Erasmus+, Key action 1: training course
Dates: 1—7 June 2026
Venue: Suchá nad Parnou (near Trnava), Slovakia
Czech team: 1 participant
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: European Dialogue
Project report:
Between June 1 and June 7, 2026, I had the opportunity to travel to Snina, Slovakia, as the sole Czech participant in a non-formal education project called “Make it Matter”. In total, around 20 young people from various corners of Europe gathered at the venue – besides the host country Slovakia and myself representing the Czech Republic, there were groups from Latvia, Romania, Greece, Poland, and Bulgaria.
The first day of the program was dedicated to getting to know each other and teambuilding. Through various games, we quickly broke the ice and formed a great group. This strong group dynamic then stayed with us throughout the entire week. We spent every evening together at the accommodation or outside, talking, playing board games, or singing karaoke. There were also the traditional cultural nights, where we discovered the specialties and traditions of the individual countries.
The main goal of the project was to raise awareness about opportunities within the EU and to support youth proactivity. The entire program was structured very practically. During case studies, for example, we designed concrete solutions to real problems in a small town. The absolute highlight of the program was the preparation of the final group project. Working in international teams, we created a real project applicable in our community, which had to include a complete financial plan, team role allocation, a timeline, and a marketing strategy.
A great addition to the program was a joint trip to Trnava. Here, we visited an NGO that runs programs for the local community, such as teaching digital skills to seniors. It was an incredibly inspiring demonstration for us of how proactivity works in practice. After the official end of the project, a smaller group of four of us also managed to visit Bratislava and explore its city center.
I took away one fundamental realization from the project: involvement in the functioning and activities of the EU means more than just voting in elections. There is a massive amount of funds and other tools that one can realistically use to enrich their own life or to directly help their community. A big thank you goes to my sending organization, EYCB, for the opportunity to attend this inspiring project.
Jan M.
