Introduction of the African-German Youth Initiative

The targeted promotion of existing exchange programmes and voluntary services as well as the development of additional offers gives more young people the opportunity to take part in an exchange. With these additional mobility programmes, the AGYI is meeting its goal of quantitatively promoting youth exchanges. These encounters also open up new partnerships and strengthen existing ones. The content-related support on the AGYI-topics of partnership and dismantling stereotypes increases the quality of the exchanges.
Through the training of trainers, the strengthening of alumni networks, the networking of committed people and the development of quality standards, youth exchange and volunteer work is sustainably improved by the various institutions of the African-German Youth Initiative.

Governmental, non-governmental, rural, urban organisations, associations and religious communities: the spectrum of civil society and state actors involved in and interested in the AGYI is broad and the opportunities for participation are correspondingly diverse: The AGYI promotes the activities of civil society for more youth exchange and voluntary services. The AGYI sees itself as a partner, from the initial idea to the concrete implementation of the projects, and strives to make its range of offers inclusive and open for new target groups. In concrete terms, the AGYI supports the connection of civil society partners from African and German countries, promotes the expansion of networks of former volunteers and makes their voices heard, and gives civil society organisations the opportunity to take part in qualification measures and thus improve their programmes on national and international level.

The networking of governmental and civil society actors under the AGYI umbrella ensures a reliably high quality of exchanges. The focus is always on partnership, reciprocity, willingness to learn and respect. At the same time, the bundling of offers makes it easier for interested parties to find and select an individually suitable offer.

The AGYI works globally, dialogue-oriented, participative and cooperative. An important goal is structural support for equal partnerships between Germany and African countries. The goals of the AGYI are in line with the Agenda 2030 adopted by the international community in September 2015, under consideration the African Union’s Agenda 2063. In addition, the AGYI contributes to the implementation of the AU Youth Charter and to the implementation of the Action Plan of the African Youth Decade by the end of 2018.