L’associazione Scambieuropei ha preso parte a questo importante percorso europeo in qualità di partner italiano, curando in prima persona la selezione, la preparazione e la gestione dei gruppi di partecipanti e Group Leader che hanno rappresentato l’Italia durante i tre scambi giovanili (A5, A6 e A7) realizzati in Romania insieme all’organizzazione Initiative Sociale.

Project Overview

Initiative Sociale Association concludes the third year of its Erasmus+ Youth Accreditation: 126 people involved in three European youth mobilities

Initiative Sociale Association has concluded the third year of implementation of its Erasmus+ Accreditation in the Youth field, continuing the journey that began when the organisation obtained its accreditation in 2023. Through the accreditation, the organisation aims to provide young people with continuous opportunities for non-formal learning, international mobility, inclusion, and personal and professional development.

During this accreditation year, three international Youth Exchanges were implemented, A5 “LevelUP: Rural Youth in Action”, A6 “LevelUP: Ready4Work” and A7 “LevelUp: Create Your Own Path”, addressing entrepreneurship, employability and the development of skills that yong people need to build their own professional paths.

Key Achievements & Impact

• Inclusion and ReachAcross the three mobilities, 126 people were involved, including 99 participants (78.6%), alongside group leaders and other people involved in the implementation of the activities. One of the most significant results of the third accreditation year was the level of access provided to young people with fewer opportunities. Of the 99 participants, 68 were young people with fewer opportunities (YFO), representing approximately 69% of all participants.This reflects the strong focus placed on inclusion throughout the mobilities. Young people facing economic, social, cultural or geographical barriers, as well as NEETs – young people not in education, employment or training – were particularly encouraged to participate. For activities focusing on rural entrepreneurship, additional priority was given to young people from rural areas.
• Environmental SustainabilitySustainability was another important dimension of the accreditation year: 59 out of the 126 people involved used green travel, representing approximately 47% of the total. Green travel options encouraged within the projects included travelling by bus, train or car-pooling.

The LevelUP Mobility Series

• A5 – LevelUP: Rural Youth in ActionThe first mobility, “LevelUP: Rural Youth in Action”, took place between 18 and 28 September 2025 in Vatra Dornei, Argestru, Romania, bringing together young people and group leaders from seven European countries. The project focused on rural entrepreneurship, helping young people better understand the challenges and opportunities within rural communities and encouraging them to transform their ideas into concrete initiatives. Through non-formal education methods and interactive activities, participants developed competences such as creativity, teamwork, critical thinking and initiative, while also working on the development of business plans. The project furthermore promoted intercultural cooperation and the exchange of ideas among young people from different European backgrounds.
• A6 – LevelUP: Ready4WorkThe second mobility, “LevelUP: Ready4Work”, took place between 23 October and 2 November 2025 in Vatra Dornei, Argestru, Romania, focusing on one of the key challenges facing European youth: integration into the labour market. The activities supported participants in developing the personal and professional competences required to enter and adapt to an evolving labour market. Communication, teamwork, critical thinking, initiative, adaptability, creativity and problem-solving were among the skills addressed through non-formal learning. Participants were also encouraged to better understand the dynamics of the European labour market, the challenges faced by young people and the active role they can play in shaping their own professional futures.
• A7 – LevelUp: Create Your Own PathThe third Youth Exchange, “LevelUp: Create Your Own Path”, took place between 27 April and 7 May 2026 in Argestru, Vatra Dornei, Romania, continuing the direction established by the previous mobilities by creating a direct connection between entrepreneurship and employability. The mobility aimed to empower young people, particularly those facing employment challenges, to better adapt to changes in the European labour market and strengthen their ability to create their own opportunities. Throughout the project, participants developed communication and pitching skills, teamwork, problem-solving and creative thinking competences. They also worked on clarifying their professional direction and developing a personal branding profile reflecting their competences, core values and targeted employment or entrepreneurial field.

Summary & Looking Ahead

Together, the three mobilities created a learning journey that started with identifying opportunities within local communities and exploring rural entrepreneurship, continued with preparation for the labour market, and ultimately focused on empowering young people to define and build their own professional or entrepreneurial paths.

Beyond professional skills, the mobilities provided international learning environments in which young people could collaborate, exchange perspectives and develop social and intercultural competences. Inclusion, tolerance, solidarity, international cooperation and active participation were common elements throughout all three projects.

With 126 people involved, 69% of participants coming from fewer-opportunity backgrounds and 47% of all people involved using green travel, the third year of the Erasmus+ Youth Accreditation reinforces Initiative Sociale Association’s commitment to making European mobility opportunities more accessible, relevant and sustainable for young people.

The results of the three mobilities go beyond the completion of the activities themselves. Participants’ experiences, project results, dissemination activities, materials developed throughout the mobilities, as well as further information about A5 “LevelUP: Rural Youth in Action”, A6 “LevelUP: Ready4Work” and A7 “LevelUp: Create Your Own Path” are available on our blog: https://levelup-youth-project.blogspot.com/

Website: www.initiative-sociale.ro

The Erasmus+ Youth Accreditation therefore continues to provide a framework for international learning experiences that enable young people not only to acquire new competences, but also to gain confidence in their own ideas, build European connections and become more active in their communities.

The projects are co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme.