Rural youth workers often face the same challenge: limited resources, limited reach, and young people who are harder to engage because of where they live. Rural.exe is an Erasmus+ training course in Herľany, Slovakia that tackles this head-on — equipping youth workers with practical AI tools and digital methods to improve youth participation, community engagement, and outreach in rural and underrepresented areas.
🎯 About the Project
Organised by Youth for Youth (Slovakia), Rural.exe brings together youth workers and youth leaders from Bulgaria, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine for a week of workshops, peer learning, practical exercises, and a study visit in Košice — exploring how digital innovation can support real-life youth engagement in rural contexts.
The venue is Penzión Gejzír in Herľany — a quiet rural village at the foot of the Slanské Hills, just 30km from Košice, known for its rare cold water geyser, the only one of its kind in Central Europe, which erupts every 32–36 hours reaching heights of up to 20 metres.
📋 Objectives
🤖 Equip youth workers with practical AI skills for youth work and community projects
📡 Address the digital gap by improving outreach and engagement in rural areas
🗳️ Enable youth workers to actively involve young people in community life and decision-making
🎨 Encourage the use of AI for creative and innovative non-formal education activities
🌱 Support the transfer of learning into sustainable local follow-up initiatives
🏕️ The Venue
Participants stay at Penzión Gejzír in Herľany — shared rooms of 2, 3, or 4 people, each with private bathroom. Towels provided. All activities, accommodation, and meals take place in one area.
🍽️ 3 meals per day and 2 coffee breaks throughout the training
🌲 Surrounded by beautiful nature ideal for hiking and relaxation
✈️ Travel & Reimbursement
Participants are recommended to fly to one of the following airports and continue by bus or train to Košice, from where Youth for Youth arranges pickup to Herľany:
🇭🇺 Budapest — best option, 3–4 hours by FlixBus (direct)
🇵🇱 Kraków — 4–5 hours by bus or train
🇸🇰 Bratislava — 5–6 hours by direct train
⚠️ €10 per participant will be deducted from the travel budget to cover the Košice–Herľany shuttle
Maximum travel reimbursement:
💶 Luxembourg — €309
💶 Italy — €309
💶 Bulgaria — €309
💶 Ukraine — €417 (green travel)
💶 Poland — €285 (green travel)
Important travel rules:
⚠️ Only cabin luggage is eligible for reimbursement
⚠️ Private transport (taxi) and first-class tickets will not be reimbursed
⚠️ Only selected participants may purchase tickets — approval required before booking
⚠️ Ukrainian participants should check visa requirements in advance
🎒 What to Bring
👟 Comfortable shoes for walking and outdoor activities
💻 Laptop or tablet — required for workshops
🌍 Something representing your country for the intercultural night
🧴 Personal hygiene products, medication, snacks — the venue is in a rural location
🪪 European Health Insurance Card
☀️ Sunscreen, hat, and light jacket for cooler evenings
👤 Who Should Apply
Rural.exe is designed for youth workers, educators, and active members of youth organisations aged 18+ who work with young people in rural or underrepresented areas. Each partner organisation selects 4 participants, with priority given to youth workers from rural communities and gender balance ensured.
No prior AI experience required — basic digital skills and willingness to learn are what matter.
Working language is English.
After the training, participants are expected to:
📣 Document their learning through a video, blog, or social media content
🏘️ Organise or support a local follow-up activity in their community
🔧 Contribute to the project's Digital Toolkit
💡 Want to understand how Erasmus+ training courses work and what the programme covers? Everything is clearly laid out here: https://youthworkshub.org/15096/
🌍 Eligible Countries
🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇮🇹 Italy 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇵🇱 Poland 🇸🇰 Slovakia 🇺🇦 Ukraine
📅 Activity Dates
🗓️ 10 — 17 August 2026 (travel days included)
📍 Herľany, Slovakia
⏰ Deadline
25 May 2026
📬 How to Apply
Contact the partner organisation in your country first:
📧 Slovakia — Youth for Youth: dominik@youth4youth.eu
📧 Luxembourg — Arts For Change: artsforchange13@gmail.com
📧 Italy — GreenItaly Associazione: greenitalyerasmus@gmail.com
📧 Ukraine — SVOI NGO: gajdukpolina431@gmail.com
📧 Poland — Stowarzyszenie YoWo Poland: yowopoland@gmail.com
📧 Bulgaria — Sustainable for the Future Foundation: nace@sustainableforthefuture.org
📝 Registration Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTWjMaX_7v-MJqzis1Y3c-DskqvC-eatG1aKt7_Hk50XXCmA/viewform
📎 Infopack: https://canva.link/2lw4lc2g93r40bh
✋Important Notice
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