🇵🇹 Erasmus+ Youth Exchange in Madeira, Portugal 📱 TALES 2.0 — Digital Wellness & Cultural Heritage 🌿

What if the tools that distract us could become the tools that preserve us? TALES 2.0 — Transform And Learn: Europe’s Stories is a youth exchange bringing 30 young people aged 18–25 from six European countries to the stunning island of Madeira, Portugal — for 10 days of traditional crafts, AI-powered storytelling, nature adventures, and a genuine digital detox during activity hours.

🌍 About TALES 2.0

TALES 2.0 is built around a powerful idea: in a world where 96% of European youth spend an average of over two hours daily on social media, traditional storytelling, folk dances, family recipes, and handmade crafts are quietly fading. This project flips the script — instead of scrolling, participants create. Instead of consuming, they preserve. Instead of isolation, they connect.

The project is a collaboration between six partner organisations across Portugal, Malta, Turkey, Latvia, Hungary, and Romania, building on the success of TALES 1.0 in 2024.

🎯 Objectives

🧠 Increase participants’ cultural knowledge and engagement through interactive workshops and digital tools

🤝 Foster intercultural dialogue and shared cultural experiences through daily teamwork

🎬 Create high-quality digital heritage content contributing to the EU’s Cultural Heritage Data Space goals

📵 Decrease problematic smartphone use while promoting mindful digital habits through the Dopamine Framework

🌱 Promote cultural preservation through positive and intentional social media use

💬 Lower anxiety and improve social skills through hands-on crafting and cultural exchange

🏆 Empower participants as digital wellness and cultural ambassadors in their home communities

📅 Project Roadmap

🛬 28 May — Arrival at Quinta do Lagar, welcome activities and first challenge

🧊 29 May — Ice-breaking, project roadmap, Erasmus+ & Youthpass intro, Digital Habits Unveiled and Dopamine Framework

📽️ 30 May — Digital awareness, cultural heritage presentations, storytelling frameworks, documentary screening

🪵 31 May — AI tools introduction, building Carrinhos de Pau wooden cars with a local carpenter, traditional games exchange, beach cleanup

🌲 1 June — Fanal UNESCO forest hike, nature photography, flashmob choreography brainstorming

🎨 2 June — Country tokens workshop, wooden car construction Phase 2, collaboration with Colony of Creators NGO, mid-term evaluation

🌿 3 June — Fully vegan Green Day, European values workshop, visual storytelling and Stories from My Homecreation

📡 4 June — Digital communication workshop, Porto Moniz heritage site visit, public exhibition preparation

🎭 5 June — Public flashmob performance and makers market showcase in Funchal city centre

🏁 6 June — Carrinhos de Pau race, Câmara de Lobos visit, local cultural story collection

📝 7 June — Personal letters to future selves, SMART dissemination plan, Youthpass certificate, farewell

🏡 Accommodation — Quinta do Lagar

Participants will stay at Quinta do Lagar, a secluded farm in Santo da Serra, surrounded by nature and dedicated exclusively to this project.

🛏️ Rooms of 3–4 people, organised for comfort, gender-appropriate arrangements, and intercultural mixing

🍳 Fully equipped kitchen for team-prepared breakfasts and coffee breaks

🌳 Outdoor green spaces, training rooms, and common social areas for evening gatherings

♻️ Recycling points and sustainable waste management on site

🌡️ Expect temperatures of 18–25°C — Madeira is known as the Island of Eternal Spring, though highland evenings can be cool, so pack layers

📍 Quinta do Lagar: https://maps.app.goo.gl/eKPvtZHkvGkzA4kW7

✈️ Travel & Reimbursement

🗓️ Travel dates: 28 May (arrival) and 8 June (departure) 2026

🚌 Airport transfer from Cristiano Ronaldo Airport on 28 May — participants must be at the airport by 18:00

🧳 Each participant is entitled to priority cabin luggage (max 55x40x23 cm + free carry-on)

💶 Travel costs reimbursed in Euros up to a maximum limit upon submission of tickets and boarding passes

⚠️ Do not purchase tickets before receiving approval from the hosting team

🇹🇷 Turkish participants must hold a passport valid for at least 6 months prior to travel — visa support will be coordinated by the hosting team

🛡️ Insurance & Safety

🏥 Additional project insurance covers medical emergencies, emergency repatriation, travel disruptions, and personal liability

🧠 A local psychologist is on call with a 5-minute response throughout the entire exchange

🩺 All team leaders hold first aid experience

📋 A confidential health questionnaire will be completed during the preparation phase covering allergies, dietary needs, and any conditions requiring support

🆔 EU participants must bring a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

📋 What You’ll Learn & Use

🤖 AI-enhanced digital storytelling tools — GPTs, LLMs, and Diffusion Models

🪵 Traditional crafts — Carrinhos de Pau wooden cars and Bonecos de Massa dough figures with local artisans

💃 Cultural evenings, flashmob choreography, and traditional dances from across Europe

📵 Mindful Tech Toolkit — a framework for healthier digital habits you take home with you

📜 Youthpass certificate upon completion

🔎 New to Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges and not sure how the programme works? Everything — from how projects are planned to what Erasmus+ actually covers — is clearly explained here: https://youthworkshub.org/15107/

👤 Who Should Apply

This exchange is for young people aged 18–25 who are curious, creative, and ready to challenge their relationship with technology. You’re the right fit if you:

🌍 Have a genuine interest in exploring and preserving cultural heritage — yours and others’

📵 Recognise you spend too much time on your phone and want to understand why and how to change that

🤖 Are eager to learn digital storytelling using AI tools

🎭 Want to share your cultural traditions — dances, food, stories, crafts — with people across Europe

💪 Are willing to fully engage: plan, design, create, reflect, and lead

🏘️ Come from areas with low cultural participation or face barriers to opportunity

🗣️ Working language is English — no advanced level required, willingness to communicate is what matters

⚠️ Important: During activity hours from 09:00 to 20:00, no phones will be used. No exceptions.

Inclusion commitment: At least 50% of participants will come from backgrounds with fewer opportunities — if you face social, economic, geographical, health-related, or cultural barriers, you are especially encouraged to apply.

👥 Team Structure

Each country sends 4 participants + 1 team leader (aged 25+). Team leaders are experienced in Erasmus+ youth work and will guide and support their teams before, during, and after the exchange.

🌍 Eligible Countries

🇵🇹 Portugal 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇹🇷 Türkiye 🇲🇹 Malta 🇷🇴 Romania 🇭🇺 Hungary

📅 Activity Dates

🗓️ Activity dates: 29 May — 7 June 2026

🛬 Travel dates: 28 May (arrival) — 8 June (departure) 2026

📍 Santo da Serra, Madeira Island, Portugal

⏰ Deadline

As soon as possible!

📬 How to Apply

📝 Application Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScItynSdA0uTCjuhpkOie7yoceeFFGz-5_rc0rnstMNgObs7g/viewform

📎 Infopack: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19mMEpXCQzUOpU7UKMCpwYQDLjHDpbQGK/view?usp=sharing

✋Important Notice

Youth Works Hub does not represent or act on behalf of any organization listed on this platform. All project details are sourced directly from official ESC and Erasmus+ databases. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official project page or contact the hosting organization directly. Youth Works Hub is not responsible for any changes made to project details after publication.