Youth Exchanges are meetings of groups of young people from at least two different countries who gather for a short period to implement jointly a non-formal learning programme (a mix of workshops, exercises, debates, role-plays, simulations, outdoor activities, etc.) on a topic of their interest, seeking inspiration from the European Youth Goals. The learning period comprises a planning period before the application, preparation phase before as well as evaluation and follow-up after the exchange.
Goal:
Engaging and empowering young people to become active citizens, connecting them to the European project, and helping them to acquire and develop competences for life and their professional future.
Topics:
Topics can vary a lot, and they address issues that are relevant to the European Union. Here the complete list:
- Access for disadvantaged
- Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
- Civic engagement / responsible citizenship
- Cooperation between educational institutions and business
- Creativity and culture
- Cultural heritage
- Disabilities – special needs
- Early School Leaving / combating failure in education
- Economic and financial affairs (incl. funding issues)
- Energy and resources
- Enterprise, industry and SMEs (incl. entrepreneurship)
- Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education
- Environment and climate change
- Ethics, religion and philosophy (incl. Inter-religious dialogue)
- EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy
- Gender equality / equal opportunities
- Health and wellbeing
- Home and justice affairs (human rights & rule of law)
- ICT – new technologies – digital competences
- Inclusion – equity
- Integration of refugees
- Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning
- International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation
- Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills
- Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment
- Migrants’ issues
- Natural sciences
- New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses
- Open and distance learning
- Overcoming skills mismatches (basic/transversal)
- Pedagogy and didactics
- Post-conflict/post-disaster rehabilitation
- Quality and Relevance of Higher Education in Partner Countries
- Quality Assurance
- Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development)
- Reaching the policy level/dialogue with decision makers
- Recognition (non-formal and informal learning/credits)
- Recognition, transparency, certification
- Regional dimension and cooperation
- Research and innovation
- Romas and/or other minorities
- Rural development and urbanisation
- Social dialogue
- Social entrepreneurship / social innovation
- Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions
- Teaching and learning of foreign languages
- Transport and mobility
- Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)
Objectives of youth exchanges:
- Foster intercultural dialogue and learning and feeling of being European;
- Develop skills and attitudes of young people;
- Strengthen European values and breaking down prejudices and stereotypes;
- Raise awareness about socially relevant topics and thus stimulate engagement in society and active participation.
…”Okay, I understand, a lot of words, but can I see an example?”
Of course! Check the link below, it’s related to a youth exchange implemented by Associazione Kora some years ago.
