YOUTH EXCHANGES

What are they and how to participate?

The Youth Exchanges are mobility projects of the Youth board, included in the Key Action 1 (Key1) of the European programm ERASMUS+.

What are they?

Youth Exchanges allow groups of young people from different countries to meet and live together for a maximum of 21 days. During a Youth Exchange, participants join a complete work program (a combination of seminars, exercises, debates, role plays, simulations, outdoor activities, etc.) designed and prepared by themselves before the Exchange . Youth Exchanges allow young people to: develop skills; become aware of socially relevant topics / thematic areas; discovering new cultures, habits and lifestyles, especially through peer learning; strengthening values such as solidarity, democracy, friendship, etc. The learning process in Youth Exchanges is determined by non-formal education methods. Youth Exchanges are based on transnational cooperation between two or more participating organizations from different countries inside and outside the European Union.

Duration

From 5 to 21 days, excluding travel time.

Sometimes it may happen that before an exchange you make a:

Advanced Preparatory Visit (APV):

that is a meeting done in the country hosting the exchange, which lasts on average 2-3 days in which the leaders of each national group together with one participant per country meet to get to know each other, to decide how to develop the exchange, talk about the activities, the program, the choice of the participants and, in general, of all the important aspects for the success of the project

Those who participate in the APV also participate in the exchange.

The economic conditions are the same as for an exchange.

Participants

Young people aged between 13 and 30 from the countries of sending and receiving organizations.

Minimum 16 and maximum 60 participants (leader of the group not included).

Minimum 4 participants per group (group leader not included).

Each national group must have at least one leader. A leader of a group is an adult and therefore has no age limit, which accompanies young people who participate in the exchange of young people to ensure their effective learning, protection and security.

Where

The activity must take place in the country of one of the participating organizations.

How to participate

Participants can participate in exchanges through organizations or associations that promote exchanges. Exchanges can also be proposed by informal groups of young people.

Costs

Participants will get reimbursed part of the travel costs, from their place of origin to the place of business and back, based on travel distances.

Food and accomodation are covered by the hosting organisation.

Priorities 2020

With regard to Youth Mobility and Youth Work projects, the following priorities are established:

- achievement of marginalized young people, promotion of diversity, intercultural and interreligious dialogue;

- promotion of: common values of freedom, tolerance and respect for human rights, critical thinking and the spirit of initiative of young people;

- prevention of violent radicalization of young people.

Youthpass

Each participant is entitled to receive a "Youthpass" certificate, which describes and validates the non-formal and informal learning experience and the results obtained during the project (learning outcomes).