At Youth Works Hub, we love sharing the real journeys of our community. Youth Works Hub is proud to feature Silvia, a 24 year old from Italy who grew up in a suburb on the outskirts of Rome. Silvia left for her first Erasmus+ project in 2024, and since then she has taken part in more than 10 youth exchanges and 3 European Solidarity Corps (ESC) projects. Here is her story, in her own words. Last updated: October 2026.
I was born and raised in a suburb on the outskirts of Rome. Growing up, money was tight, so travelling was never an option. Between bullying at school and a complicated situation at home, I never had the chance to study English either. The world, for me, ended at the edge of my neighbourhood.
In 2024 I left for my first Erasmus+ project in Vatra Dornei, Romania. Honestly, I left with very little hope. I was scared I wouldn’t connect with anyone, and that my English wouldn’t let people see who I really am. I was wrong from day one.
Since then, one project led to another: more than 10 youth exchanges and 3 ESC projects across Europe and beyond. I celebrated the Kekri festival with a local community in Finland, slept in tents while restoring a protected island in Sicily, led an Italian group as Team Leader in Luxembourg, and spent two weeks in Point Blanche Prison in Sint Maarten, where I filmed a short documentary about the creative workshops we ran with the inmates. One of them designed the tattoo I now wear next to my heart.
These projects gave me a new language, friends in so many countries, and the confidence to become the person I’m proud to be today. They also shaped my future: I’m about to graduate in Communication Science, and my dream is to open my own NGO and work in the world of Erasmus+.
Every time I talk about these experiences, I feel like I’m giving away a piece of my heart. I share them hoping that young people who started out like me, with fewer opportunities and a lot of fear, will discover this chance and realise how big the world really is. And that we are never alone
Silvia Olivier
What is next for Silvia? ✈️
Silvia is going to Aruba soon for a six month European Solidarity Corps placement. Stay tuned to hear more about the experience Silvia will live there.
What is an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange? 🎒
An Erasmus+ Youth Exchange is a short group project that brings together young people from different countries. According to the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026:
📅 Duration: a Youth Exchange lasts from 5 to 21 days, excluding travel days.
🎂 Age: participants are young people aged between 13 and 30, residing in the countries of their sending and receiving organisations. Participants must have reached the minimum age and must not be older than the maximum age at the start date of the activity.
👥 Group size: each activity has a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 60 participants, with a minimum of 4 participants per national group.
🧭 Group leaders: each national group must have at least one group leader. A group leader is an adult of at least 18 years of age who joins the young people to ensure their effective learning, protection and safety.
Read our full guide: What is a Youth Exchange?
What is European Solidarity Corps volunteering? 🌍
European Solidarity Corps volunteering is a full time, unpaid solidarity activity that young people carry out with a host organisation. According to the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026, "Participation in volunteering activities must be free of charge for the volunteer".
📅 Individual Volunteering: from 2 weeks to 12 months, excluding travel time.
👫 Volunteering Teams: from 2 weeks to 2 months, excluding travel time.
🎂 Age: volunteers must have reached 18 and must not be older than 30 at the start date of the activity, and must be registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal.
⏳ Total time: the total time a young person spends in European Solidarity Corps volunteering activities must not exceed 12 months, and the activities must not overlap.
💶 Pocket money: the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 lists pocket money as a "Contribution to additional personal expenses for participants", calculated per day per participant. See how much pocket money you get on ESC.
Read our full guide: What is the European Solidarity Corps (ESC)?
Can you do ESC volunteering in the Caribbean? 🌴
Yes, the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) of the European Union take part in the European Solidarity Corps. According to the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026, individuals and organisations from or to Overseas Countries and Territories are eligible to participate on an "EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme status", subject to the rules of the Programme and the arrangements of the Member State with which the OCTs are connected.
🏝️ According to the European Commission list of Overseas Countries and Territories, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten are linked to the Netherlands.
What does Silvia's story show? 💙
Silvia's story shows what these projects can give: in Silvia's own words, "a new language, friends in so many countries, and the confidence to become the person I’m proud to be today". According to Youth Works Hub, Silvia's words "young people who started out like me, with fewer opportunities and a lot of fear" are the reason community stories matter. You can read more about this side of the experience in The Untold Truths of Erasmus+ and in what a Youth Exchange is really like.
Want to read more community stories? Here is Serena's Erasmus+ and DiscoverEU story and Mariam's ESC journey.
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
How long is an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange?
An Erasmus+ Youth Exchange lasts from 5 to 21 days, excluding travel days, and is open to young people aged between 13 and 30.
How long can ESC volunteering last?
Individual Volunteering in the European Solidarity Corps lasts from 2 weeks to 12 months, excluding travel time, and Volunteering Teams last from 2 weeks to 2 months.
Is ESC volunteering free?
Yes. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says that participation in volunteering activities must be free of charge for the volunteer.
Can you volunteer in Aruba or Sint Maarten with the ESC?
Yes. Aruba and Sint Maarten are Overseas Countries and Territories linked to the Netherlands, and the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says individuals and organisations from or to Overseas Countries and Territories are eligible to participate, subject to the rules of the Programme and the arrangements of the connected Member State.
Do you want to share your story? 💌
Thank you, Silvia, for trusting us with your story 💙
Have your own Erasmus+ or ESC story? Send it to Youth Works Hub and we will feature it here, so other young people can see what is possible. Ready to start your own journey? Learn how to find Erasmus+ and ESC projects.
👉 Youth Works Hub lists open ESC placements: youthworkshub.org/category/esc-projects
