Youth Work Ireland Midlands has been actively engaging in international programmes in the last number of years.  We have participated in Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Programmes offering young people, staff and volunteers opportunities to learn, travel and build a sense of European belonging.

 

Erasmus+ 2021-2027

Enriching lives, opening minds through the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport

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Erasmus+ mobility has positive effects on educational, social, personal and professional development, in that it enhances knowledge, skills and attitudes, improves employability, helps confidence-building and independence, stimulates curiosity and innovation, fosters the understanding of other people, and builds a sense of European belonging. 30% of the budget will be invested in cooperation projects and policy development activities where organisations gain experience in international cooperation, strengthen their capacities, produce innovative approaches, exchange good practices and network. Through these actions, Erasmus+ will play an important role in strengthening resilience and supporting recovery and innovation in the fields of education, training, youth and sport*

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*European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Erasmus+ 2021-2027 : enriching lives, opening minds through the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport, Publications Office, 2021,

 

 

 

 

European Solidarity Corps

 

The European Voluntary Service Programme (EVS) was an EU funded programme for 18-30 year olds. Now supported as one of 3 strands under European Solidarity Corps

 

Here at Youth Work Ireland Midlands, we support volunteers that would like to be sent to a project to gain valuable competence in a range of areas that are relevant to life and career interests. 

 

You are not expected to have qualifications in any particular area and you cannot be excluded because you don't have such a qualification. In the end, however, we will select the volunteer(s) and work with partners within our own trusted network.

 

We have experience sending volunteers to Cyprus since 2014 and will be continuing our partnerships with many of our partners across Europe.

 

Youth Exchanges

 

Youth Exchanges allow groups of young people from different countries to meet and live together for a period of 5 days up to 21 days. Participants carry out a work programme prepared before the exchange.

 

Ideal for first and short-term mobility experience, to test and improve your intercultural skills, improve language skills.

 

You can benefit of it if you are a young person aged 13-30.

 

You can go to  any EU country and partner country of the Erasmus+ programme (almost the whole world).

And  will receive complete financial support. There may be a contribution to part of travel costs.

 

When you come back, you will have gained

• New competences and life skills

• Awareness about other cultures and socially relevant topics

• A network of like-minded young people with whom you can develop further projects

• Awareness of the European Union youth programme and opportunities

• Confidence to undertake long-term mobility