My Department provides annual funding for the support of national voluntary youth organisations and their services, special projects for disadvantaged young people, youth information centres as well as other youth related activities. Funding in 1995 is £12.615 million. Funding is not provided, as such, for youth services under the EU-aided operational programmes. However, the measures funded by my Department under the operational programmes for human resources development, tourism and industrial development contribute significantly to the enhancement of educational and vocational training services for young people. The overall funding available to the education sector under these operational programmes is set out in the following table.
The community initiatives are intended to support measures which will help solve problems having a particular impact at European level. They support the development of transnational, cross-border and inter-regional co-operation and provide for a "bottom-up" approach to implementation. Youth organisations and groups are eligible to apply for funding under the following Community initiatives: the employment community initiative (Horizon, NOW and Youthstart); the adapt community initiative; the INTERREG community initiative (Cross Border and Maritime); the special community initiative in support of the peace process.