Why You Need to do Youth Mobility at least once in Your Life.

Have you ever dreamed of traveling abroad, meeting people from all over the world, sharing culture, and learning skills you’d never find in a classroom and fully funded?

That’s exactly what Youth Mobility programs offer. In Europe, there are many opportunities: youth exchanges, training courses, summer schools, seminars, ESC and conferences. Most are fully funded: they cover your meals, accommodation, and transportation.

Unfortunately, not many young people know about them. I didn’t either until one day I stumbled into my very first Youth Mobility. That moment changed my life.

Before I start, let me be honest: I’ve been to many projects. Too many to write about in one article. Here, I’ll share only some of the most memorable ones. My goal is simple: I want to inspire you to join at least one. And I also want to tell you the truth most projects are amazing,but not all of them are perfect. You need to prepare yourself with realistic expectations. That’s part of the journey.

My First Youth Mobility: Tromsø, Norway (2014)

I come from Indonesia, where opportunities like this are rare and not well promoted. So when I was studying in Russia and saw a poster about a Youth Mobility project in Tromsø, Norway, I couldn’t believe it:

Three days. Theme: Design Thinking. All expenses covered.

Russia isn’t in the Schengen Area, so I needed a visa. I sent my application anyway, just hoping for luck. Days later, I got the email: accepted.

The organizers arranged everything train and flight tickets, and even helped me with the Schengen visa. The visa which quite hard to get but with the invitation from the organizer andthe project was fully funded I could get the approval for my first schengen visa and at 19, it felt surreal.

The project itself was unforgettable. I learned about Design Thinking, a human-centered way to solve problems creatively. I worked in teams with participants from Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Australia. Together, we created solutions for international students to integrate into university life.

But what truly changed me was the culture: trainers who treated us as equals, professors who acted more like partners, and the respect that flowed both ways. On the last night, we even went out for beers with our trainers. For me, it was the first time education felt collaborative, not hierarchical.

Though the project lasted only three days, I carried friendships and lessons far longer. That first experience opened the door to many more.

Doing the teamwork during the session

All the participants, the most memorable one

Living in an Ecovillage in Rural Russia

Another Youth Mobility took me somewhere completely different: an ecovillage in Russia, surrounded by boreal forest. No internet. No phone signal. The village is 30 minutes away by car from the nearest train station. Just nature and community.

At first, I thought: What will I do for a week without Wi-Fi?

But soon, it became magical. We learned about permaculture, built a small windmill for electricity, and lived sustainably. Every evening, we had Vechorka traditional nights of music, dancing, and singing to the accordion.

We ate food straight from the fields, drank milk from goats, and sometimes slept in hay storage rooms. Without city lights, the stars glowed brighter than I had ever seen. I still remember the taste of those tomatoes, richer than any I’ve eaten since.

Leaving was hard. Back in the city, I missed the simplicity: stargazing, and eating fresh vegetables.

Goat where we got fresh milk

All the participants and the permaculture plan in the middle

In the train more than 10 hours to get to the ecovillage

Also adding some pictures from another Summer Camp in a National Park.

Pink skies and the camp

Oslo: Learning About Sustainability

In Oslo, Norway, I joined another project, this time focused on the environment. We visited recycling facilities and environmental organizations, seeing how sustainability works in real life.

It wasn’t long, but it made me realize something important: the environment isn’t just a subject in books. It’s lived reality, and people are working on it every single day. Although the project was located in the city, we learned a great deal about Norwegian culture. We visited museums, tasted traditional Norwegian food, and experienced local traditions. Somehow, it felt like living in real life what I had only seen before in National Geographic documentaries.

Visiting WWF Norway office

Young Friends of the Earth Europe Summer Camp, Netherlands (2017)

In 2017, I joined my biggest Youth Mobility yet: the Young Friends of the Earth Europe Summer Camp in the Netherlands, with over 50 participants from across Europe and Africa.

We traveled to Groningen, where gas extraction causes earthquakes. We sat with farmers and locals who shared their fears of losing their homes. That’s where I first heard about the Groningen gas field and the economic concept of Dutch disease.

Years later, when my professor explained Dutch disease in class, I smiled. I had already seen it with my own eyes.

Visiting the local farmer who was affected

Visiting the gas field

My First Asian Youth Mobility: Bataan, Philippines

All my projects until then had been in Europe. My first Asian one was in Bataan, the Philippines.

We studied energy and climate change, visited a coal thermal station, and even learned about an inactive nuclear power plant there. But the highlight was meeting participants from Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and more. It may sound strange, but during the 18 years I lived in Indonesia, I never met any Malaysians or Vietnamese people. That’s why I think it would be really useful for Southeast Asian countries to create more youth exchanges, so young people from each country can meet and learn about each other’s cultures.

It was the first time I connected deeply with young people from across Asia, and it made me realize how powerful regional cooperation could be.

In front of the Thermal Plant

Group work and discussion

Becoming a Facilitator: Sweden, 2023

By 2023, after years of joining projects, I wanted to give back. I joined a training course in Angsbacka, Sweden, to learn how to be a youth facilitator. We also organized our own session and practice, implementing it for the other participants. We received feedback after delivering the session. The setting was another ecovillage, but the group was more diverse, consisting of teachers, youth workers, and even older facilitators. It was so inspiring.

I left with lessons: the best projects are with a smaller group of people with motivated participants, good preparation, delicious food, interesting workshop, comfortable accommodation, and space for rest and sharing.

Sessions during the training course

Good food is the key to start the day

The Summer Camp That Broke Me

Right after Sweden, I joined a summer camp. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best experience for me. I understand that many people put a lot of effort into making the camp happen, and I truly respect that. However, I believe that better preparation, more experience, and a solid team are necessary to execute a successful and unforgettable project.

There were too many participants, and their backgrounds were too wide to connect. At that time, I realized that choosing the right participants is key, and it’s also important to keep the audience from becoming too large. Moreover, the weather was gloomy. The food wasn’t enough to keep us going through long days.

It was also my first time facilitating. I stood in front of a huge group, excited but inexperienced. My session failed. I couldn’t engage them. I left feeling crushed.

That failure traumatized me, and I even developed anxiety about speaking in public. For two years, I didn’t apply to any Youth Mobility program. I thought my journey was over.

My Last Youth Exchange: Slovenia

After 2 years from the last summer camp, which didn’t go well. My age limit is approaching, so I gave it one last try. I applied to a project in Slovenia, and to my surprise, I was accepted. The name of the youth exchange “Resilience through nature and art” and it was organized by Društvo Nega Zemlje in Duha.

It turned out to be my longest Youth Exchange: two weeks in an ecovillage. And it healed me.

We worked on permaculture farms, practiced yoga, meditated in the forest, and shared beautiful sessions. I met participants who inspired me deeply. The food was nourishing, the conversations unforgettable, and the energy vibrant. The most important thing is that participants are not judgmental, that they help create a safe space for everyone, engage in every session, and also contribute their own ideas in open spaces.

One day, while meditating in the forest, I thought: Maybe our bodies were never designed for cities. Maybe we are meant to live closer to nature.

That exchange reminded me why I love Youth Mobility. It gave me closure, courage, and inspiration to carry forward.

An evening during the youth exchange

Why You Should Try Youth Mobility

Now, my journey with Youth Exchanges is ending. But yours might just be beginning.

If you’re young and curious, don’t miss this chance. Youth Mobility will push you out of your comfort zone, introduce you to amazing people, and give you memories that last forever. Some projects will be extraordinary. Some may be disappointing. Both will teach you something.

If you’re ready, start here: SALTO Youth: https://www.salto-youth.net/. Apply to as many projects as you can. Acceptance rates aren’t high, but if you keep trying, one day you’ll get in. And when you do, it could change your life.

✨ So why should you do Youth Mobility at least once? Because it’s more than travel. It’s a transformation. It’s friendship. It’s the moment you realize the world is bigger, kinder, and more connected than you ever imagined.