A pilot activity is an “intervention”, i.e. an activity addressing a contextual societal challenge affecting young people at local level. It should be based on innovation or on replication of best practices for example. These activities should have clear links to and an impact on the local context and correspond to focused themes of the Council of Europe youth programme (please refer to the priorities for the Council of Europe’s youth sector for 2016-2017).

When assessing applications for pilot activities taking place in 2017, the EYF will pay particular attention to activities developed with local authorities or social services/workers, and projects presented by young people trained in the European Youth Centres or by local NGOs supported by an international/European youth NGO. The priority themes for 2017 are the following:

1. Building inclusive and peaceful societies

• Initiatives contributing to the Council of Europe Action Plan on Building Inclusive Societies, notably those supporting social inclusion and participation strategies for and with young migrants and refugees and involving the local communities.
• Initiatives combating gender inequalities and gender-based violence, with a special focus on the vulnerability of young women refugees and migrants.
• Initiatives strengthening social cohesion in multicultural settings, creating political and social environments valuing diversity and conducive to dialogue and understanding among communities.
• Activities responding to stigmatisation and discrimination of/by young people based on religion or on ethnic or other grounds (Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Romaphobia, homophobia, sexism, etc).
• Conflict transformation activities and activities aiming to strengthen youth NGOs in conflict and post-conflict settings.

2. Combating extremism and radicalisation

• Youth activities and training courses developed at local level with/for schools, prisons and detention centres, vulnerable neighbourhoods, places of worship, etc, and contributing to the Council of Europe Action Plan to fight against violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism.
• Youth activities supporting the No Hate Speech Movement in member States of the Council of Europe, in particular in co-operation with the national campaign committees (where they exist) or which are carried out by young people trained by the Council of Europe.

Local projects which meet the EYF quality standards but focus on other issues while still contributing to the 2016-2017 priorities of the youth sector will also be considered for support.