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Croatia

4. Social Inclusion

4.4 Inclusive programmes for young people

Last update: 26 March 2026
On this page
  1. Programmes specific for vulnerable young people
  2. Funding
  3. Quality assurance
On this page
  1. Programmes for vulnerable young people
  2. Funding
  3. Quality assurance

Programmes specific for vulnerable young people

One of the priorities of the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth (MSEY) is to provide funds to support and operate youth organisations, further encouraging the work of youth associations and organisations to improve the quality of life of young people. In addition, the public call for national financing of projects targeting young people was published in 2025.

The 2025 Call for Proposals for Youth-Oriented Projects funded 142 projects across five priority areas:

  1. Active participation of young people in society
    1.1. Encouraging young people to actively participate in society (13 projects were awarded a total of €393.000.00).

        1.2. Local and regional programs for youth (4 projects were awarded a total of €98. 000.00).

         1.3. Youth and sustainable community development (7 projects were awarded a total of  €187.500.00).

         1.4. Employability and competitiveness of young people on the labor market and prevention of entry into NEET status (7 projects were awarded a total of                        €189.500.00).

  1. Youth counselling and information, organisation of leisure activities for youth, and support for community youth initiatives
    2.1. Youth information centres (7 projects were awarded a total of €199.000.00).
    2.2. Organising youth leisure activities through youth clubs (5 projects were awarded a total of €162.500.00).
    2.3. Youth centres (14 projects were awarded a total of €285.000.00 ).
  2. Implementation of youth oriented activities in rural areas (28 projects were awarded a total of €725.500.00)
  3. Prevention of violence against and among young people (37 projects were awarded a total of €1.116.500.00)
  4. Prevention of all forms of youth addiction (53 projects were awarded a total of €650. 000.00)

The specific objectives of the above-mentioned tenders are:

  • encouraging the creation of local and regional programs for young people
  • encouraging sustainable development and raising awareness among young people about the impact of their actions on the climate and the consequences of climate change on the environment and society
  • raising the level of information among young people about their rights and opportunities, about programs and services
  • ensuring quality leisure time for young people
  • improving skills and employability and reducing the risk of entering NEET status
  • improving the quality of life and opportunities in rural areas
  • reducing all forms of violence against and among young people
  • preventing all forms of addiction and behavioral addictions among young people (alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, gambling, games of chance, computer games, social networks, the Internet).

The target groups of the tender included, among others, unemployed young people, young people in NEET status and young people in rural areas.

Funding

The annual amount for calls varies depending on current financial obligations under previously agreed programmes and defined priorities. In 2022, for example, the total amount for the Call for Proposals across all priorities amounted to €1 459 950.89. Four projects within the priority area ‘Employability and competitiveness of young people in the labour market and prevention of entry into the NEET category’ were awarded a total of €53 089.12, while 23 projects within the priority area ‘Youth in rural areas’ were awarded a total of €291 990.18. Additionally, a new priority area introduced in 2021 was ‘Work with young people in areas affected by the earthquake’, and it continued in 2022, with 16 projects being awarded €159 267.37 in total. 

In addition to youth-oriented calls, in December 2019, the former Ministry for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy (MDFYSP) opened the Call for Proposals Focused on Reducing and Preventing Social Exclusion and Promoting Social Inclusion and Integration of Socially Vulnerable Groups for 2019/2020. This Call was aimed at non-profit organisations focusing on work with socially sensitive, vulnerable, and marginalised groups, as well as individuals with approved international protection, former prisoners,  older people, and homeless individuals. Youth organisations and organisations for youth could also apply for financial support for projects contributing to social inclusion if they aligned with the priority areas of this Call. The total planned value of the Call was HRK 6 500 000.00. The same Call was implemented for 2018/2019, and the total sum for 33 projects amounted to HRK 5 237 000.00.

The Call for proposal entitled ‘Support for Youth-oriented Programmes’  was opened in 2017 with the aim of increasing social inclusion of young people. The Call outlined programme activities as follows:

  • ensuring quality leisure time 
  • informing young people and providing counselling on relevant topics
  • youth violence prevention
  • improvement of social skills and competences development, contributing to the labour market competitiveness and social inclusion 
  • fostering active participation of young people in society

Total grants within this Call amounted to HRK 12 000 000.00 (with an 85%:15% ratio of European Union and national funding), which were secured through the European Social Fund, Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources. The public body in charge of the implementation of the Call was the former MDFYSP. The MDFYSP awarded 15 programmes within the priority area ‘Youth work-oriented activities’ and two programmes within the priority area ‘Establishment and activities of youth centres’ in May 2018.

The MDFYSP was in charge of implementing the following calls for proposals from the European Social Fund, Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources 2014-2020:

The Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds was the competent body for the implementation of the Call for Proposals Improving the Infrastructure of Social Services Providers for Children and Youth in Support of the Deinstitutionalisation Process – Phase 1, funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020. The Call was opened from 2016 to 2018. During that period, five projects were awarded a total of HRK 51 471 423.28.

In 2020, the former Ministry of Labour and Pension System opened the Call for Project Proposals ‘Find me!’ - Implementation of Activities to Reach and Educate Inactive Young People in NEET Status (UP.01.2.0.04). This Call was announced within the European Social Fund, Operational Programme Effective Human Resources 2014-2020, under the Priority Axis 1 – High Employability and Labour Mobility, Specific Objective 8.ii.1 – Increasing Employment and Rapid Integration of the NEET Group through the Youth Employment Initiative into the labour market. The Minister of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy and the Director of the Croatian Employment Service awarded 31 contracts with a total value of HRK 50 million within the Call to civil society organisations, public bodies, sports societies, etc. 

 

Quality assurance

Applicants whose projects were approved are obliged to submit a narrative and financial report to the competent public bodies, following the provisions of the financial support agreement.