Pattern Breaker

The project was co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

"Erasmus+ DIY" was an Erasmus+ Training Course designed to empower aspiring youth workers to bring their own Youth Exchange ideas to life. The main activity took place between 1-9 March 2025 in Gyula, Hungary. 25 young youth workers from Lithuania, Greece, Italy, Romania, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Hungary joined together for this transformative learning experience.

What were the reasons behind creating this project?

Many young youth workers are passionate about international youth work but lack the confidence or practical knowledge to turn their ideas into reality. This project aimed to bridge that gap by providing hands-on experience and skill-building opportunities in a supportive, non-formal educational environment.

The training course focused on developing key competencies essential for creating impactful Erasmus+ projects — from workshop design to facilitation techniques. Participants also gained valuable insights into the Erasmus+ application process and practiced writing their own project proposals, equipping them with the skills to turn their ideas into concrete, fundable initiatives.

We believe that by empowering young youth workers to create high-quality Erasmus+ projects, we contribute to a future where youth-led initiatives inspire, educate, and build stronger, more connected communities across Europe.

Check out the daily Reels on Instagram!

Daily blog

Day 1

"We tend to remember new experiences really well. The first car ride as a driver, the first kiss or the first trip abroad. Now we can add to this list the first day of our project in Gyula.

"Erasmus + Do It Yourself" Training Course started fully on Sunday morning. Casual chatting during breakfast turned quickly into Superheroes meeting. Our first workshops got us the insight into inner selves. What are our alter egos? What are our strengths? What drives us and allows us to change the world, step by step? We created our profiles and exchanged the results in smaller groups. This also let us understand and notice what else we see in each other. That's how we discovered that we share common values despite differences.

Later we revealed our engineering and teamwork skills by building bridges with limited materials. Three teams competed to win in the longest, the prettiest and the strongest categories. The competition was demanding, we raced not only to take first place but also to build a sense of unity. Some flowers, boats, and pasta. 💐⛵🍝

Later we debriefed what we faced and came up with conclusions useful for upcoming days and our future as youth workers.

First rays of spring sun lured us outside. We went on a walk filled with interesting conversation starters. At this point we already remembered each other's names, so we had the chance to get to know one another better.

By the evening, it was time to create the project teams. We gathered in seven smaller groups in which, from now o,n we will polish our ideas.

Time flies fast when it's filled with such interesting activities. After the whole day of laughs, sharing ideas, inspiring each other and building connections, we ended the evening with a feeling that this is just the beginning of something truly special. 🌟"

Day 2

"It was a fun and memorable day! We kicked off the morning with an energizer game, organized by the 'Captain Spark' of the day, which set a great tone for what was to come. After that, we continued our journaling exercise, diving deeper into the project we started the day before. 🎇

In the afternoon, we explored the journey of becoming a facilitator, followed by a self-reflection session. 🫧

It was a productive day, and it was exciting to learn how to expand the Erasmus+ community.💖"

Day 3

"We dove into real-world scenarios where secretly assigned participants disrupted activities on purpose. This challenge pushed us to analyze different situations and learn effective ways to handle them—because in facilitation, anything can happen!

Another highlight of the day was the Human Library session, where we gained valuable insights into the Erasmus world through the real-life stories and experiences of others. It was an eye-opening way to connect and learn!

To top it all off, the evening brought us the much-anticipated NGO Dating Night! This informal gathering encouraged participants to bond, network, and explore potential collaborations—laying the groundwork for future NGO projects and teamwork.

What a day full of learning, growth, and connection! 🚀🌍✨"

Day 4

"Our fourth day of training was all about getting hands-on with Erasmus+ Youth Exchange applications! We explored key questions individually and in groups, focusing on:

✅ Defining the target group

✅ Identifying the skills, knowledge, and attitudes we aim to develop in our YE

✅ Understanding the impact of our projects

✅ Tackling the budgeting process

To make things more exciting, the writing roulette game spiced up things, where unexpected hints and obstacles challenged our creativity in the writing process! 🎲💡

We wrapped up the day with a hilarious improvisation theater session—participants had to sell an unknown object on TV, with their hands controlled by someone else! 😂🎤"

Day 5

"This was all about preparing, practicing, and perfecting our workshops — because tomorrow, we take on a local high school in Békéscsaba!

We started by diving into who our target group is and how to connect with them. From there, we explored the key principles of non-formal education — creating engaging, meaningful, and fun learning experiences.

We teamed up in groups of 3 to brainstorm and design our own workshops, crafting creative ideas and preparing materials to make our sessions unforgettable. 🎨✂️🧠

The afternoon was all about testing these ideas! We ran practice sessions, got constructive feedback, and made final changes to ensure everything runs smoothly. And guess what? The local TV even stopped by to capture the action and interview us about this amazing Erasmus+ project! 🎥✨

We’re feeling nervous but excited — ready to inspire and engage the students tomorrow! Let’s do this! 💪"

Day 6

"Today was an unforgettable one! We started early heading to a local high school in Békéscsaba to facilitate our workshops — this time, for real! The students were engaged, curious, and full of energy, which made all our hard work pay off. 🙌

After the sessions, we took time to reflect — discussing what worked, what could be improved, and what we’re truly proud of. It was inspiring to hear everyone’s takeaways and see how much we’ve grown as facilitators.

To celebrate our success, we headed to a cozy Italian restaurant for a well-deserved lunch🍕🍝. The afternoon gave us time to recharge and explore the beautiful town of Gyula. Some of us soaked in the thermal baths, others wandered around, enjoying local cakes, and a few adventurers even made it to the Romanian border!

We ended the day on a high note with an Intercultural Spotlight 🌍 — each country showcased their culture in fun, creative, and unforgettable ways. It was a heartwarming reminder of how diverse and connected we all are. ❤️"

Day 7

"We kicked off the morning by summarizing the week and creating "legacy content" — videos and infographics that will inspire and guide future youth workers. We also tackled a few last-minute budget questions and planned dissemination workshops in our country groups to spread the knowledge we gained.

An unexpected, heartwarming surprise followed these: the boys serenaded the girls with Ed Sheeran’s Perfect, accompanied by guitar 🎸, and gifted us flowers and chocolates for International Women’s Day. 🌹🍫 It was such a beautiful gesture that left us all smiling! 

Plus, we celebrated one of our participants' birthday together — because what’s a final day without doughnuts? 🎂✨

In the afternoon, we held the Youthpass Ceremony. Each participant walked through the Tunnel of Success, cheered on by the whole group, celebrating everyone’s personal growth and achievements. 🎉👏

We closed the week with a powerful eye-contact activity — 1.5 hours of deep connection, sharing final wishes, words, and messages in a meaningful way. 💙

And of course, we ended the night with an epic farewell party, dancing and singing our hearts out one last time. 🎶💃

This week wasn’t just about learning — it was about building friendships, growing together, and creating lifelong memories. ❤️"