Asociatia GGS is running "Closer than We Think", an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange in Izvoare, Romania, bringing together young people from Romania, Bulgaria and Czech Republic to work on conflict management and communication, with no fixed application deadline, so applications are reviewed as they come in. At Youth Works Hub, we read the infopack because this one is unusually direct about a topic most youth projects avoid naming outright: conflict.
Disagreements with friends, family, classmates or people met online are not framed here as something to eliminate. They are the starting point.
The Idea Behind the Project
The exchange is based on the idea that conflict is a normal part of everyday life, especially for young people who constantly navigate different personalities, opinions, expectations and environments. They may experience disagreements with friends, classmates, colleagues, family members or people they meet online, as well as tensions within groups and communities.
💬 However, knowing that conflicts are part of life does not necessarily mean knowing how to handle them. Many young people are left without practical tools for expressing themselves, understanding different perspectives, calming tense situations or finding common ground.
🧰 This is why the project focuses on building a real, usable toolbox of skills that participants can take with them and apply in their everyday lives.
What's in the Toolbox
🫂 Empathy
⚡ Trigger recognition
👂 Active listening
🚧 Boundaries
🧭 Conflict response understanding
⏳ Patience
🙏 Apology and accountability
🛑 De-escalation decision making
The Pattern the Project Wants to Interrupt
📉 The organisers describe a repeated pattern of conflict escalation seen in youth: misunderstandings are left unresolved, tensions build up, people take sides, and young people either withdraw or react impulsively, turning manageable disagreements into bigger conflicts.
🎭 The project is built on non-formal education methods, where participants learn by doing and actively contribute to the learning process. Throughout the exchange, they will role-play, practise, discuss, reflect, create, simulate real-life conflicts, and share experiences, turning the learning into practical tools they can use beyond the project.
Who This Is Designed For
🗣️ Ready to engage with difficult communication scenarios and explore practical ways to manage them.
🤝 Interested in conflict management, dialogue and constructive communication.
🪞 Willing to reflect on their own conflict-response patterns and behaviours.
🌍 Comfortable sharing experiences and learning from an international and intercultural group.
🛠️ Willing to contribute to the creation and sharing of practical conflict-management tools.
🏡 Committed to bringing the learning back to their peers, organisations or local communities.
The Three Phases
Phase 1, Days 1 to 3: Building Trust
🧩 Icebreakers and team-building games, participants co-create a group code of conduct, an early discussion of risks and how to handle them, cultural-exchange evenings, and an introductory session on the Erasmus+ programme and the Youthpass certificate.
Phase 2, Days 4 to 8: Learning to Prevent and Manage Conflict
🎬 Through role-plays, simulations, dialogue sessions and peer mediation exercises, participants develop practical skills in de-escalation, active listening and respectful communication. They explore conflict both online and offline, practice mediation techniques, create practical toolkits, and take part in a mid-term evaluation to reflect on their progress.
Phase 3, Days 9 to 10: Reflection and Practice
📝 Participants finalise the resources they created, develop plans for sharing their learning back home, and reflect on the competences they gained through Youthpass. The exchange concludes with a final evaluation, Youthpass certificate ceremony, and farewell activities celebrating the group's achievements.
Who Is Sending Whom
🇷🇴 Romania (host): 10 young people aged 16 to 30, plus 2 group leaders aged 18+, plus 2 facilitators.
🇧🇬 Bulgaria: 10 young people aged 16 to 30, plus 2 group leaders aged 18+.
🇨🇿 Czech Republic: 10 young people aged 16 to 30, plus 2 group leaders aged 18+.
👥 Each national team totals 12 participants.
The organisers describe what they are looking for in plain terms: motivated young people who are eager to learn, share experiences and contribute to a positive learning environment. They state a clear commitment to diversity, active participation and mutual respect, creating a space where every participant can feel safe, heard and empowered to grow.
Where You Would Stay
🏔️ Izvoare is located in the heart of Harghita County, a peaceful mountain village surrounded by the forests and landscapes of the Eastern Carpathians, known for its fresh air, beautiful nature and quiet atmosphere.
🏕️ Accommodation is at Irgo, in shared rooms of 3, with 2 bathrooms included per cabin. The location is situated in a natural area, meant as a step away from everyday routines to focus on learning, connection and reflection.
🍽️ Accommodation and meals, breakfast, lunch, dinner and coffee breaks, are provided for the entire duration of the project.
What's Covered and What You'd Need to Bring
💶 Accommodation and all meals are covered for the full duration.
🚆 Travel is reimbursed based on green travel: Romania up to €285, Bulgaria up to €285, Czech Republic up to €417. Green travel means bus, train or carpool. Information about transportation for everyone will be provided after selection.
🎒 What to bring: documents such as ID and a parent agreement for minors, towels, flip flops for inside the house and the shower floor, prescribed medicine, thick clothes, clothes for sport or hike activities, and a rain cover. The organisers remind participants to plan their clothes for 12 days.
How Selection and Preparation Work
📨 Applications are reviewed as soon as they are submitted, so applying early rather than waiting matters here.
✅ Verify you have read the terms and conditions listed on the application form thoroughly before submitting.
💬 If accepted, you receive a link to the project's WhatsApp conversation group along with instructions on what to do next.
🖥️ Two online preparatory events are planned: an internal gathering for the national group and an external meeting for the whole group. This is the chance to meet the project team, connect with your group and go over final details before the project begins. The precise time and space will be sent by email later on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fixed deadline to apply?
No. Applications are reviewed as soon as they are submitted, so there is no fixed cut-off date, but places are limited to 10 participants and 2 group leaders per country.
Who can take part?
Young people aged 16 to 30 and group leaders aged 18+, from Romania, Bulgaria or Czech Republic.
Is the project genuinely free?
Accommodation and all meals are covered. Travel is reimbursed up to a green-travel ceiling that depends on your country.
What will the days actually look like?
A mix of icebreakers, role-plays, simulations, dialogue sessions and peer mediation exercises, split across three phases: building trust, learning conflict management, and reflecting and applying it.
What do I get at the end?
A Youthpass certificate, awarded during a closing ceremony alongside a final evaluation and farewell activities.
What happens before the exchange starts?
You are added to a WhatsApp group and invited to two online preparatory events, one for your national group and one for the whole international group.
Project Snapshot
📌 Type: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange
📍 Location: Izvoare, Harghita, Romania
🗓️ Activity Dates: 6–17 October 2026 (travel days included)
🌍 Countries: Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic
🎂 Age:16–30 (group leaders 18+)
Deadline
⏳ As soon as possible!
There is no fixed closing date. Applications are reviewed as they arrive, so waiting does not improve your chances, it only shortens the time the organisers have to prepare with you. Find more Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges on Youth Works Hub.
📧 Questions: Bimbirel@ggs.ngo
