SALTO Inclusion & Diversity and SALTO Participation & Information invite youth workers and trainers to a 3.5-day international Erasmus+ Study Visit in Antwerp, Belgium, from 16 to 20 November 2026, focused on the participation of young people with fewer opportunities in democratic life. Accommodation, meals and programme costs are covered, travel is supported by your National Agency, and the application deadline is 6 September 2026.
What This Study Visit Is About
SALTO Participation & Information and SALTO Inclusion & Diversity invite youth workers and trainers to apply for a 3.5-day international study visit focusing on the participation of young people with fewer opportunities in democratic life.
🗓️ It is a Study Visit taking place on 16-20 November 2026 in Antwerp, Belgium (venue to be confirmed), delivered in international English.
🧩 It is part of a long-term project by SALTO Inclusion & Diversity and SALTO Participation & Information that aims to strengthen competences to design and facilitate inclusive, accessible and meaningful democratic participation processes with diverse groups of young people.
🧭 Curious how a study visit differs from a training course or job shadowing? This explainer lays it out clearly: What Is an Erasmus+ Study Visit? A Guide for Youth Workers → https://youthworkshub.org/study-visit
Why Inclusive Democratic Participation Needs Attention
Despite the increasing attention to youth participation in democratic processes and decision-making promoted by Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, many young people with fewer opportunities, due to social, economic, cultural, geographical or educational barriers, remain underrepresented and unheard.
📊 As indicated by the YPS monitoring (Dr. Dan Moxon, YPS Steering group, 2024), between 2021 and 2023, only 9.8% of participants in Erasmus+ Youth projects with participation themes were young people with fewer opportunities (YPFO), considerably lower than the estimated 30% of participants in Erasmus+ KA1 activities (Youth Exchanges, Youth Workers Mobility and Youth Participation activities) who are YPFO.
🧑🏫 Youth workers, educators and trainers are key actors in supporting these young people, but they often lack practical tools and knowledge to address the specific challenges these youth face when engaging in democratic life.
What "Democratic Participation" Actually Means
The Youth Participation Strategy defines democratic participation as individual young people and groups of young people having the right, the means, the space, the opportunity and, where necessary, the support to freely express their views, contribute to and influence societal decision-making on matters affecting them, and be active within the democratic and civic life of our communities.
In simple terms, it means all the ways young people can influence decisions and shape the communities they live in. Democratic participation goes far beyond voting. In youth work, it can also mean:
🗣️ Co-designing projects and activities.
🏛️ Participating in youth councils or consultations.
📣 Engaging in advocacy and community campaigns.
🎨 Using digital tools, storytelling or arts to express views.
🤝 Taking part in civic dialogue with decision-makers.
💶 Contributing to participatory budgeting or shared governance in organisations.
It also happens in everyday youth work practice, when young people help set group rules, share decision-making power, and reflect critically on issues affecting their lives.
🔥 Want the bigger picture on youth-led change? Read this next: What Are Erasmus+ Youth Participation Activities? Young People Leading Change → https://youthworkshub.org/youthparticipation
Aims and Objectives of the Study Visit
This activity builds on the training course in Bucharest (1-5 June 2026) and the spring webinar series on inclusive youth participation organised by SALTO I&D and SALTO P&I. While the training and webinars mostly focused on barriers and tools/methodologies for democratic participation of young people with fewer opportunities, the study visit aims to shift from conceptual understanding to practical application.
🏙️ Antwerp provides a strong ecosystem of organisations and initiatives showcasing inclusive youth participation, particularly with young people facing socio-economic barriers, migration backgrounds, disabilities and other forms of exclusion. The study visit lets participants experience practices first-hand, reflect on them, and explore how to transfer them into their own contexts.
The study visit aims to:
🔗 Facilitate exchange with practitioners and local organisations from Antwerp.
🧰 Explore practical approaches and diverse methods for inclusive democratic participation, such as digital media and storytelling, grassroots and community-led initiatives, dialogue and policy engagement, youth representation, civic education, digital participation, participatory budgeting, and advocacy campaigns.
🌱 As part of a long-term project, participants are expected not only to benefit individually but also to contribute to the broader, long-term impact of the initiative. After the study visit, participants are expected to integrate inclusive participation approaches into their ongoing youth work, transfer and adapt the tools and methodologies within their organisations and local contexts, and develop partnership-building and project development (Erasmus+/ESC).
⭐ Priority will be given to applicants who participated in the training course held in Bucharest on 1-5 June 2026.
A Non-Formal Learning Approach
Nobody is perfect, luckily. Everyone can learn from each other to improve daily practice. The programme starts by looking at what you already bring (knowledge, attitudes, practices) and, through a mix of inputs and non-formal methods (learning by doing, trying out, time for sharing and reflecting, group work), aims to empower you to get better at what you do. The course endeavours to be an example of an inclusive activity, so you can take tips, practices and tools from it into your own work.
Who Is This For?
You are welcome if you have experience, expertise or a strong desire to learn and contribute to the topic of inclusive youth participation within the EU Youth Programmes Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. Ideally you identify with one or more of the following:
👥 Youth workers, volunteers, trainers, grassroots activists, members of informal groups, community leaders and staff from youth organisations who either work directly with young people facing fewer opportunities and want to support their involvement in democratic processes, or work on democratic participation and its processes and are willing to engage young people with fewer opportunities.
💛 The organisers especially invite people who identify as having a lived experience of inclusion and overcoming barriers. This could mean, for example, facing social, economic or geographic barriers, having a disability, being a single parent with a minority background, being a young person living in an isolated rural area, or being a trans person going through transition with a lack of emotional support. As the organisers put it, this activity will not be possible without you in the room.
Meet the Team of Trainers
🧑🏫 Morgaine Green (she/her) is a facilitator and project manager working across systems of oppression, collective liberation and social justice, with young people with fewer opportunities and intergenerational and intercultural groups. She trains individuals, teams and communities in peace education, conflict transformation, social inclusion and community participation, and works at the intersection of collective memory, imagination, art, play and decoloniality.
🧑🏫 Letícia Usanovich (they/them) is a facilitator for social change with experience in youth development across Europe, Latin America and Kenya. Their intersectional and decolonial practice explores identity, privilege, power and systems of oppression, supporting young people as agents of change. They have worked with youth-led associations in Portugal and Brazil.
🧑🏫 Joke Van Dooren (she/her) is a socio-cultural worker and youth worker based in Antwerp. Inclusive participation has been a red thread through her work, from volunteering at inclusive youth camps and managing projects with farmer cooperatives in Morocco, to integration and participation of migrant families, to her current work as a movement builder and process facilitator. Group dynamics is her playing field, and she looks forward to showing participants around her city.
🗺️ Also in 🇧🇪 Belgium, and just as youth-focused, here is another opportunity to bookmark: Arts Education and Human Rights (ESC Volunteering) → https://youthworkshub.org/21706
What Is Covered and Important to Know
🏛️ The training is organised by SALTO Inclusion & Diversity and SALTO Participation & Information and hosted by the Flemish National Agency (JINT), funded by the Erasmus+ Programme.
🗣️ The working language is international English. Your English does not have to be perfect, but you need to be able to follow the programme and voice your opinions in English.
🏨 Accommodation, meals and programme costs are covered. Participants should be available for the full duration of the residential study visit.
💻 Selected participants are expected to attend an online preparatory meeting on Thursday, 5 November 2026, 17:00-19:00 CET, which provides practical information, introduces the group and helps participants prepare.
🛏️ All participants are accommodated in single rooms. Rooms adapted for persons with reduced mobility can be arranged. If you need a personal assistant, the organisers can cover the cost of an extra room in the same hotel.
🥗 For environmental reasons, the food provided is mostly vegetarian and vegan, and the venue and hotel can adapt the menu to other dietary needs or preferences.
🚆 Travel costs are covered by your National Agency (or regional SALTO). The organisers can advise on accessible train stations and connections in Belgium, and if necessary can arrange and cover adapted transportation from the airport or train station to the venue.
Who Can Apply (Countries and Profiles)
🌍 This study visit is for 25 participants and mainly targets participants from Erasmus+ Programme Countries, with a few places for participants from the neighbouring regions: Western Balkan countries, EuroMed (Southern Mediterranean) countries and Eastern Partnership countries.
🎯 It is recommended for youth workers, trainers, youth leaders, youth project managers, volunteering mentors and youth coaches. The activity and venue are accessible to people with disabilities.
Certificate
📜 Participants are entitled to receive a Youthpass certificate from the organiser, recognising their competence development during the activity.
How to Apply
📝 Apply through the official SALTO European Training Calendar before the deadline. The date of selection is 18 September 2026, and selected participants must attend the online preparatory meeting on 5 November 2026. Priority is given to applicants who took part in the Bucharest training course (1-5 June 2026). For the participation fee, which is financed by the participating National Agencies and varies from country to country, contact your National Agency or SALTO Resource Centre.
Deadline
⏳ 06 September 2026
Links
🔗 Official application (SALTO): https://www.salto-youth.net/tools/european-training-calendar/training/study-visit-on-inclusive-participation-in-democratic-life.15183/
🔗 Spring 2026 webinar series, article summaries (PDF): https://www.salto-youth.net/tools/european-training-calendar/download/salto%5Ctrainingcalendar%5Cmodel%5CDownload-11027/Spring%202026%20webinar%20series_article%20summaries.pdf
⚠️ Important Notice
Youth Works Hub is not the organiser, partner, or representative of the listed projects. This listing is shared for information only, based on details from the source. Deadlines, eligible countries, dates, and other details may change or be withdrawn at any time, and all funding, reimbursements, and allowances are set by the project coordinator or National Agency. Applications go directly to the coordinator or hosting organisation through the official link. Listings may include third-party links (ESC Portal, infopacks, forms) that Youth Works Hub does not control. Always verify the details on the official project page before applying.
