ERASMUS+, Key action 1: youth exchange
Dates: 20—29 November 2025
Venue: Paralimni, Cyprus
Czech team: 4 participants + 1 group leader
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: NECI Cyprus
Project report:
The Think Before You Bet project, held in Paralimni, Cyprus, from November 20 to 29, 2025, focused on raising awareness about the risks associated with gambling and on fostering critical thinking when making decisions related to betting. Its goal was to show young people how gambling can affect individuals as well as society, while also creating space for discussion, exchange of opinions, and the joint creation of preventive materials. The project included interactive workshops, educational games, group activities, expert-led lectures, and various sessions focused on gambling prevention. In total, 36 participants from the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia, Italy, and Spain took part.
One of the main activities of the project was a day trip to the capital city, Nicosia, where participants engaged in public awareness initiatives about the dangers of gambling and ways to prevent it. Participants were divided into small, mixed-nationality groups, ensuring that no two people from the same country worked together. Each team prepared its own awareness campaign aimed at informing the public about gambling-related issues. Afterwards, the groups were assigned to different locations around the city to carry out their activities: some conducted interviews with passers-by, others created an interactive scratch-card style game, while some collected anonymous responses in designated boxes or used other creative methods. These campaigns produced interesting results and insights that the hosting organization plans to use in future prevention work.
Overall, the project was very enriching and provided participants not only with new knowledge about how gambling functions but also with practical experience in designing preventive activities and communicating with the public. The atmosphere throughout the week was positive, the participants were open and friendly, and cooperation among the different nationalities worked exceptionally well. Although there were a few minor shortcomings—such as occasional unclear instructions—the general impression of the project was very positive, and the experience proved valuable for everyone involved.
Štěpán Ř.
