Volunteer Wave is an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange in Paphos, Cyprus, from 18 to 24 November 2026, for young people aged 17-30 who live in Poland. Accommodation and meals are covered and travel costs are reimbursed. There is no fixed deadline, so you should apply as soon as possible. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the call and the infopack, and this guide puts every detail in one place.
What Is Volunteer Wave About?
Volunteer Wave is a youth exchange in Paphos about volunteering, inclusion and personal growth. Through creative workshops and teamwork, participants discover how to get involved in their communities and connect with peers from other countries. The infopack presents it as "A Journey for personal growth", and the topics of the exchange are:
🫶 Inclusion and Diversity
🤲 Solidarity and Community
If this is your first exchange, our guide explains what an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange is and how it works.
An Erasmus+ Accredited Youth Project
Volunteer Wave is an Erasmus+ accredited youth project. The organisers' accreditation in the field of youth has the following objectives:
🌱 Strengthen the personal and professional development of young people through non-formal and informal learning mobility activities
💪 Foster the empowerment of young people, their active citizenship and participation in democratic life
🏗️ Foster quality development of youth work at local, regional, national, European and international level by building the capacity of organisations
🧡 Promote inclusion and diversity, intercultural dialogue and the values of solidarity and equal opportunities among peers in Europe
Read more about how Erasmus+ accreditation works for youth organisations.
The Challenges Behind the Project
Volunteer Wave responds to several challenges affecting young people in relation to volunteering, participation and personal development. Young people reported limited opportunities to develop practical competences such as teamwork, leadership, communication and problem-solving through experiential learning. The project sets out to change this and help participants enhance these skills.
Project Objectives
1️⃣ Raise awareness and understanding to face discrimination while promoting inclusion, tolerance and intercultural respect
2️⃣ Develop youth advocacy and leadership skills and empower young people to become active agents of change in their communities
3️⃣ Encourage cultural exchange and use digital tools and social media for awareness and action
Expected Results
The exchange aims to:
📈 Increase young people's awareness to fight discrimination
🧭 Strengthen their leadership and advocacy skills
🌐 Promote intercultural inclusion
📣 Generate local and online actions for tolerance
🔗 Create a lasting youth network committed to equality
Five Days of Activities
The programme runs over five days of activities built on non-formal education:
👋 Building trust and Welcoming Session: an introduction to the programme and the activities
📸 Multi-cultural activities: storytelling through photography and creative expression, beginning to explore how visual narratives can raise awareness
🎲 Games to get to know each other and trust-building: interactive learning using non-formal education strategies
🧠 Going beyond Stereotypes: critical thinking development through balanced discussions
🖼️ Photo Voice Exhibition: curating photos, designing exhibition spaces, creating captions and preparing interactive corners
⚖️ Discrimination: understanding real issues, finding realistic, actionable solutions and showing them off
🎭 Practical sessions: action plans, roleplaying, fun games, intercultural exchange and Youthpass
💭 Reflections: sharing the best moments of the youth exchange experience and recognising personal growth with Youthpass
The daily programme will be provided soon, and the organisers note that there might be minor changes. This way of learning by doing is the heart of non-formal education.
Highlight: The YouthFEST in Paphos
An important highlight of the project is the YouthFEST. Participants are invited to contribute creatively and take part in the YouthFest in Paphos as part of the activities.
A Two-Step Exchange With Follow-Up Activities
This European co-operation features a two-step Youth Exchange and follow-up activities within 3 months after the project.
Who Can Apply?
🎂 Age: young people aged 17-30
🏠 Residence: young people who live in Poland; this application form is for participants from Poland
🧠 Mindset: youth who are willing to learn new ways of being active and eco-friendly
🧑🏫 Group leader: each national team has 1 leader with no age limit
Our guide on Erasmus+ and ESC age limits is useful if you are close to the age limit.
Group Composition
The exchange brings together 5 national teams. Each team has 4 participants aged 17-30 and 1 leader (no age limit).
Protection and Safety of Participants
A Youth Exchange involves group leaders. Group leaders monitor and support participants to ensure a quality learning process during the core activity. Together with the project team, they enable a safe, respectful and non-discriminatory environment. During planning and preparation, the protection and safety of participants is addressed and the necessary measures to prevent or reduce risks are foreseen.
What Makes This a Quality Youth Exchange?
🙋 Active involvement: it relies on the active involvement of young people and participating organisations, from the design to the implementation and the dissemination
🧩 Diversity: it involves diverse groups of participants and builds on this diversity
🎯 Real needs: it is based on clearly identified needs of the young participants
📝 Documented learning: it ensures that non-formal and informal learning outcomes are properly identified and documented
🇪🇺 European values: it encourages participants to reflect on European topics and values
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🌍 All opportunities in Cyprus →
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Host Organisation: CCIF CYPRUS
The project is run by CCIF CYPRUS, which describes itself as one of the region's leading NGOs by commitment, the number of activities undertaken and experience. Its group of young people, volunteers and friends supports the mission of the organisation. Key facts from the infopack:
📚 Education and research
🏛️ Volunteering centre for 10 years, promoting active citizenship and social inclusion for all citizens
🎨 Language classes, art workshops, training and international activities, especially among youth
🌍 Since 2016, it has hosted hundreds of international youth, youth workers and people working in the field of youth through Erasmus+ and ESC projects
Accommodation at the Mayfair Hotel
Participants will be accommodated in shared rooms at the Mayfair Hotel.
🌙 Arrival: at the accommodation before 23:00
🧳 Departure: from the accommodation before 12:00
What Is Covered?
🛏️ Accommodation: covered
🍽️ Meals: covered
✈️ Travel: reimbursed on the basis of your actual costs, up to the official Erasmus+ limit
The infopack does not mention any participation fee. For a full picture of funding, see our guide on what Erasmus+ covers in a youth project.
Travel Reimbursement Rules
CCIF CYPRUS will reimburse your actual costs on presentation of your boarding pass and trip invoices. The rules in the infopack:
📏 Distance band: participants can check the infopack table, or the travel distance band, to find the amount to be reimbursed
🧾 Original documents are mandatory: present all original invoices, tickets, receipts, boarding passes and travel documents; without them in original form, reimbursement is impossible
💶 Real expenses: the refund is made according to the real expenses presented; if your travel costs exceed the official limits, reimbursement is limited to the maximum budget
🚌 Local transport: only travel by bus is reimbursed
✅ Full attendance: only participants who are present throughout the entire project are reimbursed
💳 Pay in advance: participants choose their own transport and pay for it in advance
🗺️ Itinerary check: to avoid problems, send the organisers your flight itinerary before you buy the tickets
Our guide on how Erasmus+ travel reimbursement works explains the distance band system.
Green Travel Option
The Green Travel option is only available if more than 60% of the journey is made by bus and/or train. Learn more in our guide to green travel in Erasmus+ and ESC.
Extra Days Are at Your Own Cost
The project runs from 18 to 24 November 2026, including 2 travel days. If you arrive earlier or depart after the activity dates, you are responsible for your own accommodation, food and transfers, as there is no extra funding.
Getting to Paphos
🛬 Paphos Airport: the infopack points to the local bus routes at https://www.pafosbuses.com/pafos-airport-bus-routes
✈️ Larnaca Airport: the infopack also includes travel information to and from Larnaca Airport
Discover Paphos
Paphos is located on the south-west coast of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is included in the official UNESCO World Heritage list for its ancient ruins and was selected as a European Capital of Culture for 2017. It also has several sites relating to the cult of the goddess Aphrodite, whose mythical birthplace was at Old Paphos (Kouklia).
🏰 The Castle: the medieval fort was originally a Byzantine fort built to protect the harbour, and was rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century
🏺 The Mosaics: the ancient floor mosaics are considered among the finest in the world, a valuable and beautiful record of everyday Greco-Roman life
🏘️ The Old Town: also known as Ktima, a treasure of culture, history and architecture
🏖️ The Blue Sea: beautiful beaches, warm blue waters, clean air and many historic places nearby; do not miss the sunset
Youthpass Certificate
Participants receive a Youthpass Certificate of participation, which recognises the learning gained during the exchange. Find out more in our guide on what Youthpass is.
What to Bring
The organisers' general tip: bring good will and your swimming suit.
How to Apply
📄 Read the infopack first before applying
✍️ Fill in the online application form (Google Form) for participants from Poland
🏷️ Selection: the host organisation selects the participants
You can find more youth exchanges like this in our Erasmus+ listings on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply to Volunteer Wave?
Young people aged 17-30 who live in Poland. Each national team also has one group leader, with no age limit.
Is Volunteer Wave free?
Accommodation and meals are covered and travel costs are reimbursed. The infopack does not mention any participation fee.
When is the application deadline?
There is no fixed deadline. You should apply as soon as possible.
How is travel reimbursed?
Your actual travel costs are reimbursed on presentation of original boarding passes, tickets and invoices, up to the official maximum budget. Only participants present for the whole project are reimbursed.
Can I arrive early or stay longer in Paphos?
Yes, but there is no extra funding. Accommodation, food and transfers outside the activity dates are at your own cost.
Where will I stay?
In shared rooms at the Mayfair Hotel in Paphos. Arrival is before 23:00 and departure before 12:00.
How many people take part?
There are 5 national teams, each with 4 participants aged 17-30 and 1 leader.
Will I get a certificate?
Yes. Participants receive a Youthpass Certificate of participation.
Is there anything after the exchange?
Yes. The project includes follow-up activities within 3 months after the exchange.
Project Snapshot
📌 Type: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange
📍 Location: Mayfair Hotel, Paphos, Cyprus
🗓️ Activity Dates: 18-24 November 2026 (including 2 travel days)
🌍 Countries: Poland
🎂 Age: 17-30 (group leaders: no age limit)
Deadline
⏳ As soon as possible!
Links
🔗 Application form: https://forms.gle/cyrHUuS17SLcqkx57
📄 Infopack: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TuFaYJWeXi7HIfua3XVMVxVVTZso_0YK/view
📞 Contact person (Marina Aristodimou): +35799647987
📱 Contact person (Katerina Vladimirou): +35799429683
🚌 Paphos airport bus routes: https://www.pafosbuses.com/pafos-airport-bus-routes
