International Countryside

Working with young people requires suitable practices and resources, but it also creates impact that only young people can create. In this activity you will look at important values and applicable principles behind youth activities and agree on common practices in involving young people in future cooperation.

You will also meet potential partners to future international activities and initiate ideas for cooperation. You will understand how Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps funding can help you to activate your young people and develop your work.

Objectives

• Exploring the principles and values for working with youth
• Learn participative practices that involve and encourage youth
• Share examples and practices of local and international youth activities
• Discover funding opportunities for international youth activities
• Find potential partners for future international activities
• Come up with project ideas and design the next steps

Programme

This activity combines elements of visits, training sessions, discussions, group work and partnership building. 

• Arrival June 8 
• Activity days  June 9-11
• Departure June 12

The acvitity will be hosted in a rural setting in Southern Finland.

If the participants find partners for future activities and they already have a project idea, they can join a Project Lab organised in Lithuania in November 2026. The partnerships can work on their project ideas and prepare for applying. 

Profile of participants

This event is primarily aimed for Leader LAG organisations, and those applicants will be prioritised.

If you represent a municipal youth work organisation and you work together with your local LAG, you could be a good participant as well.

Your role has to link to youth work or interest in involving young people in the LAG work. The activity is not open for representatives of formal education, individuals who have no link to a LAG or municipal youth work organisation.

• over 18 years old
• represent a Leader LAG or a municipality working with a LAG
• relevant and active role in the organisation
• interested to develop youth work practices
• Interested to form partnerships for future international activities

Small steps for a better world 

In our activities we support the principle of a safer space, where no one is discriminated or bullied because of their background or person. We want you to respect the same principle. 

We want to enable the participation of people with all kinds of abilities. When moving around in rural settings, all places may not be accessible. Please contact us so we can see if we can cater for your needs. 

We also strive to make the world a little bit greener. This is why we are primarily choosing vegetarian or otherwise sustainable diets whenever possible. We also encourage you to consider travelling to the destination on land as much as possible.