🔑 Key Information
Activity ⭐️ Title
"Towards Collaborative Practice" TCP Forum on Social Entrepreneurship and the Union of Skills
Activity 🔶 Type | 📆 Dates | 📍Location
Conference – Symposium - Forum
19-23 October 2026 | Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia
🌍 Erasmus+ explained — the complete beginner's guide to Europe's largest youth programme.Millions of young people have taken part in Erasmus+ since its launch, but many still don't fully understand what the programme actually includes, who it's for, or how to get involved. This in-depth guide breaks down everything: the different types of mobility, funding opportunities, eligibility criteria, and what you can realistically expect from participating. If you've ever wondered whether Erasmus+ is right for you, this guide gives you all the answers in one place. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/15096/
❗️What Is This Training About?
“Towards Collaborative Practice” TCP Forum: A cross-sectorial event exploring the potential of Youth Work and Erasmus+ to foster employability and social entrepreneurship among young people.
🏘️ How Erasmus+ youth projects create lasting change in local communities. The impact of Erasmus+ goes far beyond the individuals who participate. Local communities, host organisations, and even entire neighbourhoods are shaped by the projects that take place within them. This article explores the broader social impact of Erasmus+ youth exchanges — from building intercultural understanding to empowering grassroots organisations — and makes a compelling case for why these projects matter beyond the personal level. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/3595/
ℹ️ Description About The Opportunity
The 9th edition of the “Towards Collaborative Practice” (TCP) Forum is inspired by the European Union of Skills initiative. This year's Forum will focus on the unique contribution of youth work and the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes to fostering initiative, entrepreneurship, employability and active participation.
After eight successful editions of the "Towards Collaborative Practice": TCP Forum and three inspiring TCP Study Visits and a TCP Social Innovation Lab held across Sweden, Italy, UK, Hungary, Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Israel and Bosnia Herzegovina, this TCP event returns to the Western Balkans. In 2026, Skopje offers the setting to explore how the Union of Skills can become a practical approach to empowering young people and strengthening more inclusive, innovative and resilient communities across Europe.
To discover the spirit of the TCP Forum, watch the highlights from previous editions below.
TCP Community Facebook page
TCP Spain Highlight Video
TCP Hungary Highlight Video
Why connect the youth sector to the Union of Skills EU initiative?
Formal education alone cannot address the current skills gap, making youth work a critical vehicle for non-formal learning and the development of essential transversal skills—such as resilience, critical thinking, adaptability, and digital literacy. This strategic connection bridges the divide between non-formal learning outcomes and labour-market-recognised credentials, positioning the youth sector as an active partner in equipping young people with the tools for lifelong upskilling and reskilling. By aligning these efforts, youth work helps young people navigate constant economic transitions and contribute directly to the Union of Skills' objective of ensuring a resilient and future-ready society.
To translate this vision into practice, the TCP Forum serves as an interactive, cross-sectoral laboratory. It addresses the Union of Skills through a blend of expert insights, a Human Library of Skills, and collaborative learning experiences that encourage participants to exchange practices, explore diverse perspectives, and build meaningful connections. Beyond discussions, the event acts as a collaborative hub—integrating panel discussions with social entrepreneurs, practical workshops, and study visits—to empower participants with actionable tools and foster tangible partnerships that bridge the gap between youth work and the future of the European labour market.
General objectives of the TCP Forum:
Provide an opportunity for networking and sharing ideas, tools, methods, challenges and good practices to foster employability and entrepreneurship, especially in marginalised communities.
Showcase social entrepreneurship and non-formal learning as a way to encourage and enable young people to sustain their entrepreneurship competences.
Encourage creativity, innovation, participation, solidarity, diversity and social inclusion of young people.
Provide information on Erasmus+ and other opportunities to foster employability and entrepreneurship.
Specific objectives of this edition of the TCP Forum:
Explore the Union of Skills initiative through the lens of youth work, creating a bridge between non-formal learning and labour-market requirements.
Exchange and co-create innovative, future-oriented entrepreneurial practices, drawing on the cross-sectoral expertise of participants from diverse backgrounds.
Foster sustainable, cross-sectoral partnerships that translate the Forum’s collaborative spirit into actionable projects.
Youth@Work Partnership:
The event is organised under the Youth@Work Strategic Partnership on youth employability and entrepreneurship of Erasmus+ National Agencies and SALTO Resource Centres. The TCP event is part of the Youth@Work Partnership, alongside other projects tackling youth employability and entrepreneurship, organised by the twelve member Erasmus+ National Agencies and SALTO Resource Centres. More about Youth@Work is available at @YouthatWorkPartnership (on Facebook).
Training overview
This Conference – Symposium - Forum is
for 60 participants
from Erasmus+ Youth Programme countries 
, Partner Countries Neighbouring the EU
and recommended for
Youth workers, Trainers, Youth leaders, Youth project managers, Youth policy makers, Volunteering mentors, Youth coaches, Youth researchers, Employment, entrepreneurship and social innovation support services, ormal education representatives (higher education, VET); cooperatives; foundations; local, regional and national government representatives
Accessibility info:
This activity and venue place are accessible to people with disabilities.
Working language(s):
English
Organiser:
North Macedonian Erasmus+ National Agency (National Agency)
Co-organiser(s):
- Polish Erasmus+ National Agency (National Agency)
✅ 10 practical tips to write a stronger Erasmus+ or ESC application and actually get selected. With growing competition for spots in Erasmus+ and ESC projects, a well-crafted application can genuinely make or break your chances. This guide shares 10 concrete, actionable tips based on what selection committees actually look for — covering everything from how to frame your motivation to the common mistakes that get applications rejected. If you're serious about getting selected, take the time to read this before you hit submit. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/8396/
📥 Contact
Contact for questions:
Jovica Mitevski
E-Mail:
Phone: +389 2 3109 045
💶 Costs
Participation fee
This project is financed by the participating National Agencies (NAs) of the Erasmus+ Youth in Action Programme. The participation fee varies from country to country. Please contact your National Agency or SALTO Resource Centre (SALTO) to learn more about the participation fee for participants from your country.
Accommodation and food
Unless specified otherwise, the hosting NA or SALTO of this offer will organise the accommodation and covers the costs for accommodation and food.
Travel reimbursement
Please contact your NA or SALTO in order to know whether they would support your travel costs. If yes, after being selected, get in touch with your NA or SALTO again to learn more about the overall procedure to arrange the booking of your travel tickets and the reimbursement of your travel expenses.
📜 Certificate
Participants are entitled to receive a Youthpass certificate from the organiser, for recognition of their competence development during the activity. Read more about Youthpass:
https://youthworkshub.org/what-is-youthpass
⚠️ Important Dates
Application deadline (24h UTC): 3 September 2026
Date of selection: 11 September 2026
🔗 Official Link
🗂️ Documents
TCP Skopje_Draft Agenda Call for Pax.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.
