EU Commission to Increase Inclusiveness of Erasmus+ & European Solidarity Corps Programs

The European Commission has adopted a framework this week to make Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programs for 2021-2027 more inclusive.

According to a press release issued by the Commission, the measures deliver on the commitment by President von der Leyen’s Commission to strengthen these two programs, not only by offering the chance to more people to learn or volunteer in other countries but also to reach more people who have access to fewer opportunities only, Erudera.com reports.

Among others, in its statement, the Commission noted that by adopting the framework, it enhances the improvement of equity and inclusion in the European Education Area.

Following the decision, the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, said that everyone should benefit from EU programs despite their background, socio-economic context, physical, mental, or health condition. She further pointed out that the Commission will provide more funding to assist those who need more help and reach out to those who are not informed about the program.

“Everyone needs to be able to benefit from the same opportunities and can also give back to society. This is the value of solidarity that the European project relies on,” Gabriel said.

One of the measures for the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programs is the dedicated financial support, meaning that more financial support will be provided through both programs for people with fewer opportunities to cover expenses.

The Commission called on national agencies and actors involved in the implementation of the programs at a national and local level to use other available national or European funding to complete the financial support provided.

Another measure includes tailored support to participants during all phases of their project, which allows participants to benefit from linguistic support, preparatory visits, or reinforced mentorship, before, during, and after the mobility.

Other measures are as follows:

• Support to participating organizations – providing additional assistance for organizations involved in inclusive projects.
• More flexible learning offer – more mobility opportunities of different duration and formats to help those participating in the program find out what fits their needs.
• Priority in the selection process – giving priority to quality projects that involve those who don’t have access to many opportunities.
• Clearer communication and reporting – meaning that the Commission along with the national agencies and other actors will make sure to provide more user-friendly, accessible, and multilingual documents and materials as well as continue to develop its monitoring and reporting activities to improve tracking of progress on inclusion efforts.