Youthpass
What is Youthpass?![]()
Youthpass is a tool to document and recognise learning outcomes from youth work and solidarity activities. It is available for projects funded by Erasmus+: Youth in Action and European Solidarity Corps Programmes. It is a part of the European Commission's strategy to foster the recognition of non-formal learning, putting policy into practice and practice into policy:
- While creating their Youthpass certificate together with a support person, project participants are given the possibility to describe what they have done in their project and which competences they have acquired. Thus, Youthpass supports the reflection upon the personal non-formal learning process and outcomes.
- As a Europe-wide recognition instrument for non-formal learning in the youth field, Youthpass strengthens the social recognition of youth work.
- Youthpass supports active European citizenship of young people and of youth workers by describing the added value of their project.
- Youthpass also aims at supporting the employability of young people and of youth workers by raising their awareness of and helping to describe their competences, and by documenting their acquisition of key competences on a certificate.
Who can use Youthpass?
Youthpass certificates are available for all types of projects and activities within the Erasmus+: Youth in Action and European Solidarity Corps programmes.
The certificates can also be issued for projects that were granted under the previous Youth in Action programme (2007-2013).
All participants of the projects approved within these frameworks are entitled to receive a Youthpass certificate, and thus recognition for their non-formal learning outcomes.
The responsibility to issue the Youthpass certificates to the participants/volunteers, in case they wish to receive them, lies with the organisation that signs the contract for the Erasmus+ grant.
Youthpass gives opportunity to self assess your competences in 8 main life-long learning critearium:
- Key Competences* for Lifelong Learning (2018)Multilingual competence
- Personal, social and learning to learn competence
- Citizenship competence
- Entrepreneurship competence
- Cultural awareness and expression competence
- Digital competence
- Mathematical competence and competence in science, technology and Engineering (STEM)
- Literacy competence
*Competences = combination of skills, knowledge and attitudes
Youthpass certificates are available for:
- Youth Exchanges,
- Erasmus+ Volunteering,
- Mobility of Youth Workers
- Transnational Cooperation Activities (TCA)
- Structured Dialogue meetings
Participants of approved projects of Erasmus+: Youth in Action and of the European Solidarity Corps have the right to receive recognition for their participation and learning in the projects. The Youthpass certificate is the instrument which has been developed for this purpose.
Structure of the certificate
The Youthpass certificates are specific to the various types of non-formal learning projects, but the general structure of the certificate is the same. The Youthpass certificate is divided into three sections.
The first page confirms the participation in a given project and lists the main facts about the project. It also provides background information about the general context and value of the activity. It has to be signed by a legal representative of the organisation.
The second section informs about the project in more detail. The organisations in charge are mentioned, the aims, activities, and results of the project described. This part of the certificate has to be signed by the person responsible for the project.
In the third section, participants reflect upon their learning and the outcomes. They are encouraged to describe what they have learnt in the course of the project, adhering to the eight key competences for lifelong learning. If applicable, a dialogue partner is also invited to sign the third section. There is neither a limitation to how much the participants are allowed to write, nor do they have to include every single competence.
Click here to see the examples of the certificates.
Multilingualism
Youthpass certificates can be issued in several languages; it is also possible to issue one certificate in several languages. Supported by the National Agencies, the translations are work in progress and many are currently in the making. If you would like to enquire about a specific language, please contact our Helpdesk.
Youthpass certificates are currently available in the following languages.
Youth Exchanges, European Voluntary Service, and Mobility of Youth Workers
Croatian, Czech, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Erasmus+ Volunteering
Croatian, English, German, Spanish
Transnational Training and Cooperation Activities (TCA)
Croatian, Czech, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Youth in Policy Dialogue (Structured Dialogue meetings)
Croatian, Czech, English, French, German, Spanish
The political context of Youthpass
Youthpass has originally been developed in the context of the EU Youth in Action programme (2006-2013). In December of 2013, Erasmus+ was established as the Union’s programme for education, training, youth and sport, for the years 2014-2020. Besides formal education, Erasmus+ focuses also on non-formal and informal learning. The recognition of competences is an important part of the Erasmus+ legal text. Among other recognition instruments it specifically highlights Youthpass for the youth part of the programme.
In September 2018, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU adopted the European Solidarity Corps that offers young people the possibility to contribute to Europe's development through activities benefiting the society. Participating in the Solidarity Corps activities contributes to the competence development of the participants, which should be identified and documented through Youthpass, next to other possible tools.
The Youthpass certificate describes learning outcomes along the key competences for lifelong learning, which were first outlined in 2006 and revised in 2018: see Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning (2018). These key competences define a set of knowledge, skills and attitudes that each individual needs for personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment. Using this framework, Youthpass helps to build a bridge from non-formal and informal learning to other forms of education.
Furthermore, the political context of Youthpass includes the following documents:
- Adopted in 2012, the Council recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning suggests that the Union transparency tools (such as Youthpass) should be promoted in the process of establishing national systems for validation of non-formal and informal learning outcomes.
- In 2015, the Council conclusions on enhancing cross-sectorial policy cooperation to effectively address socio-economic challenges facing young people invite the EU Member States and the European Commission to explore the possibilities of mainstreaming the Youthpass certificate outside the Erasmus+ programme and using it as a national tool for recognition, if relevant.