Call for Applications
Mediterranean Youth in Action, MYA
SHAPING TRANSFORMATIVE NARRATIVES - STN
CALLING ALL ENTHUSIASTIC YOUNG SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CREATORS, DIGITAL STORYTELLERS & SOCIAL IMPACT COMMUNICATORS ACROSS THE EURO-MED!
Application deadline: 23 May 2026 (23:59 CET)
Read the full call and application form here
Info-session: 5 May 2026 at 12:00 pm CET here
FAQs here
About the MYA Programme
The Mediterranean Youth in Action (MYA) Programme of the Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF) embodies a dynamic approach toward fostering positive change in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Grounded in gaining experience and learning through action, MYA empowers young pioneers to become catalysts for transformation and advocates for societal progress. With a steadfast commitment to peer sharing and learning, MYA cultivates a vibrant community where young leaders collaborate, exchange ideas, and harness their collective potential.
Embracing a Euro-med vision, the Programme bridges cultural divides and promotes dialogue, understanding, and cooperation across borders. Through initiatives aimed at empowering young people to shape public policy and promote active citizenship, MYA positions youth as the true agents of change, envisioning a future where they play pivotal roles in shaping the societal landscape of the Mediterranean region.
About MYA – Shaping Transformative Narrative
STN is one of three components of the MYA Programme. Social media content creators, digital storytellers and social impact communicators shape opinions, trends, and behaviors everyday through what they post and whom they reach. Their platforms can also open space for positive dialogue and raise awareness on issues that matter to Euro-Mediterranean audiences.
Recognising this role, ALF is launching the third cycle of “Shaping Transformative Narratives”.. This call is designed to support young creators in transforming digital spaces into platforms for inclusive dialogues, challenging stereotypes, and strengthening mutual understanding across both shores of the Mediterranean.
What should the campaign be like?
Your social media campaign should be built around one clear idea with a strong Euro-Mediterranean relevance.
The campaigns should address relevant priorities introduced under the Pact for the Mediterranean (more info on https://north-africa-middle-east-gulf.ec.europa.eu/joint-communication-pact-mediterranean_en) such as:
Migration and human mobility
Socio-economic inclusion and inequalities
Employment, skills, and opportunities for youth
Digital transformation and resilience in the Euro-Mediterranean region
Peacebuilding, conflict resolution/prevention, coexistence and inclusive dynamics
Disinformation and misinformation in the Euro-Mediterranean region
Living together in the Euro-Mediterranean context
Youth engagement in participatory dialogues and decision-making processes in the Euro-Med
Ethics and governance of Artificial Intelligence technologies in the Euro-Mediterranean region
Social innovation as a catalyst for social inclusion in culturally diverse Euro-Med societies
Empowering women in the Euro-Med region as a way to challenge gender stereotypes
Integrating social dimensions in climate change policies in the Euro-Med region
International cultural relations and cultural diplomacy to bridge both shores of the Mediterranean Empowering women in the Euro-Med region as a way to challenge gender stereotypes
Creative industries and art
STN: Journey from application to real impact
The applicants will benefit from
1. Skills enhancement & capacity building opportunities
Strengthen your skills in strategic storytelling, content planning, and social media campaign design through a practical online training programme. And participate in an in-person kick-off meeting in one of the Euro-Med countries to refine campaign concepts through peer exchange and collective review, build connections, and prepare for the implementation phase.
2. Financial support (up to 35 selected content creators + 5 selected regional tandems)
EUR 4,000 to implement a national social media campaign.
Up to EUR 8,000 per tandem to implement a regional social media campaign, developed and delivered jointly with a peer from the other shore of the Mediterranean.
3. Networking opportunities
Connect with fellow creators, young leaders, researchers, and relevant stakeholders across the Euro–Mediterranean region, opening space for collaboration and future initiatives.
4. Evaluation and learning support
Receive continuous accompaniment and support. Engage in online intermediate sessions, ensuring timely and collaborative problem-solving. The ALF Secretariat is committed to supporting participants at every stage.
5. Enhanced visibility for your campaign
Actively contribute to other communication initiatives, creating diverse content to share your insights. These will include direct testimonies about your experiences and knowledge gained during your participation in the MYA Programme. The ALF Secretariat might also assign targeted communication tasks tailored to each content creator’s audience and formats. These tasks will allow creators’ content and insights to contribute to broader ALF communication activities, including other programmes and initiatives beyond MYA. An ad-hoc financial support will be provided for these contributions.
Additional benefits
1. Participation in Euro-Mediterranean dialogues and ALF Youth Conference
As a selected young content creator, your journey with ALF offers an exclusive opportunity to actively engage in participatory and policy dialogues and within the Euro-Mediterranean region. This includes participation in events such as: ALF Dialogues, ALF Youth Conference, etc.
The top performing content creators will have the opportunity to actively participate in dynamic events and dialogues organised at the Euro-Mediterranean scale, amplifying youth voices and perspectives, fostering dialogue and connecting with stakeholders and peers across the region.
Participating in these events not only enhances your visibility and network but also provides a unique platform to contribute to meaningful dialogues shaping the Euro-Mediterranean narrative.
2. MYA Alumni
Being pre-selected and completing the online training programme automatically grants you membership in the MYA Alumni scheme, a growing and dynamic community of young change-makers from across the Euro-Mediterranean region. As a MYA Alumnus/a, you will have the opportunity to attend and actively participate in Alumni activities, keeping you connected to the MYA network well beyond your initial engagement with the Programme.
The applicants will benefit from
1. Skills enhancement (50 pre-selected content creators)
Strengthen your skills in strategic storytelling, content planning, and social media campaign design through a practical online training programme delivered by communication experts. Participants will receive a certificate endorsed by the ALF Secretariat.
2. Face-to-face kick-off meeting (25 selected content creators)
Participate in an in-person kick-off meeting in one of the Euro-Med countries to refine campaign concepts through peer exchange and collective review, build connections, and prepare for the implementation phase.
3. Financial support (25 selected content creators+ 5 selected tandems)
EUR 4,000 to implement a national social media campaign.
Up to EUR 8,000 per tandem to implement a regional social media campaign, developed and delivered jointly with a peer from the other shore of the Mediterranean.
4. Networking opportunities:
Connect with fellow creators, young leaders, researchers, and relevant stakeholders across the Euro-Mediterranean region, opening space for collaboration and future initiatives.
5. Evaluation and learning support:
Receive continuous accompaniment and support. Engage in online intermediate sessions, ensuring timely and collaborative problem-solving. The ALF Secretariat is committed to supporting participants at every stage.
6. Targeted communication outputs:
Content creators will actively contribute to other communication initiatives, creating diverse content to share their insights. These will include direct testimonies about their experiences and knowledge gained during their participation in the MYA programme. the ALF Secretariat might also assign targeted communication tasks tailored to each content creator’s audience and formats. These tasks will allow creators’ content and insights to contribute to broader ALF communication activities, including other programmes and initiatives beyond MYA. An ad-hoc financial support will be provided for these contributions.
Eligible criteria
To be eligible, social media content creators and storytellers must:
- Be of age between 18 to 35;
- Have a strong social media presence (min. of 2,000 followers on each social media platform), and actively use storytelling and content creation to drive positive social impact tackling and highlighting community, local or regional issues and/or opportunities
- Be nationals of one of the 43 Member States of the Anna Lindh Foundation.
Applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will be disqualified.
Applicant could apply independently or through affiliation with a youth-led or youth-oriented organisation in the Euro-Mediterranean region (strong social media presence of the organization is required). However, MYA Programme empowers youth across Euro-med zone and therefore, works directly with the selected youth and not with organisation.
Application process
Submit your online application via the available online form only before 23 May 2026 23:59 Central European Time, CET. Ensure alignment with the criteria, demonstrating your commitment to driving positive change. In your application, you will need to outline a social media campaign idea focusing on how this idea can drive positive social impact and its expected outreach, limited to 500 words, following the guidelines provided in the online form.
Only complete applications, meeting the criteria and submitted before the deadline will be considered.
Please note that it is not possible to save the application as a draft or to make any changes after submitting it. By the set deadline, only the most recently submitted version of the application will be considered. The same applicant cannot submit more than one proposal under this call.
Applicants may only apply to ONE call under the MYA Programme that best reflects their profile. Submission of applications under more than one MYA call may result in the disqualification of all applications submitted.
Due to the expected high volume of applications, only pre-screened candidates will be contacted. There will be an info session scheduled for live questions and answers. In case you miss that or have any further questions or face any technical problems, please write to us at: mya.transformativenarratives@alfesecretariat.org
Selection criteria
Selection criteria will be based on the quality of applications received in terms of expected impact. The selection process is designed to ensure fairness, equal treatment, diversity, and relevance.
1- Campaign concept,objectives, and messaging (35%)
Clear and consistent campaign concept aligned with the selected thematic focus. This includes the strength of the narrative and messaging and how effectively they communicate the campaign’s purpose and intended impact.
2- Creativity & Innovation (25%)
Innovative elements of the campaign and its added value.
3- Relevance at the Euro-Med scale (15%)
How the campaign resonates with the broader Euro-Med context, taking into account the unique socio-cultural, economic, and political factors of the locality and those of the region.
4- Social Media Presence (25%)
A proven and active presence on social media platforms and the ability to engage audiences around meaningful topics.
ALF is dedicated to promoting an inclusive and non-discriminatory atmosphere. Applicants are encouraged to showcase how their campaigns contribute to diversity, inclusivity, and equal representation in their respective communities.
A gender and geographical balance between countries and regions will be observed. This commitment underscores our goal to create a diverse and equitable community, fostering sustainable and inclusive development in the Euro-Med region.
Important note: Due to the large number of applications expected, the limited resources available, and the aim of diversifying the beneficiaries, priority will be given to applications that did not receive funding in the previous “Mediterranean Youth in Action” and “Young Civil Society Leadership” Programmes calls launched in 2023, 2024 or 2025.
Please note that for the extended proposal phase, detailed selection criteria will be applied. They will be shared with the pre-selected applicants during the pre-selection and online training phas
Indicative timeline
23 April 2026 Launch of the call
5 May 2026 Information Session 5 May 2026 at 12:00 pm CET here
23 May 2026 Deadline for campaign idea submission
8 June 2026 Publication of the pre-screening results (around 75 campaign outlines)
June 2026 Online training
Early July 2026 Deadline for extended national campaign outline.
June-July 2026 Publication of the final selection results (around 35 campaigns)
September-October 2026 Face-to-face kick-off engagement meeting
October-December 2026 National Campaign Implementation
January 2027 Evaluation and selection regional campaigns
January-March 2027 Regional campaign selection and implementation
April-May 2027 Face-to-Face evaluation and results sharing meeting
*Please note that the timeline is indicative and may be subject to adjustments depending on the number of applications received and the overall evaluation process. The ALF Secretariat will make every effort to follow the proposed schedule while ensuring a fair and comprehensive selection process.
Background
The ALF,was created in 2005 as a Euro-Mediterranean intergovernmental organisation based in Alexandria. The ALF, inspired by Anna Lindh’s legacy, is committed to fostering intercultural dialogue within its mission of nurturing inclusive societies where diversity is celebrated and everyone’s voice is valued. By promoting peace, justice, and strong partnerships, the ALF strives to create a world where people from diverse backgrounds live in harmony through open and meaningful intercultural exchanges.
ALF brings together organisations, institutions, policy makers, and other change makers from all Euro-Med countries to open a dialogue and cooperate. People meet, learn, and collaborate, through the Foundation’s different Programmes and initiatives in different fields to empower them to create a chain of positive change that touches more lives and communities. Its action is grounded on the two main ALF bodies: Its National Civil Society Networks, with more than 4.500 members, and the 43 States of its Board of Governors.
Framework and financial allocation
This Programme is developed in the framework of the Action Grant “Mediterranean Youth in Action-MYA” ref. NDICI-GEO-NEAR/2023/448-134. The indicative overall amount allocated to this call is 246,000 euro. The ALF reserves the right to award the contracts subject to the availability of the funds and the favorable decision of a no-cost extension request to be approved by the EC.