Youth Exchanges

How does it work?

Participants design their own programme of activities before the exchange, then work through the subject together in workshops, discussions and simulations. The method is non-formal and informal learning: doing rather than listening.

Young people can join a project abroad, and they can also run an international project at home. Groups are supported by group leaders, who must be at least 18.

An exchange gives young people room to build their competences, become aware of social issues and discover new cultures through peer learning; solidarity, democracy and friendship are the values of that space.

Every project moves through four stages: planning, where needs and learning outcomes are defined; preparing the participants; the exchange itself; and follow-up with evaluation. Young people take an active role in all of them.

Things worth knowing

• Each group has at least four participants, not counting the group leader.
• An exchange made up solely of young people with fewer opportunities can run with ten participants.
• Participants must be resident in the country of the organisation sending or hosting them.
• Two groups from two different countries are required, and each group has at least one group leader.
• At most two facilitators can take part in an activity.
• Where a preparatory visit is planned, it takes place in the host organisation's country with at most two people per group.
• An organisation may appear in at most five applications per deadline, as applicant or as partner.
• Learning outcomes are recorded with a Youthpass certificate, and projects must follow the Erasmus+ Youth Quality Standards.