Jump IN: How to develop Youth Exchange projects!?

Do you work with young people? Are you aware of a number of  funding opportunities offered within the Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme? Then this Training course is for you!

This training offers an international learning experience for youth work practitioners who want to learn about the opportunities of Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme. It will develop competencies in setting up quality Youth Exchange projects for young people with fewer opportunities.

Jump In will provide a strong positive first experience of international youth work and motivate participants to use the Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme.

Context of the TC

The Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme offers a wide range of international learning opportunities for young people: learning mobility of individuals is considered to bring long lasting benefits to the participants and the organizations involved and should ideally be accessible to everyone. Nevertheless it is often the case that young people and youth organizations do not know about these opportunities. The Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme is a Programme for all, and efforts should be made to include young people with fewer opportunities.

Jump In will increase the impact of youth work by promoting Erasmus+: Youth Exchanges as a tool and to disseminate non formal education. Its principles and methods are to empower young people with fewer opportunities as real actors of the society.

Together with participants we want to take a look to their local realities and think about youth exchanges that can have a larger impact and be more accessible to everyone, in order to create a solid bridge between the Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme and young people with fewer opportunities.

The objectives of this project are:

• To provide basic information about the Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme for newcomers focusing on Youth exchange activities and their potential to enhance new possibilities for young people with fewer opportunities.
• To allow participants to learn and practice methods to work with young people in various youth exchange situations.
• To reflect on the power of words and how to communicate meaningfully with young people.  
• To learn how to organize creative activities with little resources, helping participants map out all the resources in their community that can be used during Youth Exchange projects.
• To share experiences and good practices at local/ regional level and adapting it to an international context.

Methodology

The training will be a learning-by-doing experience. The methodology will focus on non-formal education. We will create a space where the participants and trainers can learn from each other: workshops, info sessions, activities to improve the group dynamics, individual and group reflection, open space, design thinking.

The trainers’ team will create a learning space, where participants will create the main input/ content from their local and regional perspective to build youth exchange projects.

We invite all those working directly with young people to join this training and learn more about Erasmus+: Youth in action programme, more specifically Youth Exchanges. This training course is for newcomers into this program to develop their competencies in setting up quality Youth Exchange projects for young people with fewer opportunities.

We also invite people who are curious and motivated about setting up impactful Youth Exchanges to join.

Participants Profile:

• Professional or volunteer youth workers.
• Preferable linked to a youth organization.
• Motivated to learn about and make use of the Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme with young people with fewer opportunities.
• Minimum 18 years old.
• Able to use English as a working language in order to establish effective communication during group-work and sessions.
• To attend the full duration of the training.
• Willing to work on the quality of their international projects.