29 iulie 2025
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In June 2025, the mountains of Bran, Romania, became home to an inspiring gathering of 25 youth workers and young leaders from seven European countries, who came together for the “From Rural to Plural: Connect – Inspire – Transform” seminar — part of the Active Development Association’s Erasmus+ Accreditation in the field of youth.
Behind this title stood a simple, yet powerful ambition: to bring together people who believe in the potential of rural youth and who work every day to turn small local initiatives into big changes. Over seven intense days, participants built connections, shared experiences, and designed new paths for collaboration under the European Youth Village (EYV) umbrella — a growing European community that gives voice and visibility to young people from rural areas.
Why this seminar?
Across Europe, rural youth face specific and persistent challenges: geographic isolation, limited access to quality education and employment, fewer opportunities for civic engagement, and often a lack of youth-friendly infrastructure and services. Many rural youth workers and organizations struggle to access European partnerships and resources that could amplify their local efforts. There is a growing need to connect, strengthen, and empower those working for and with rural youth at the European level.
Developing strong, high-quality partnerships rooted in the real needs of rural youth requires time, trust-building, and the exchange of good practices. The European Youth Village (EYV) model has shown that by creating ecosystems of collaboration at local and national levels, rural youth can drive meaningful change. Expanding this approach across borders by connecting like-minded organizations can increase the visibility and impact of rural youth work across Europe.
By linking their work to the EYV model and Erasmus+ priorities, participants can improve their local activities while also contributing to the growth of a stronger, more inclusive European network for rural youth empowerment. Through dialogue, mutual learning, and collective action, we are laying the foundations for long-term partnerships and new initiatives that will give rural youth a louder voice and more opportunities to thrive.
What happened during the seminar?
CONNECT – Finding the common pulse of rural youth work
The first days of the seminar were about people. We laughed, listened, and learned to trust one another through interactive team-building sessions that brought together the diversity of our group — from the green valleys of Finland to the mountain villages of North Macedonia.
The Rural NGO Fair transformed our training room into a living map of Europe’s rural youth work. Participants decorated their corners with posters, project stories, photos, and symbols of their communities, showcasing how youth work looks in their villages and small towns. Between discussions and laughter, collaborations started to take shape — future projects born from shared passions and complementary strengths.
These first days also opened the door to a larger vision: participants got to know the European Youth Village programme — its mission, its ecosystem, and its growing European dimension. For many, it was their first contact with a structured rural youth movement that connects local change with European policy and advocacy.
INSPIRE – Learning from each other, for each other
The middle of the week brought a shift in energy. After connecting as people, it was time to inspire each other as professionals, activists, and changemakers.
Through hands-on sessions, we explored good practices in rural youth participation, digital transformation, inclusion, and green projects. Participants shared stories from their communities: digital literacy initiatives in small villages, campaigns for youth representation in local councils, projects that turned unused public spaces into youth hubs, or creative environmental actions led by young volunteers.
We didn’t stop at sharing — we analysed, questioned, and improved. How can we make rural youth work more inclusive? How can digital tools serve communities instead of isolating them? How do we make environmental sustainability more than just a slogan?
Together, we explored the 11 European Youth Goals and discussed how these can be turned into concrete local priorities — bridging the gap between European ideals and everyday rural realities. The sessions became laboratories of ideas and co-creation, where theory met the real-life experience of those working closest to the ground
TRANSFORM – Turning ideas into collective action
As the week moved towards its finale, the group’s focus shifted to transformation — turning everything learned and experienced into something tangible.
In mixed international teams, participants designed four joint action plans around the key pillars that define the future of rural youth work:
Inclusion – ensuring that every young person, no matter their background, can participate and thrive.
Digitalisation – using technology as a bridge, not a barrier, in rural areas.
Participation – strengthening the voice of young people in local decision-making.
Green transition – integrating sustainability into every aspect of youth work.
Each group combined creativity with strategy, outlining both local and cross-country actions to be carried out after the seminar. Their plans will become real initiatives — workshops, campaigns, collaborations — continuing the story that began in Bran.
The final day was dedicated to reflection and personal growth. Participants mapped their learning journeys, from the first introductions to the new partnerships that emerged. There were tears, laughter, and countless hugs as everyone realised that what they had built together was not just a professional network — it was a community.
Participants’ voices:
„For me, the word to describe this experience would be INSPIRING, because I had some basis, but this project helped me build a knowledge house in my mind. I also think it was inspiring because we got to see what others are doing and what we could do ourselves. I learned a lot during the best practice sessions. For me, the best part of these experiences is learning about what people are doing outside your community and gaining new tools. The whole project was about inspiration for me. I want to work more with La Bardal (my sending organization), join their existing projects, and get involved in writing new ones.”
— Cris, Spain„This experience, this course, was really interesting. I had the opportunity to meet people from different countries, each with interesting experiences to share. In the best practices sessions, for example, I learned about the Serbians and the protests they are involved in, which was amazing. I had moments where I thought: Wow, how many things I have to learn! You always have new things to discover and explore in these kinds of projects.”
— Estefania, Spain„It (The Connect, Inspire, Transform seminar) was great. I really enjoyed the people, the organization, the hotel, the food – everything. I also enjoyed all the lessons and sessions. I found many similarities with my own country, and I will definitely use what I learned when I return home. I especially liked the sessions focused on human rights and policy: How can we include more people? or How do we make them feel more welcomed in our activities and projects? I really appreciated finding answers to those questions.”
— Jana, Serbia„I feel happy and blessed to have participated in the seminar, as it opened my eyes to new perspectives on rural youth. It gave me the opportunity to discover projects that truly inspired me. The work others are doing in their countries motivates me and makes me eager to replicate some of these ideas or at least help share them with other organizations and young people in rural areas of my country.”
— Iolanda, Portugal„Through my participation in the Erasmus+ project Connect, Inspire, Transform, organized by ADA in Șimon, Romania, I had the chance to explore and better understand different aspects of working with rural youth. I gained a deeper understanding of the challenges young people face in rural areas and how we can approach them to provide meaningful support. I also made connections with people from across Europe, with whom we can continue to collaborate and contribute to youth work.”
— Mathioudakis Georgios, Greece„For me, the whole experience was very inspiring. I learned new things about other countries, as well as methods and approaches we can use to make a difference in rural communities. The sessions were very useful – we explored challenges and solutions in working with youth, best practices in the sector, and more. I feel I developed many competences during this seminar and that I am now better prepared to collaborate with youth workers from other countries and implement joint initiatives.”
— Roxana, Romania„I feel really good about my participation. I was a bit nervous in the beginning, as I hadn’t taken part in any international mobility before, but I felt very welcomed from the start. In the first days, we were told to trust the process by Victor, and now I see how right he was – everything went smoothly. Learning, connecting with others, and working together made these days truly special. I’m very glad I was part of the Connect, Inspire, Transform experience.”
— Zeynep, Türkiye„I felt very inspired and would like to actually implement some of what I learned in my community. I realized that we are capable of creating change if we act collectively. On the final day, we had to choose a priority and plan how to implement it in our community. I really liked the idea my team came up with, and I genuinely want to bring it to life.”
— Vasiliki, Greece„It was very enlightening. I learned a lot, and I feel the topics we covered were timely and practical – they can be used to address real challenges in rural youth work. Also, meeting people from around Europe is always such a great experience. It’s amazing how some strangers can become close friends in less than a week during exchanges like this. I’m very happy I had the chance to take part.”
— Samuel, Italy
Beyond the seminar – A shared mission for rural Europe
“From Rural to Plural” was not only a partnership-building activity; it was a manifesto for collaboration and hope. It proved that rural youth work is not defined by geography, but by passion — and that the people working for rural youth across Europe share the same vision: to make rural areas places where young people want to live, grow, and lead.
Through the Erasmus+ programme and the European Youth Village ecosystem, this seminar planted seeds of long-term partnerships that will continue to grow in the months and years to come. Together, we are building a Europe where the voices of rural youth are not just heard, but amplified — shaping the future of our communities, one connection at a time.
Disclaimer: The mobility was organized within the project 2024-1-RO01-KA151-YOU-000207686, under Active Development Association’s Erasmus+ accreditation in the field of youth no. 2022-1-RO01-KA150-YOU-00011043. The project was funded by the European Union.
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