Most people only see the final Erasmus+ Youth Exchange call.
A title, a few dates, smiling photos, and an application deadline.
What they don’t see is the real work that happens long before that moment.
This text shows the backstage of a fictional but fully realistic Erasmus+ Youth Exchange hosted in Italy 🇮🇹
and explains how coordinators actually plan a project step by step.
🗓️ Applications close on 12 February.
For coordinators, the work started months ago.
🎯 We don’t start with activities. We start with a problem.
A Youth Exchange never starts with games, energisers, or workshops.
It starts with questions.
❓ What are young people struggling with today
❓ What is missing in their local or social reality
❓ What cannot be solved with a single training or presentation
No clearly defined problem = no project.
Activities are tools.
The problem is the foundation.
🧩 From problem to concept
Once the problem is clear, the concept takes shape.
• Why a Youth Exchange and not another format
• Why this topic matters now
• Why this target group
• Why international cooperation adds real value 🌍
At this stage, coordinators already define learning objectives, reflection, and long-term impact.
The concept defines everything that comes later.
The programme.
The partners.
The budget.
🌍 Partnership structure
Host country: Italy 🇮🇹
Partner countries: France 🇫🇷 Germany 🇩🇪 Spain 🇪🇸 Türkiye 🇹🇷 Poland 🇵🇱 Greece 🇬🇷 Georgia 🇬🇪
Participation per country:
• 4 young people
• 1 group leader
Total: 8 organisations • 40 participants
Partners are not random.
Balance matters.
Different realities.
Different experiences.
Same commitment.
📅 Programme basics
Duration: 11 days (including travel)
Design: day by day • session by session
• Learning objectives before games
• Reflection before outputs
• Impact before visibility
Fun matters.
Purpose comes first.
The application form comes last.
💸 Budget logic
No flexibility.
No guessing.
Only rules and formulas.
This fictional project uses real Erasmus+ calculations.
🏢 Organisational Support
Applies only to young participants (not group leaders)
Rate: 125 € per young participant
Calculation: 4 young people × 8 countries × 125 €
Total: 4,000 €
Covers coordination • preparation • reporting
Not a salary. Not profit.
✈️ Travel Costs
Distance-band based
500–1999 km countries: France • Germany • Spain • Türkiye • Poland • Greece
Rate: 309 € per person
Calculation: 6 countries × 5 people × 309 €
Total: 9,270 €
Italy 🇮🇹 local travel: 5 people × 56 € → 280 €
Georgia 🇬🇪 (2000–2999 km): 5 people × 395 € → 1,975 €
🍝🏠 Individual Support
Covers accommodation • food • daily expenses
Italy daily rate: 69 € per person
Calculation: 11 days × 40 participants × 69 €
Total: 30,360 €
Largest budget line.
Most strictly regulated.
📊 Total project budget
• Organisational Support: 4,000 €
• Travel (6 countries): 9,270 €
• Local travel Italy: 280 €
• Travel Georgia: 1,975 €
• Individual Support: 30,360 €
TOTAL: 45,885 €
11 days • 8 countries • 40 participants
➕ Possible additional costs
• Inclusion support ♿ (if relevant)
• Visa-related costs 🛂 (if justified)
Must be planned at application stage.
Cannot be added later.
🔍 What this shows
Youth Exchanges are not built with inspiration alone.
They are built with preparation • structure • rules.
Ideas don’t get funded.
Planning does.
🗓️ Applications close on 12 February.
Behind every approved Youth Exchange,
there is work like this.
