Selection procedure

In short

• We choose people for their motivation and commitment, not for their CV or status.
• For youth exchanges you need no previous experience or special skills.
• If two people are equally motivated, we may give priority to someone with fewer opportunities, or choose to keep the group gender-balanced.
• Need help with the application form? Ask us and we will help.
• Everyone hears back by email, and you can ask for feedback.

We want the selection for our activities to be fair and open, and we want you to know exactly how it works. This page explains how we share opportunities, what we look at when you apply and how we let you know the result. It applies to both youth exchanges and training courses.

Our Non-Discrimination Policy sits alongside this procedure and explains the principles behind it.

How we share our calls

• We share every opportunity widely: on our website, through partner organisations, on social media and in our newsletter, so it reaches many different people.
• We use inclusive, gender-neutral language and images that show a range of people.
• We write in clear, simple language and, where we can, follow web accessibility standards (WCAG, the international guidelines for making websites usable by people with disabilities).
• We work with partner organisations across Europe, including organisations that work with young people with fewer opportunities, so that the call reaches people who might not otherwise hear about it.
• We design each project so that people from different backgrounds and cultures meet and work together.

Applying

Everyone applies through the same application form. You tell us your contact details, your background, your motivation and your experience. If you find the form hard to fill in, or you are not sure what a question means, contact us and we will help you.

Our projects are learning opportunities, not academic competitions. You do not need to be the "best" candidate to be selected.

What we look at

Motivation and commitment

• We look at your motivation, your interest in the topic and your willingness to take part in every phase: preparation, the activity itself, follow-up and sharing the results.
• In the form, we ask you why the topic matters to you, what you expect and how you plan to share what you learn when you get home.
• Motivation and enthusiasm are the most important factors.

Your potential, not your past

• We look at who you are and what you could bring, not at your previous experience or status.
• We value people who want to grow, take part actively and work with others.
• We focus on learning and development, not on competition.
• No personal characteristic (such as gender, religion, nationality, level of education or social background) is ever a reason to exclude you.

Skills

• Youth exchanges: no previous skills are needed. These activities exist to support your personal development, so we look at your motivation and willingness to learn.
• Training courses: because participants are youth workers, educators and trainers, we look at your professional skills and experience, to make sure you can contribute to the group's learning. We also consider the impact the course can have on your organisation and community.

Experience with Erasmus+

For youth exchanges, we usually give priority to people with little or no Erasmus+ experience. If you have already taken part in several projects, we will encourage you to take an active role, for example as a group leader, facilitator or media coordinator.

When two applicants are equally motivated

If we have to choose between applicants who are equally motivated, we may give priority to:

• a young person with fewer opportunities, meaning someone who faces social, economic, geographical or educational barriers, in line with the Erasmus+ inclusion goals; or
• an applicant who helps keep the group gender-balanced.

Hearing back

• Every applicant hears back by email, in good time and in a respectful way, whether you were selected or not.
• If you would like feedback, ask us. We can tell you what was strong in your application and what you could improve.
• We communicate with care and professionalism, and we respect every applicant.

You hear from us within 3 weeks after the call closes, at the latest.

How we keep the process fair

• Our team and our partner organisations receive regular training on inclusion, unconscious bias and fair assessment.
• We keep track of who takes part (in an anonymised way, so no one can be identified) to check that our activities are diverse and inclusive.
• After each activity we ask participants for feedback, to find what we can improve and how inclusive the project really was.
• We review our process regularly so it keeps up with what participants need.

Questions?

Write to us at [email protected].