The ALMA Journey – Results, Reflections and Road Ahead
ALMA (Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve) is the European Union’s flagship initiative supporting young people who are not in employment, education or training to reconnect with opportunity. Launched by the European Commission President during the 2021 State of the Union speech, ALMA combines personalised coaching, a fully funded work-related learning experience abroad, and follow-up support to help vulnerable young people build confidence, develop new skills, and move towards education, training, or employment.
Since 2022, the EU-level call for transnational ALMA projects has supported 28 projects across 10 Member States, enabling mobility opportunities for 800 young people so far. Their stories illustrate the core strength of ALMA – real change, achieved through meaningful support.
To reflect on the results and future of the initiative, the European Competence Centre for Social Innovation, together with the European Commission, will host the high-level event “The ALMA Journey: Results, Reflections, and Road Ahead” on 2 December in Brussels. The event will bring together around 150 participants, including European policymakers, project operators, the young people who found new direction through ALMA, managing authorities, civil society organisations and representatives of the ALMA Network.
The purpose of the event is to present the results of the EU-level ALMA Call and highlight the initiative’s added value in addressing youth exclusion across Europe. It aims to showcase the achievements of ALMA projects, including the experiences of young participants, mentors and project operators. The event also aims to encourage wider uptake of ALMA by Member States, while promoting collaboration and exchange between the Managing Authorities of Member States and regions through the ALMA Network.
The event will feature:
- A keynote address by Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness at the European Commission.
- Welcome remarks by:
- Lilian Tschan, Permanent State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Germany
- Ulrika Hall, Chair of the Employment Committee (EMCO)
- Dr. Laura Girlevičienė, Director, Lithuanian European Social Fund Agency
- A panel discussion “ALMA Beyond Borders: European Vision, Local Action and Future Perspectives”
- A dedicated session on the results of all 28 transnational ALMA projects
- Interactive performances by ALMA project participants
- The ALMA Projects Market, showcasing the all 28 EU-funded ALMA projects
By bringing evidence, experience and voices together, the event aims to reinforce ALMA’s value as a catalyst for youth inclusion across Europe. It will support broader uptake of the initiative and inspire Member States to scale and integrate ALMA within their national programmes. Above all, it reaffirms a shared European commitment: to ensure that every young person, regardless of their starting point, has the chance to grow, to participate and to build a brighter future.
To find out more about the 28 transnational ALMA projects, visit https://socialinnovationplus.eu/transnational-calls/projects/