European Youth exchanges

„EUROPA-DIREKT“, our name means that young people can experience Europe directly and in practical terms during European youth exchanges. We propose a variety of topics for these exchanges that all observe these fundamental principles:

Every participant is once host and once hosted. For example, a French-German exchange will have one part in France and one part in Germany. If there is a third country, there will be a third part of the exchange in this country. A part lasts in average five to seven day.

The meeting takes place in a third place. All the participants live for this meeting in the same acomodation, most of the time a youth hostel. It helps them to know each other quickly and to feel part of the group.

Bilingual coordinators lead the intercultural youth exchanges. One bilingual coordinator from each country is present so that the participants can communicate in their own language during the activities of the programme and be translated from a coordinator. The coordiators team also lead the excursions, the discusions and the language animation.

The method of the language animation is a helpful tool in international encounters which helps the participants to communicate in the group, makes them curious about the others´ language and culture and spreads a positive atmosphere in the group.