Design a Youth Exchange Activity Program

The programme of activities will form the basis of your exchange and will enable participants to explore the exchange’s theme, whilst learning about each other’s cultures. It will be the culmination of all your preparation and planning.

Therefore, in the joint preparation sessions with partner groups, you should research ideas for the programme – what are people interested in doing? Provide the partner groups with opportunities to give feedback on the proposed programme and include their proposals and changes.

There are some pointers which should be implemented by the exchange activity programme:

1. Allow time for getting to know one another/ice breaking and group-building activities. Look at the possibility of holding group presentations to introduce each other and each other’s cultures and countries
2. Ensure that all participants have time to become familiar with the local area Organise some visits which may be directly linked to the exchange theme or might be important sightseeing places
3. Timetable the ‘project/theme’ work early in the day and allocate enough time to allow it to be completed by the end of the exchange
4. Give yourselves time to interact with each other and learn about working and living together. Programme activities should allow participants to challenge one another, learn together, resolve conflicts and challenge prejudices
5. Allocate time to review the exchange experience regularly. This can be done in single or mixed nationality groups
6. Get involved in local community activities. You might also consider one programme day/evening with host families
7. It is essential to schedule a final evaluation meeting with all partners at the end of the exchange programme

Some tips to building a good youth exchange programme:

1. Organise a well-balanced programme – divide time between work, rest and play
2. Be aware of language limitations and ensure that communication is not hindered by language barriers
3. Where possible, participants should work in mixed nationality groups
4. Always have a ‘plan B’ ready in case your original activity plan does not work or is dependent on weather conditions
5. Leaders need to set time aside to assess the day’s activities, identify problem areas and discuss the following day
6. Always involve partners, where possible, in making decisions about the activity programme and dividing tasks to implement the activities

When applying for Erasmus+ Youth in Action funding, you will be asked to submit a detailed timetable with details of your activity programme.