​Youth exchanges bring together groups of young people from two or more countries, providing them with an opportunity to discuss and confront various themes while learning about each others' countries and cultures; they help you learn new skills and improve your CV.

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What?

​Groups of young people can organise a youth exchange with other young people from one or more EU country lasting five to 21 days. Young people from different countries meet and live together to jointly carry out a work programme designed and prepared by them before the exchange. This could be a mix of workshops, exercises, debates, role-plays, simulations and outdoor activities. They allow young people to develop competences; discover new cultures, habits and life-styles through peer-learning; and strengthen values like solidarity, democracy and friendship.

Who?

• ​You are aged between 13-30.
• You are in an organisation or group actively involved in youth work based in an Erasmus+ Programme country and falls into one of the following organisations or groups (legal entity):
  • Public bodies;
  • NGOs (CIC, CIO, registered charities, limited company - no share capital);
  • Unincorporated youth groups;
  • Private limited companies (some restrictions apply - more details on this will be given in application guidance notes, available January 2015);
  • Informal groups of young people (one member of the group must be aged 18-30).

Where?

Your activity could take place in any of the other 32 Programme Countries or in any of the Partner Countries neighbouring the EU.

​Funding

​Individuals receive funding to cover things such as travel, which varies depending on the country you visit and how long you stay.

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​Erasmus+ Key Action 1 - Mobility project for young people - Youth Exchanges

 Organisations active in the fields of education, training and youth receive support from the Erasmus+ Programme to carry out projects promoting different types of mobility.  "Youth Exchanges" is an opportunity allowing groups of young people between 13 and 30 years old, from different countries to meet and live together for up to 21 days. The groups jointly carry out a work programme (a mix of workshops, exercises, debates, role-plays, simulations, outdoor activities) designed and prepared by the participants before the Exchange. The aim is to make young people develop competences, become aware of socially relevant topics/thematic areas, discover new cultures, habits and life-styles, mainly through peer-learning, strengthen values like solidarity, democracy, friendship. Youth Exchanges are based on a transnational cooperation between two or more participating organisations from different countries within and outside the European Union.

Eligible participating organisations:

• non-profit organisation, association, NGO;
• European Youth NGO;
• social enterprise;
• public body at local level;
• group of young people active in youth work but not necessarily in the context of
• a youth organisation (i.e. informal group of young people);
• organisations;

Who can apply

• Public body at regional or national level;
• Association of regions;
• European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation;
• Profit-making body active in Corporate Social Responsibility.
• Any participating organisation or group established in a Programme Country can be the applicant. This organisation applies on behalf of all participating organisations involved in the project.
• A mobility activity should involve at least two participating organisations (sending and receiving organisation) from different countries.
• Activities within Programme Countries: all participating organisations must be from a Programme Country.
• Activities with Partner Countries neighbouring the EU: the activity must involve at least one participating organisation from a Programme Country and one participating organisation from a Partner Country neighbouring the EU.
• Either the sending organisation(s) or the receiving organisation(s) in each activity must be from the country of the National Agency receiving the application.

Eligible countries:

• 28 Member States of the European Union,
• Non EU Programme Countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
• Partner countries neighbouring the EU: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Territory of Ukraine as recognised by international law, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Territory of Russia as recognised by international law.

Eligible activities:

• Youth Exchanges.

Duration of project

• 3 to 24 months.

Where to apply:

• National Agency of the country in which the applicant organisation is established.

Deadlines:

• 2 February 2016 at 12 (midday Brussels time) for projects starting between 1 May and 30 September of the same year;
• 26 April 2016 at 12 (midday Brussels time) for projects starting between 1 August and 31 December of the same year;
• 4 October 2016 at 12 (midday Brussels time) for projects starting between 1 January and 31 May of the following year.

More info:

• Interested organisations should read the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.
• For further support they should contact the National Agency in their country.
• Individuals seeking to apply should contact their organisation, institution, or educational establishment.
• Find out more: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/discover/guide/index_en.htm

Source:

• https://eurodesk.eu/program/erasmuskey-action1-mobility-project-young-people-youth-exchanges