This week we are celebrating!
The volunteer number 900 was deployed for supporting territorial cooperation in the interreg framework. This volunteer, Jip – currently an IVY Reporter for the programme Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland –, shared her thoughts on her experience:
“Volunteering with IVY is a valuable experience because it teaches me what the EU is doing on a regional level, directly with citizens, businesses and organisations. Moreover, I am learning how projects are set-up and coordinated. I also get to meet different stakeholders from the different projects all over the programme area through my rapporteurship.”
Launched in 2017, the IVY initiative has played an important role in enhancing the social dimension of Territorial Cooperation across Europe. By deploying motivated young volunteers at the heart of Interreg programmes and projects, IVY has not only enriched cooperation with fresh perspectives and innovative ideas but also fostered a sense of European unity and solidarity.
Managed by the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) on behalf of the European Commission’s DG Regio, IVY has been an important actor in promoting cooperation across borders and regional development for the last 7 years. Our team has shared their wishes for the continuity of the programme:
“I see the future of IVY going in parallel with the future of Interreg: I wish Interreg to be completely co-shaped by professionals and young people, so to ensure that the actions we undertake today respond to the challenges we will face in the near future, enabling an intergenerational approach in fighting the current challenges of our regions, in the principle of solidarity. This can be achieved through IVY, in a future where each Interreg programme and project hosts a volunteer!”
“IVY has changed the perception and involvement of many volunteers with territorial matters. It is often the first contact they have with territorial cooperation and how it can change the realities of many border regions inhabitants. What I wish for the future of IVY is expansion. I wish for more young people the opportunity to get involved and empowered for equality guided actions and decision-making.”
The IVY team is proud of this milestone and take the opportunity to thank the +70 programmes, +320 projects and 900 volunteers who co-shaped territorial cooperation in Europe and its neighbours. Together, they make the importance of the involvement of youth in territorial cooperation evident, expressing the core of IVY: solidarity and cooperation.
