IEEN is running "Career Compass, Pointing the Way to Success", an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange in Paphos, Cyprus, for young people from Cyprus, Romania, Italy and North Macedonia, with applications closing on 28 September 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the infopack because this exchange skips the usual soft-skills framing and goes straight for the thing most young jobseekers actually lack: a system for the job search itself.
Lack of experience is often one of the biggest challenges young people face when looking for a job. At the same time, the labor market is constantly changing, with new professions emerging and new skills becoming increasingly important. For high school and university graduates, choosing a career path can be difficult, especially as it can shape their future opportunities.
What This Exchange Is Built to Fix
🧭 Career Compass Pointing the Way to Success is a youth exchange project that helps young people develop the skills and confidence needed to find employment that matches their interests and abilities.
🌍 The project brings together participants from Cyprus, Romania, Italy and The Republic of North Macedonia, taking place in Paphos, Cyprus.
Four Key Objectives
📄 Learn how to create a professional CV and a LinkedIn profile.
🗺️ Gain a better understanding of suitable career paths and how to improve employability.
🔍 Increase chances of getting a job through practical job-search strategies.
🎤 Build confidence and improve performance during job interviews.
Who This Is Designed For
🔥 Motivated and curious minds: the organisers are looking for participants who are genuinely interested in the topic and ready to take part actively in all activities.
🗣️ English speakers: a good level of English is needed so you don't miss any part of the sessions, discussions, and international fun.
🎂 18 to 30 years old: participants must be within this age range, with no age limit for group leaders, one per country.
Who Is Running It
🏛️ IDRYMA ERGODOTISIS EKPEDEFSIS NEOLEAS, known as IEEN, is the host organisation in Cyprus.
🤝 Partner organisations: ASK Yourself in Romania, Over the sea in Italy, and Forum for Educational Change in The Republic of North Macedonia.
📌 It is not mandatory to be part of one of these organisations, but it is mandatory to be a resident of one of the four partner countries.
Dates and Getting There
🛬 Arrival day: 6 November 2026.
📚 Project main activities: 7 to 14 November 2026.
🛫 Departure day: 15 November 2026.
✅ Participants are expected to take part in the whole programme.
🚌 If you land in Larnaca instead of Paphos, you need to take the bus to Paphos airport, and not later than 4 p.m. From Paphos airport, take bus no. 612 until its last terminal on the Tombs of the Kings, then change to bus no. 615, which goes to Coral Bay. The stop to use is near Atlantica Mare Village Hotel, only 100 metres from Queen's Bay Hotel.
Travel Reimbursement
💶 The costs of your travel will be reimbursed from the project grant based on the documents you provide.
🧾 When you buy the ticket, ask for the invoice, and keep all tickets, boarding passes and receipts. Only costs backed by the official documents needed for accounting can be reimbursed.
🇨🇾 Cyprus: €28.00
🇷🇴 Romania: €309.00
🇮🇹 Italy: €395.00
🇲🇰 The Republic of North Macedonia: €309.00
Where You'd Stay
🏨 The training takes place at Queen's Bay Hotel, all inclusive without drinks.
🛏️ Accommodation is in rooms of 3, with separate beds and a private bathroom. Towels and linens are provided.
🌐 https://www.queensbay.com.cy/
What to Bring
🎫 All your travel tickets and boarding passes, a water bottle, comfortable shoes, a notebook to write down all the useful information, a fancy outfit for the intercultural night, local food, sweets or non-alcoholic drinks from your country for the intercultural evening, plus a positive attitude and eagerness to learn.
How to Apply and Get Selected
📝 Fill in the application form carefully. Selection is based on your profile and your motivation.
💻 The best applications are invited to Zoom discussions. Check your email, including the spam folder, for the invitation.
⏱️ After you receive final feedback, you have 3 days to buy your tickets and confirm 100% your participation in the project. If you don't, you lose your place and another participant will replace you.
⛔ Do not book any tickets before receiving an email confirming your participation in the project. Reimbursement is only guaranteed for tickets booked after that confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the application deadline?
28 September 2026.
Who can apply?
Young people aged 18 to 30 who are residents of Cyprus, Romania, Italy or North Macedonia. Group leaders, one per country, have no age limit.
Do I need to belong to one of the partner organisations?
No. It is not mandatory to be part of ASK Yourself, Over the sea, Forum for Educational Change or IEEN. What is mandatory is being a resident of one of the four partner countries.
Is the exchange free to attend?
Yes. It is funded by Erasmus+, with no participation fee. Travel is reimbursed up to the ceiling for your country, based on documented costs.
When can I book my travel tickets?
Only after you receive an email confirming your participation. Booking earlier is at your own risk.
What happens after I apply?
The best applications are invited to a Zoom discussion. If selected, you have 3 days to buy tickets and confirm your participation, or your place goes to someone else.
What will I actually learn?
How to build a professional CV and LinkedIn profile, how to identify suitable career paths, practical job-search strategies, and how to perform better in job interviews.
Project Snapshot
📌 Type: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange
📍 Location: Paphos, Cyprus
🗓️ Activity Dates: 6–15 November 2026 (arrival 6 Nov, main activities 7–14 Nov, departure 15 Nov)
🌍 Countries: Cyprus, Italy, North Macedonia, Romania
🎂 Age: 18–30 (no age limit for group leaders)
Deadline
⏳ 28 September 2026
Applications close on 28 September 2026, ahead of arrival on 6 November, and the 3-day confirmation window after selection means being ready to book quickly once accepted. Find more Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges on Youth Works Hub.
Link
🔗 Application form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9C_riVnw5zelrp9cKG7l1Dix6Mmr2xLDlJflkCKbcITZLDQ/viewform
📄 Infopack: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mCnMwrmTP3_vBIjpp_Vds3bnjRyKXMdE/view
📧 Questions: Andrei Motoc, Recruitment & Selection Lead, andreimotoc96@gmail.com
