Erasmus+, Key action 1: training course
Dates:: 21—28 March 2026
Venue: Bansko, Bulgaria
Czech team: 3 participants
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: Europe in Your Hand
Project report:
In March 2026, I had the opportunity to participate in an ERASMUS+ training course on the topic of “Our Youth Generation: Work and Empowerment” along with other 17 amazing people from Macedonia, Serbia, Italy, Bulgaria and Czech Republic. We met in the beautiful, although a little cold town of Bansko, Bulgaria and over this unforgettable week, we learned a lot of important things and established long-lasting friendships.
The course was very well organized. On the first day, we played many entertaining games to get to know and trust each other. Throughout the week, we attended a lot of interesting talks about youth work and youth participation, which were combined with group work, in which we got to know each other better and better and cooperated on various creative tasks, like making a play about youth work or even creating our own fictional organization whose goal was to increase youth participation in our cities. Then we practised our English by presenting the results to others.
On cultural night, we got to know many interesting and surprising things about each others’ cultures: we danced national dances, tasted new foods and tried other countries’ traditions. On Thursday, we went on a little trip and visited the famous Rila monastery, where we learned even more about Bulgaria’s culture and spirituality. Then we walked to the cave of St. Ivan Rilski, where we, according to a belief, got rid of all of our bad spirits by passing it.
I learned a lot about youth participation and how important it is for young people to be active in their communities and not being afraid to speak up. It made me start to, as a young person, wonder how I can contribute to my community and change things I know are wrong. We also explored the topic of human rights and got to know them better, but more importantly, we understood their significance and realized that, despite our differences, we all want the same things.
Overall, it was a very inspiring and transformative week. I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in this project and I’m taking home with me not only new skills and knowledge, but many amazing memories with the best people I will never forget.
Nela D.
