Embrace the Unknown
A youth exchange for empowering young people to transform fear of difference into curiosity, dialogue and intercultural empathy.
Embrace the Unknown
A youth exchange for empowering young people to transform fear of difference into curiosity, dialogue and intercultural empathy.
When: 1-11/10/2026 (including travel days)
Where: Statek Habří, Moravecké Pavlovice, Czech Republic
For whom: 25 young people from Czech Republic, Georgia, Greece, Spain, and Ukraine
“Refugees don’t make out country less safe. But xenophobia, fear and hate do. ”
– Ted Lieu
Are you ready to turn “the unknown” into an opportunity for connection?
In a world where 65% of people still witness discrimination against groups like the Roma and over 60% see bias based on skin color and ethnic origin, it is time to break the cycle of fear. Our upcoming Erasmus+ Youth Exchange, “Embrace the Unknown,” invites you to step out of your comfort zone and challenge the social media echo chambers that fuel polarization.
This is your chance to become an advocate for inclusion and a creator of change. You will collaborate with peers from across Europe to produce multilingual video content that showcases shared human values and celebrates diversity.
Whether you have personally experienced discrimination, witnessed it, or simply want to build a more united society, this project provides a safe, supportive space to develop your leadership and intercultural skills.
Join us to transform how your community perceives “the different,” and return home as an empowered multiplier of tolerance and solidarity!
#EmbraceTheUnknown #ErasmusPlus #InclusionMatters
Main info
Master Digital Storytelling: Gain hands-on experience in video production and editing to create powerful content that challenges stereotypes and promotes inclusion.
Build Intercultural Competence: Develop the ability to communicate and collaborate across cultures, transforming “the unknown” into a source of connection and empathy.
Sharpen Critical Thinking: Learn to navigate social media echo chambers and analyze the root causes of prejudice in your community and beyond.
Boost Your CV with Youthpass: Receive a Youthpass certificate—an official EU recognition of your skills and learning outcomes that is highly valued by employers.
Lead Local Change: Gain the leadership skills and tools needed to implement your own local initiatives and become a “multiplier” for tolerance in your home town.
Join a European Network: Build lasting friendships and professional connections with a diverse group of passionate young people from across the continent.
This youth exchange is open to curious, creative, and open-minded young people who want to explore new ways of expressing themselves and connecting with others.
Participants
👤 Age: 18–30 years old
🌍 Countries: Participants will come from Czechia, Georgia, Greece, Spain, and Ukraine.
🤝 Inclusion: We especially welcome young people with fewer opportunities – whether social, economic, or geographic – and will make sure the project is a safe and supportive space for everyone.
If you’re ready to learn, create, and share with an international group of new friends, then this project is for you!
Group leaders
Group leaders are the heart of the exchange – they guide, support, and inspire their national teams while also taking part in the adventure themselves.
👤 Age: 18+ (no upper age limit).
🌍 Role: Each partner country will send 1 group leader who accompanies the participants throughout the project.
💡 Experience needed: Previous youth work experience is welcome.
🤝 Responsibilities:
Support your group before, during, and after the exchange.
Encourage active participation and inclusion.
Cooperate with other group leaders and the organising team.
Help participants reflect on their learning and complete their Youthpass.
Being a group leader is not just about responsibility – it’s also about personal growth, intercultural teamwork, and developing leadership skills while sharing unforgettable moments with an international group.
- You will take a full part in the whole programme
- You will fill the evaluation form send by INspire within 6 weeks after the program, and Impact form send within 3 months after the program.
- You will co-develop a video against xenophobia during the youth exchange
- You will organize a local workshop in collaboration with your target group
- You will support spreading the learning from the project by participating in an online campaign
- You will support the overall dissemination of the project
- start with filling the application form.
- every partner organization (see below) will select 4 participants and 1 group leader to take part in the programme.
- if you are selected, you will receive a Confirmation Letter with more information regarding your participation. ONLY then you can start managing your travel arrangements and booking your tickets!
- if you have any questions, please contact us on an email info@czechinspire.eu
In a reflection groups, you will have daily cleaning tasks as a part of your community living experience. Namely, it is about:
- Prepareing breakfast
- Cleaning after lunch/dinner
- Cleaning outdoor/indoor spaces of the venue
Learning Process & Programme
- Support young people in identifying the root causes of prejudice and discrimination in their communities.
- Foster self-reflection and empathy by encouraging participants to examine their own fears and biases.
- Promote intercultural exploration through storytelling, cultural workshops, and collaborative activities that highlight diversity.
- Strengthen digital and media literacy by training youth to recognise echo chambers and misinformation and by co-creating multilingual videos on inclusion.
- Provide structured opportunities for intergroup dialogue where young people can share experiences, listen to personal stories, and develop solidarity across differences.
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The Way of Council & Morning Circles: We will start each day with a “Way of Council” community meeting, using nonviolent communication to create a safe, supportive space for honest dialogue.
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Creative Digital Labs: You will work in international teams to co-create multilingual videos and digital stories that challenge stereotypes and promote inclusion across social media.
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Structured Intergroup Dialogue: You will have the opportunity to connect directly with people who have faced social distance, listening to their personal stories to build genuine empathy and solidarity.
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Experiential Learning & Role Play: We will dive into interactive workshops and simulations that allow you to analyze the root causes of prejudice in a hands-on, immersive environment.
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Daily Reflection Groups: Every evening, you will meet in small groups to process your experiences and map your growth against the Youthpass competence framework.
* This is a plan but it will most probably change according the current needs of the group. Thus, you have an idea what is coming, but nothing is written in stone.
- Program is fully vegetarian
- Alcohol only out of program, and only with moderation (no hard liquors)
- you will be helping with cooking (and learning on plant-based cooking in the process, under the guidance of our vegan-chief) and cleaning
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Youth-Led Digital Campaigns: You will take the lead in launching the “Embrace the Unknown” online campaign, sharing your multilingual videos and stories across social media to inspire your peers globally.
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Local Action Workshops: Upon returning home, you will organize school workshops or community dialogues to act as a “multiplier,” bringing the lessons of tolerance and empathy back to your local environment.
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Youthpass Certification: You will participate in a structured self-assessment process to document your newly acquired skills in an official Youthpass certificate, proving the value of your experience to future employers.
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Evaluation: You will fill in a pre-assessment and post-assessment form, as well as Impact form send 3 months after the youth exchange
Accommodation – Statek Habří
- The venue is a pension in the Vysočina region. Forest is nearby, there is a pool, stand-alone studio.
- Rooms will be from 4 to 8 people. The rooms are equipped with bedsheets.
- We are not providing gender separated room, unless it is a psychological or religious necessity (if so, contact Project Supervisor on info@czechinspire.eu who will arrange you extra support).
Website (in Czech).
- There will be 3 meals a day + 2 coffee breaks. The food provided during the program will be an environmentally-conscious vegetarian diet cooked by our amazing vegan chef who will be happy to provide you with information on sustainable and healthy cooking.
- Before the project, we will ask you about your special diet or allergies to arrange your needs in time.
- There are no shops nearby, please bring all the necessary stuff with you.
- In case of need, we can do shopping from time to time, based on availability of our shopping crew.
- Be at Křížanov (district Žďár nad Sázavou) on 1/10/2024 at 16:00. You will be picked-up from there by bus.
- For traveling in Czech Republic, you can use this website: https://idos.idnes.cz/en/vlakyautobusymhdvse/spojeni/
Good tip:
It can be difficult to pronounce names of Czech cities. Put the names on a paper and show it to people! They will try to help.
- plan the departure on 11/10/26
- we need to leave the venue before 10:00
- we will take you by bus or car to Křižanov (okres Žďár nad Sázavou)
Travel Reimbursement
The project is co-financed by the Erasmus+ programme.
The costs of the programme, including meals, accommodation, and travel costs (according to the maximum amount of money allowed per country) will be covered by the Erasmus+ programme. Please contact your sending organisation to learn more about the financial details, and how to arrange the booking of your travel tickets.
Very important!
The travel expenses will be reimbursed on the basis of tickets, bookings and invoices, so remember to keep them all with you!
Erasmus+ calculated maximum amount of travel reimbursement you can receive based on the distance band.
Green travel means you are obliged to travel in a sustainable way – that means not by plane, but by bus, train, or carsharing (travelling alone in car is not considered sustainable). If you don’t want to travel green, please, contact project supervisor on info@czechinspire.eu.
| Country | Travel reimbursement limit | Green travel |
| Czech | €0 | Yes |
| Georgia | €395 | No |
| Greece | €417 (or €309 without GT) | Yes |
| Spain | €309 | No |
| Ukraine | €417 | Yes |
- If you are paying any participation fee to your sending organization, we don’t ask for any extra fee.
- If you are send for free, we ask you to pay a €30 participation fee. It will be send to your sending organization to cover their administration hours.
- If you can’t afford to pay any fee, that’s ok. Simply contact your partner organization or Project Supervisor, and they will support you by discussing alternatives (i.e. you help us photos during the project, instead of the fee). We want to make participation open for everybody. All we care about is to have involved and motivated people.
Partner organisations
Project's Team
Lika Devadze
Facilitator
I am a project manager, trainer, and aspiring photographer.
My background includes supporting young people from underprivileged communities to realize their potential. I have managed a wide range of educational projects and implemented initiatives that support women, migrants, and internally displaced persons in integrating into society.
Alongside my professional work, I am deeply interested in art, particularly photography. Photography allows me to express emotion by capturing moments that will never occur again.
I was a participant in YE several years ago, and I am excited to return as a facilitator for such an inspiring project.
Mariam Ketsbaia
Facilitator
I’m an aspiring trainer and youth worker with over four years of experience delivering small-scale workshops with and for young people.
My background includes working in non-formal education and participating in various international training courses and youth exchanges focused on communication, conflict management, combating hate speech, and Nonviolent Communication (NVC). As an internally displaced person (IDP) myself, these experiences have deeply shaped my commitment to creating inclusive, participatory, and meaningful learning spaces.
I first joined similar projects as a participant, and after completing Train the Trainer seminars, returning now as a facilitator feels very special. I’m excited to support participants in embracing uncertainty, learning from one another, and stepping outside their comfort zones in a safe and supportive environment.
Vojtěch Žák
Project supervisor
I am a trainer, facilitator, coach, storyteller, and writer.
The main topics I am focused on are the labor market, social inclusion (mainly of the LGBT+ spectrum), and personal development. The main methods I use are storytelling, coaching, systemic work, body movement, art, gamification, and LARP.
I went from a career as a journalist and marketing specialist to becoming a coach, facilitator, and trainer. I have worked for 6 years as a scout leader and later participated in the EVS program at Olde Vechte Foundation in the Netherlands.
info@czechinspire.eu
+420 775 636 658
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Michal Filípek
Kitchen and sustainability facilitator
Plant-based chef, low-waste lifestyle geek and sustainability lover.
From studying French language and literature to Erasmus+ cooking. Long story short, I like cooking more.
I can share with you my experiences in the kitchen, including several years working in a restaurant. My method is simple – everyone can cook.
I believe that a sustainable lifestyle is not a matter of being perfect but implementing small steps into your everyday life. During this project, you will have a chance to experience many of these little steps and see which one is working for you. I will be there to support you!
mifilipek@gmail.com
+421 902 400 626
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