🇮🇹 Erasmus+ Training Course in Italy 🏛️ Building Europe: EU Learning Labs, Oxford-Style Debates and a European Parliament Simulation for Young People and Youth Workers 🎤

Building Europe is an Erasmus+ Training Course in Rimini, Italy, from 16 to 24 November 2026 (17 to 23 November are activity days). It brings together 25 young people and youth workers aged 19 to 26 from Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Greece and Hungary. The organisers describe it as a 100% free educational opportunity, with full board and accommodation covered and travel reimbursed up to a set limit. There is no fixed deadline, so apply as soon as possible. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the project website and the full infopack, and this guide brings every detail together.

Why Building Europe Was Created

How many times have young people felt that Europe is far removed from their real needs? The organisers say young people do not step away from politics out of a lack of interest, but because they are often not involved in decision-making or lack the tools to understand how EU decisions affect everyday life.

Across Europe, youth political disaffection has reached alarming levels. Feeling excluded from decision-making processes, more and more young people are choosing to distance themselves from institutions and civic participation. According to surveys conducted by Romagna+, Belgium, Italy, Hungary, Greece and Portugal are far more affected by this phenomenon than other European countries.

Becoming an active citizen is also held back by a lack of educational pathways that build the skills most needed today: working in international teams, speaking effectively in public, thinking critically and using AI ethically. Real educational and participation opportunities are needed to give young people their voice back, along with the tools to navigate today's society. That is why Building Europe was born.

What Is Building Europe?

Building Europe is a 7-day Training Course that uses non-formal educational methods and high-quality tools to support your needs as a young citizen and youth worker. It aims to bring young people closer to the EU and offers participants from Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Greece and Hungary a unique experience to discover Europe and give a boost to their professional careers.

Forget traditional frontal lectures: you will discover Europe through interactive workshops, structured debate challenges, diplomatic simulations and citizenship labs. The final goal is to turn you into a reference point for your local community, with the practical skills, working methods and confidence to independently design and lead youth initiatives. New to this format? Our guide explains what an Erasmus+ training course is and how it works.

The Three Goals of the Course

🧭 Help you understand the EU: what the EU really is, how it functions and how its institutions work, explained in a simple yet concrete way, finally answering your unresolved questions

🛠️ Support your work as a youth worker: fundamental skills for personal and professional growth, such as public speaking, critical thinking, working in international teams and the ethical use of AI

🌱 Give you tools for your community: working methods and tools to design and organise youth engagement initiatives, so you can engage, educate and bring the young people around you closer to the EU

The Programme: Four Activity Formats

During the project you take part in non-formal activities built on the "Building Europe Method", an educational method designed by the project staff exclusively for Building Europe.

🏛️ European Learning Labs (days 1, 2 and 3): interactive workshops on the functioning, institutions and true impact of the EU on citizens' lives

🎤 Oxford-Style Debates (days 2 and 3): debate challenges inspired by the Oxford University model, to develop skills in argumentation, public speaking and critical political thinking

🇪🇺 EU Parliament Diplomatic Simulation (days 5 and 6): you step into the shoes of a Member of the European Parliament and experience decision-making on the most pressing debate topics first-hand

🧩 Active Citizenship Labs (every day): practical workshops where you turn what you have learned into replicable projects for the benefit of your community

The Principles Behind the Building Europe Method

🌐 Constant intercultural exchange: most activities are carried out in international teams

🔗 Constant link with everyday life: the knowledge shared is always connected to daily life

🙋 Active participation: every activity is interactive and encourages all participants to get involved

💚 Inclusion and mental well-being: a concrete strategy and two dedicated staff members support this

🤖 Integration of AI technologies: "Talking Europe", an AI assistant developed by the staff, supports your learning and also your work after the project ends

The approach is rooted in non-formal education, where learning happens through doing, discussing and reflecting together.

Who Can Apply?

The course is aimed at 25 young people aged between 19 and 26 from Italy, Greece, Belgium, Portugal and Hungary who match at least one of these descriptions:

🧑‍🏫 Youth workers: active in youth engagement or active citizenship projects within their organisation, or not yet active but strongly motivated to get involved

🎓 University students: in fields related to the Building Europe themes, with an interest in EU affairs, active citizenship or youth work

💼 Young professionals: working in the educational, social or civic sectors who want to enrich their profile with valuable competences

You do not need prior experience in the Erasmus+ Programme or an in-depth knowledge of EU institutions; the organisers will take care of that. The real requirement is your willingness to challenge yourself, develop competences and build valuable projects for your community.

Places Reserved for Young People With Fewer Opportunities

As part of the project's Inclusion Strategy, 3 out of 5 spots for each country are reserved for young people with fewer opportunities, defined as facing economic, social, cultural or geographical barriers. If you would like more information, the organisers invite you to contact them. Our guide to inclusion support in Erasmus+ and ESC explains what extra help can mean in practice.

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🌍 All opportunities in Italy →

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Dates and Online Preparation

🛬 16 November 2026: travel day

📚 17 to 23 November 2026: activity days

🛫 24 November 2026: travel day

💻 Before the course: two online preparatory meetings are organised before the on-site experience

Where You Will Stay

The course takes place at Hotel Smarty, Rimini (Italy).

What Is Covered

🛏️ Accommodation: fully covered by the project

🍽️ Full board: breakfast, lunch, dinner and two coffee breaks per day, fully covered

🥗 Dietary needs: menus are provided to meet participants' specific dietary needs

✈️ Travel: reimbursed up to a maximum limit per country (see below)

The project website calls Building Europe a 100% free educational opportunity. For a wider picture of how these grants work, see our guide on what Erasmus+ pays for in a youth project.

Travel Reimbursement Limits

Travel expenses to reach Rimini are reimbursed upon presentation of all receipts and invoices for every expense incurred, up to a maximum limit:

🇬🇷 Greece: up to €309

🇭🇺 Hungary: up to €309

🇵🇹 Portugal: up to €309

🇧🇪 Belgium: up to €309

🇮🇹 Italy: up to €285 via Green Travel (train or bus), reserved for participants travelling a distance of at least 100 km and at most 500 km

If you have any questions, the organisers ask you to contact them at any time. To see how these caps are set, read our guides on how Erasmus+ travel reimbursement works and green travel in Erasmus+ and ESC.

After the Project: Sharing What You Learned

Building Europe aims to equip youth workers with the right tools to engage young people in their communities. After the project, you will be asked to help spread awareness by choosing one or both of these dissemination methods:

📣 Local engagement event (in person or online): the team will help you design and lead an educational initiative that actively engages young people in your community

🎬 Awareness-raising content: you publish multimedia materials (social media videos or in-depth articles) on the project's themes, targeting the 16 to 25 age group

The Organiser: Romagna+

Romagna+ (Romagna+ ETS) is a youth organisation based in Forlì, in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy, driven by an enthusiastic international team. It is actively involved in Erasmus+ projects, united by the shared goal of promoting active citizenship among young people.

Its main objectives are to raise awareness among peers about the Sustainable Development Goals and to provide the tools needed to address social issues effectively. It does this by organising and partnering in Erasmus+ youth exchange projects and by promoting youth engagement initiatives on European themes and opportunities. Romagna+ is led by President Matilde Pedergnana and Vice President Chiara Dogà, among the first to believe in the Building Europe project. The project is co-funded by the European Union.

The Partner Organisations

🇮🇹 Romagna+ ETS (Italy): coordinator, based in Forlì

🇧🇪 CODEC vzw (Belgium): the Association for European Cooperation, Development and Communication, whose mission is to promote European policies and values that improve economic and social well-being

🇵🇹 Propósito Inadiável, Associação para Costumes Futuros (Portugal): a non-profit based in Fortios (Portalegre, Alto Alentejo), working in a small rural setting to strengthen community development through education, non-formal learning, training and international cooperation

🇭🇺 Street of Youth Association, SYA (Hungary): a Budapest youth organisation made up of Generation Z members, focused on the challenges Gen Z faces, with significant experience in youth exchanges, training courses and youth participation projects

🇬🇷 Inter Alia (Greece): active in education, advocacy, youth work and culture, promoting civic action, youth empowerment, employment opportunities and intercultural dialogue

The Team Behind the Course

👨‍💼 Alessio Casadei, Project Manager and Trainer: Business Economics student specialised in youth work, European politics and project management; the creator of Building Europe, responsible for the diplomatic simulation and overall project management

🗣️ Edoardo Conoscitore, Project Coordinator and Trainer: Languages student specialised in youth work and non-formal education, responsible for the Oxford-style debates and overall project support

📘 Alicia Bertolini, Trainer: with a degree in International Relations and a specialisation in European Studies, responsible for the European Learning Labs and the quality of the training programme

🤝 Inês Sirgado, Responsible for Inclusion: experienced youth worker specialised in social inclusion and community development, supporting participants with fewer opportunities and the accessibility of the whole group

🧠 Aikaterini Apostolaki, Responsible for Mental Health: psychologist specialised in therapeutic support for youth, responsible for the group's emotional balance and psychological safety

📸 Antonio d'Annibale, Multimedia Content Manager: responsible for promotional and multimedia content, documenting the activities and telling the participants' learning journey

How to Apply

On the project website, open Application Forms and choose the form for your country (Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Greece or Hungary). In the form you share your background, your experience in youth work and, above all, your motivation to participate. Read the infopack before you apply.

If the number of promising candidates exceeds the available places, the organisers will hold an online interview to explore your interest further and discuss your proposals for project dissemination. Our step-by-step guide on how to apply for Erasmus+ or ESC can help you prepare. Find more training courses like this in our Erasmus+ listings on Youth Works Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply to Building Europe?

Young people aged 19 to 26 from Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Greece or Hungary who are youth workers (or strongly motivated to become one), university students in related fields, or young professionals in the educational, social or civic sectors.

Is Building Europe really free?

The organisers describe it as a 100% free educational opportunity. Accommodation and full board are fully covered, and travel is reimbursed up to €309 (or €285 for Italy via green travel) on presentation of receipts.

When and where does the course take place?

From 16 to 24 November 2026 at Hotel Smarty in Rimini, Italy. 16 and 24 November are travel days, and 17 to 23 November are activity days.

Do I need previous Erasmus+ experience?

No. You do not need prior Erasmus+ experience or in-depth knowledge of EU institutions. The main requirement is your willingness to challenge yourself and build projects for your community.

How many places are there per country?

The course hosts 25 participants in total. Under the inclusion strategy, 3 out of 5 spots for each country are reserved for young people with fewer opportunities.

What will I actually do during the course?

You join European Learning Labs, Oxford-style debates, an EU Parliament diplomatic simulation and daily Active Citizenship Labs, mostly working in international teams.

Is there any preparation before the course?

Yes. Two online preparatory meetings are organised before the on-site experience in Rimini.

What do I have to do after the project?

You choose one or both dissemination methods: a local engagement event (in person or online) or awareness-raising multimedia content aimed at the 16 to 25 age group.

Is there a selection interview?

If the number of promising candidates is higher than the available places, the organisers hold an online interview about your interest and your ideas for project dissemination.