport, culture, education and tourism. Projects proposal can support among other things the development of (1) outdoor activities such as summer and winter sports that can have an impact on tourism development; (2) educative programs complementing existing compulsory education and higher education institutions offering innovative learning platforms and spaces; (3) cultural associations promoting the development of performing arts, music, theatres, literature, painting, animation, filming, etc.
The European Union Delegation to Armenia has launched two grant schemes for project proposals of a total budget of € 4.4 million in order to reinforce Civil Society in Armenia and to support Civil Society Organisations and Local Authorities in Development. These two calls complement the very significant ongoing capacity building and re-granting programs for civil society in Armenia and the recently announced € 1 million Grant Scheme for Regional Development designed to promote culture and creative sectors. The grant scheme “Reinforcing Civil Society in Armenia” with an overall budget of € 1.5 million was announced in Yerevan on 10 April.
Call For Proposals
The overall amount made available under this call for proposals is €2,900,000 in the form of €300,000 – €600,000 grants for projects on the following themes:
- Outdoor activities that can have an impact on tourism development;
- Cultural associations promoting the development of performing arts, music, theatres, literature, painting, animation, filming, etc. outdoor activities that can have an impact on tourism development;
- Educative programs, complementing existing compulsory education and higher education institutions offering innovative learning platforms and spaces.
Sub-granting, the provision of financial support to third parties will be a core characteristic of this call.
Good day the members of our NGO “Himnaqar” do their best to improve the living conditions of the needy families and prevent the migration.Shirak region is known for its highest percentage of unemployment,poverty and emigration.The first project is aimed to train professional masters in the service sector and to provide their further employment.We plan that the representitives of the target group (members of the needy families,orphans,members of the families with many children and the families of the military men,who died in Karabagh war , refugees from Syria)will learn one of the following crafts(a hairdresser-stylist,,a manicure master,a cosmetologist,a carpet maker,a woodworker,atailor designer),get master’s qualification and find a job in the service sectoror industry.Due to this they will be able to intergrate in the social society, meet the demands of the labor- market and improve their welfare.As it is planned to involve the participants of the project not only from Gyumri but also from the villages of Shirak region,we suppose that after getting a professional specialization they will return to their native villages and establish their own small business there and in this way they will promote the service sector in the rural settlements of the region.
The second project is educational.Many children, living in needy families.,can’t even dream of entering the University after
fnishing school,though most of them have e cellent marks at school. The school curriculum
does not allow applicants to be admited to a university without atending paid e tra courses
led by professional tutors. Even if a child is well-educated in school, the family’s severe socio-
economic situation does not allow him to pay for atending at least two e tra- courses led by a
tutor and later to pay a tuition fee entering the paid system of the university.One of the goals and objectives of our organization is to implement educational programs
that will allow representatives of the mentioned target groups to master computer literacy and
English language skills on the one hand, and on the other hand to organize special training
courses for young men,who have completed military service,for the children from large and
needy families,orphans and students from senior grades of the orphanages,the children of
those military men,who died in Karabagh war and Armenian refugees from Syria in order to
help them to enter the free system of the university.This courses which will be held by the
e perienced and skillful tutors,who are well-known in our region.
Target Groups / Benefciaries /
The program benefciaries are children from socially vulnerable families from Gyumri as well
asfrom rural setlements of Shirak, children from orphanages , young men,who have
completed military service , Syrian refugees, the children of military men died in Karabagh
war / 15-22 year old, 150 applicants /
Project Goal:
To help the representitives of the mentioned target groups to raise and develop their
educational guality and due to this to get a real chance to enter the University.
The main objective of the project is to educate and teach the participants of the above
mentioned vulnerable groups, to help them to gain a deep knowledge of the subjects chosen
by them. Due to this they will eventually become competitive, able to continue their education
in the higher educational system, and to increase their self-esteem, to conduct free online
activities in the conte t of competent English language skills , the acquisition of new foreign
partners, on the other hand, the knowledge of English in recent years has regained knowledge
and professionalism. especially in the feld of IT. Representatives of other selected age groups
will participate in programming courses and English language-specifc programs that will enable
them to acquire the skills and knowledge they need in modern labor market, get rid of
comple es, deal with science and get higher education. As for refugee Syrian-Armenians, they
will pass Armenian language courses, thanks to which they will be able to use their professional
skills and integrate into a new environment.
The third project is aimed to support the blind and partially sightedpeople,to make specialized
services for themand employment opportunities,to get access to education and information.
We want to help them to realize their full potential in the society.
I should say that the main aim of our organization is to disaccustom vulnerable people to take money and
food as an act of charity,but to provide them with professional skills and deep knowledge to make them competitive
and improve their welfare.
Thank you again for contacting us.