Youth Work Today – Facing New Realities is a fully funded Erasmus+ seminar and youth worker exchange in Leipzig, Germany, from 6 to 10 December 2026, bringing together professionals and volunteers in youth work from Germany, France and Ukraine to face today's biggest challenges together. At Youth Works Hub, we read the full info pack so you know exactly what the seminar covers, who can take part and how to apply before the 20 September 2026 deadline.
Organised by Satellites – Youth Mobility Projects e.V. and supported by VILLA Leipzig, the project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and the Franco-German Youth Office (DFJW / OFAJ), with support from Europa-Direkt e.V. It puts youth workers from three countries in one room to rethink their practice around media education, mental health, international youth work and democracy.
What Is the Seminar About?
The exchange brings together professionals and volunteers in youth work to discuss current challenges and jointly develop practical approaches for working with young people. Rather than lectures, it is built on peer exchange, shared experience and expert input.
🗣️ Key topics — media education, young people's mental health, and the opportunities of international youth work — are all explored in relation to their role in promoting democracy through dialogue.
🕊️ The aim is to reflect on how youth work strengthens democratic values and social cohesion, and to identify how these themes can contribute to that goal.
🤝 Themes are explored through contributions from participants themselves as well as input from external experts.
What Will You Do?
The programme mixes structured content with open, participant-led formats:
📱 Workshops on media education, mental health, and international youth work.
🌍 Language animations to overcome language barriers between German, French and Ukrainian participants.
💬 Thematic workshops, partner networking and participant-led inputs (peer exchange).
🎤 Open evening formats, such as an open stage.
🌐 Curious how Erasmus+ supports youth workers beyond exchanges like this one? Here is a plain-language overview of what Erasmus+ is and every activity it funds → https://youthworkshub.org/erasmusplus
Who Can Apply?
This seminar is for youth workers aged 18 and above from the three partner countries. To take part, applicants:
🔞 Are at least 18 years old.
🧑🏫 Are actively involved in youth work, either as volunteers or paid professionals.
📅 Are available for the entire duration of the programme.
📍 Are resident of one of the partner countries (Germany, France or Ukraine).
🗣️ Understand and communicate in English (B2 recommended).
💡 Not sure whether your profile fits an Erasmus+ activity? See our guide on who can apply for Erasmus+ and ESC, and what coordinators look for → https://youthworkshub.org/whocanapply
The Partner Countries and Organisations
The exchange is run by a partnership across three countries: 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇫🇷 France and 🇺🇦 Ukraine.
🇩🇪 Germany — Satellites – Youth Mobility Projects e.V. (Pamela Bran) and VILLA gGmbH (Silvan Carius).
🇫🇷 France — Fédération Léo Lagrange (Célia Dedeyan).
🇺🇦 Ukraine — Youth Workers Association of Ukraine, YWAU (Alina Kasianova).
Where You'll Be: Leipzig
Leipzig is known for its vibrant mix of history, culture and innovation. Once a centre of peaceful revolution, today it is a hub for art, music and alternative thinking, from the legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach to its lively street art and creative districts. It is also one of Germany's greenest cities, with many parks, canals and urban forests offering space to relax and reflect.
🏨 Accommodation is at the Premier Inn Leipzig City Opera (Goethestraße 9, 04109 Leipzig), in single rooms, with towels, bed linen and breakfast provided.
🌍 Want to keep building international youth-work practice afterwards? Take a look at Intercultural Community Work volunteering in 🇩🇪 Germany → https://youthworkshub.org/20774
What's Covered and the Deposit
According to Youth Works Hub's review of the info pack, this is a fully funded seminar with one important condition:
💶 There is no participation fee.
🛏️ Accommodation (single rooms) and breakfast are provided.
💰 Instead of a fee, participants pay a refundable deposit of €100.00, due once your place is confirmed. It is refunded either in cash during the programme or by bank transfer at the end. Note the deposit cannot be refunded if the participant cancels.
Travel Reimbursement
Travel expenses are reimbursed up to a maximum fixed amount based on your distance band (use only the EU Distance Calculator):
🚆 10–99 km: €56 green travel / €28 non-green.
🚆 100–499 km: €285 green travel / €211 non-green.
✈️ 500–1999 km: €417 green travel / €309 non-green.
✈️ 2000–2999 km: €535 green travel / €395 non-green.
🌱 Green travel means low-emission transport (bus, train, bike or car-pooling) for the main part (over 50%) of the journey, measured by kilometres, not time.
🎫 Book economy / 2nd class only, and do not book anything before you receive the confirmation of participation; detailed travel advice comes after selection.
🗓️ Travel days: arrive no more than 3 days before and depart no more than 3 days after the official dates; food and accommodation are not covered for those extra days.
🧾 Provide complete original travel receipts (copies and scans are not permitted; digital receipts only if there are no physical ones).
🚄 Getting there: Leipzig is well connected by European rail and long-distance bus (the bus terminal is right next to the main train station). By plane, fly into Leipzig Airport (LEJ) or Berlin Brandenburg (BER), then continue by train (about 1.5 hours from Berlin).
About the Hosts
Satellites – Youth Mobility Projects e.V. is a non-profit NGO founded in 2023 whose mission is to foster international youth work and bring it to places and people where it has barely or not yet been developed, with a focus on developing youth workers' skills and running exchanges for young people with fewer opportunities, especially in Eastern Germany. Die VILLA is a youth, cultural and social centre in Leipzig running over 100 courses and events each week, with five event rooms, a media lab, a self-help bicycle-repair centre, a café, a band practice room, a sound laboratory and an open youth club.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the seminar fully funded? Yes. There is no participation fee; accommodation and breakfast are provided and travel is reimbursed up to the per-distance limits. A refundable €100 deposit applies once your place is confirmed.
❓ Who can take part? Youth workers aged 18+ who are actively involved in youth work and resident in Germany, France or Ukraine, with English at a recommended B2 level.
❓ Is the deposit really refunded? Yes, during or at the end of the programme, unless you cancel your participation.
❓ Can I book my travel early? No. Wait for the official confirmation mail before booking anything.
❓ What language is used? English (B2 recommended), with language animations to bridge German, French and Ukrainian.
Deadline
⏳ 20 September 2026
Links
📝 Application form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6Z7zyAbz8yTCxzO0x0Ovh-5mGfuo4XhDFlCuIZd9G80ErnA/viewform
📄 Info pack: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wPR7b8-72ho9A6ozJj1gmKfnhQvEmcQQ/view?usp=drivesdk
📧 Questions: satellitesprojects@gmail.com or +49 341 22 30 93 53
For more fully funded Erasmus+ and ESC opportunities, explained in plain language, visit Youth Works Hub.
⚠️ Important Notice
Youth Works Hub is not the organiser, partner, or representative of the listed projects. This listing is shared for information only, based on details from the source. Deadlines, eligible countries, dates, and other details may change or be withdrawn at any time, and all funding, reimbursements, and allowances are set by the project coordinator or National Agency. Applications go directly to the coordinator or hosting organisation through the official link. Listings may include third-party links (ESC Portal, infopacks, forms) that Youth Works Hub does not control. Always verify the details on the official project page before applying.
