In short
- Taking part is free: the Erasmus+ grant pays for the programme, your accommodation, your meals and your travel (up to the Erasmus+ limits).
- When we book and pay for your travel in advance, we ask for a 50 EUR deposit, which you get back after the exchange.
- You pay for your own travel insurance and for anything personal, like snacks or extra days.
- Keep your tickets and receipts and send them to us after the activity, so we can pay you back.
- No alcohol or drugs, respect quiet hours, and join every session. Breaking the rules can mean being sent home at your own cost.
- At the end you get a Youthpass certificate that shows what you learned.
These terms apply to everyone who takes part in a youth exchange or training course organised by Asociația Elemdiar, or who goes abroad with us to an activity run by one of our partners. Please read them before you apply. If something is unclear, ask us: we would rather explain now than surprise you later.
When we send you to an activity hosted by one of our partners, the host organisation's own rules also apply. We share them with you before you go.
What our activities are
Youth exchanges
A youth exchange is a meeting of groups of young people from at least two countries. For a short time you live and learn together through a programme of workshops, games, debates, role plays, simulations and outdoor activities on a topic you all care about. The topics are inspired by the European Youth Goals (the priorities young Europeans set for the EU's youth policy).
A youth exchange is more than the days you spend together. It also includes:
- planning, before the project is submitted for funding;
- preparation, before the activity starts;
- evaluation and follow-up, after you come home.
Training courses
A training course is for youth workers, educators, trainers and active volunteers who want to get better at working with young people. It mixes short inputs, hands-on learning, workshops and learning from each other. The aim is to build skills, meet people from other organisations and raise the quality of youth work across Europe.
Both youth exchanges and training courses are funded by Erasmus+, the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport, and follow the same standards of quality, safety and inclusion.
Who can take part
- Youth exchanges are for young people aged 18 to 25 who are interested in the topic and ready to take part in every phase (planning, preparation, the activity itself and follow-up). Some projects accept a slightly different age range; each call says exactly who it is for.
- Training courses are for youth workers, educators, trainers and NGO staff or volunteers aged 18 or over.
- You do not need to speak perfect English. Improving how you communicate in other languages is one of the things these projects are for.
How we choose participants is explained in our Selection Procedure. The main points:
- Everyone fills in an application form with their contact details, background, motivation and experience.
- For youth exchanges, we usually give priority to people with little or no Erasmus+ experience. If you have done several projects already, we will invite you to take an active role instead, for example as a group leader, facilitator or media coordinator.
- For training courses, we look at your motivation, how relevant the course is to your work, and the difference it can make for your organisation and community.
- Selection is fair, open and free from discrimination. We aim for a gender balance and an inclusive group.
- We support young people with fewer opportunities (young people who face obstacles such as low income, disability, health problems or living in a remote area) to take part fully. We keep their circumstances confidential and offer extra mentoring and practical help.
- We tell every applicant the result by email.
Group leaders and trainers
Every national group in a youth exchange has at least one group leader. The group leader supports and looks after the participants during the whole activity, so that everyone is safe, included and learning.
A group leader must:
- be 18 or older (there is no upper age limit);
- speak English at B2 level or higher (B2 means you can follow and join a normal conversation with confidence);
- have experience working with young people, for example as a youth worker, trainer, teacher or volunteer.
For training courses, we choose trainers and facilitators based on their professional background, their expertise and their ability to run non-formal learning.
What you learn and how it is recognised
Our activities use non-formal education: learning by doing, outside a classroom, through activities you choose to take part in. You will be active, learn with people from other cultures and build skills for life and work.
Through our projects you:
- develop personal, social and professional skills;
- take part in dialogue between cultures and learn what European citizenship can mean;
- work on topics that matter in society and practise being active in your community.
When you complete the activity you receive a Youthpass certificate. Youthpass is the official Erasmus+ tool for recognising what you learned, and you can add it to your CV.
Money: what is covered and what is not
The project is funded by an EU Erasmus+ grant. Erasmus+ works on the principle of co-financing, which means the grant covers most costs but not every cost.
The grant covers:
- the organisation of the project and the materials;
- accommodation and meals at the venue;
- travel, up to the Erasmus+ distance limits.
You pay for:
- your own travel insurance. There is no participation fee, and the insurance counts as your contribution to the project;
- anything not directly linked to the activity, such as personal snacks, entertainment, extra luggage or extra days before or after the project.
We work to remove money as a barrier, especially for young people with fewer opportunities. If cost is a worry for you, tell us before you apply.
No double funding. EU rules do not allow the same cost to be paid twice from EU funds. You must confirm that you are not taking part in another EU-funded mobility at the same time.
Deposit
When we organise and pay for your travel in advance, we ask for a deposit of 50 EUR to confirm your place. It is not a fee: you get it back after the exchange.
If you have to cancel
Tell us as soon as possible, so someone else can take your place.
- If you cancel for a serious or medical reason, we send your deposit back.
- If you cancel for any other reason, we use your deposit to pay for changing the ticket to the name of the person who replaces you.
Travel
- We encourage green travel: bus, train or sharing a car instead of flying.
- The organisers and group leaders plan the routes together, thinking about the environment, safety and cost.
- Whenever possible, participants from the same country travel together with their group leader.
- For some projects we book and pay for your tickets; for others you buy them yourself, following the route we agree with you, and we pay you back (see "Getting your travel costs back" below).
- Pack for the place and the season, and bring your own toiletries. Leave valuables at home unless you really need them.
Where you stay
- Activities usually take place in simple tourist or educational accommodation with shared rooms.
- You will share a room with 3 to 6 people, usually separated by gender.
- Internet may be limited. We see that as a chance to disconnect and be fully present.
- You are responsible for keeping your room and the shared spaces clean and tidy.
- If you damage something through carelessness, you pay for it.
- Quiet hours are from 23:00 to 06:00. Please respect them so everyone can rest.
Food
- You get three meals a day, often local food.
- Clean drinking water is available the whole time.
- Tell us about any dietary needs (vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, allergies and so on) before the activity. We will do our best, but we cannot always guarantee it because of what the local kitchen can provide.
Getting your travel costs back
- We pay back only the cheapest reasonable route between your home city (or the city of your sending organisation) and the venue.
- Only public transport tickets count. Taxis, parking, seat reservations and business class are not covered.
- Keep all your tickets, invoices and boarding passes, and send them to us after the activity. We tell you the exact deadline for each project.
- You must attend the whole activity to get your travel costs back.
- We pay you back up to the Erasmus+ limit for the distance you travelled.
Safety
- You are responsible for your own belongings. We are not responsible for theft or loss.
- Only registered participants and staff may enter the activity venue.
- Dangerous items, such as weapons, alcohol and flammable substances, are not allowed.
- You must have valid health and travel insurance for the whole mobility, including your travel days.
- If a project accepts participants under 18, they must bring a signed consent form from a parent or guardian.
More about how we keep you safe is in our Safety and Wellbeing commitments.
How we expect you to behave
- No alcohol, drugs or other mood-altering substances.
- Smoking is allowed only in the outdoor areas marked for it.
- Be respectful. No offensive language or behaviour.
- Take care of the accommodation and the area around it.
- Be on time and take part in every session.
If you break these rules:
- You get a first warning. If you are under 18, we also inform your parents or your sending organisation.
- If it happens again, you may be sent home straight away.
If you are sent home, you pay for your return journey and any related costs yourself.
Final points
- Reports. Everyone (participants, youth workers, group leaders and trainers) must fill in the European Commission's final report and any other Erasmus+ evaluation forms.
- Photos and videos. We take photos and videos during activities. Elemdiar and other Erasmus+ organisations may use them for education, to share project results and to promote the programme. We ask for your consent before publishing material in which you can be recognised, and you can ask us to remove it at any time, as our Privacy Policy explains.
- Sharing what you learned. When you get home, you agree to share and promote the project results in your community.
- Your personal data. You agree that we process your personal data under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We store it securely and use it only to run and report on the project. Our Privacy Policy explains this in detail.
- EU disclaimer. The European Commission's support for this project does not mean it endorses the content, which reflects only the views of the authors. The Commission is not responsible for any use of the information in it.
Questions?
Write to us at [email protected].