YOUth Connect

🌲 Forest Hacking — New Youth Exchange for Italian participants!
HANDS DIRTY FOR A GREENER FUTURE

TOPIC: A week of environmental action in the forests of northern Portugal. You’ll explore ecological challenges, learn practical tools for nature restoration, collaborate with local volunteers and discover how small interventions can create real impact in your community.

🗓️ WHEN: 11 – 17 November 2026
🗺️ WHERE: Chaves, Vila Real, Portugal
🧐 PARTICIPANTS’ PROFILE: Young people 21+, interested in ecology, volunteering and community action

📝 INFOPACK & APPLICATION FORM: Link in BIO

🇨🇿 PartnershipLab PBA – Kolín

From 1 to 7 September, we took part in the PartnershipLab PBA project in Kolín, Czech Republic, together with NGOs from across Europe. 🌍

It was a week full of ideas, brainstorming, activities and meaningful conversations, all aimed at building new collaborations and creating opportunities in the field of youth work and European projects.

A week of learning, sharing and connecting — and hopefully the beginning of many more collaborations and projects to come! 🤝✨

Stay tuned! 👀

📣 Sta per tornare Career HUB 📣
quante volte ti sei fermatə a chiederti “okay ma io, davvero, cosa voglio?”
quand’è stata l’ultima volta in cui ti sei permessə di sognare in grande e scegliere per te stessə?
Questa primavera abbiamo iniziato una nuova avventura: un gruppo online per realizzare i propri sogni. Si parla di lavoro, ma in modo strettamente legato a come si vuole vivere la propria vita.

👉 Cosa conta davvero per me? Quali attività mi accendono una scintilla? Quali altri futuri possibili potrei vivere?
Career HUB è un percorso dinamico e partecipativo per chi sta attraversando un cambiamento professionale!

🎯Per te se:
- Hai tra i 25 e i 40 anni
- Vuoi un cambiamento lavorativo: che sia più sostenibilità nel tuo lavoro, un cambio di ruolo o crescita nella tua carriera.
- Cerchi una community intraprendente, con cui metterti in gioco e fare passi concreti per realizzare i tuoi obiettivi
Come si partecipa?
🚀 Career HUB: il percorso per riscoprire cosa ti accende e che tipo di vita vuoi creare per te! Ogni lunedi sera, dalle 20 alle 21.30, da Ottobre a Febbraio..
💡Career DAY: il 13 Marzo in presenza a Torino!

Hai domande? Vieni all’incontro di presentazione gratuito lunedi 5 Ottobre dalle 20 alle 20.40, il link zoom è nella nostra bio, dove trovi anche il sito con tutte le info dettagliate.
Quanto costa?
Buone notizie: il percorso è co-finanziato per rendere i costi accessibili.

50€ per tutto il percorso + 25€ di quota associativa
👉 tutte le info in bio, e se conosci qualcuno a cui può interessare, fai girare il post!
Ci vediamo online

🌱🇵🇹 YOUTH EXCHANGE IN PORTUGAL 🇵🇹🌱

🌿 Forest Hacking: Hands Dirty For A Greener Future

Are you interested in ecology, volunteering, and making a real change in your local community? 🌍 Do you like to walk and do activities in nature? If yes, then this Youth Exchange is for you!

Join a 7-day Youth Exchange in Chaves, Northern Portugal, from 11 to 17 of november 2026, where young people like you, from 4 countries, will come together to learn, exchange ideas, and take concrete action for the environment!

🌳 WHAT?

We will plant trees and take care of the forest; we will do intercultural activities, workshops, and talks about the restoration of nature and the protection of biodiversity. But the project won't stop once you come back to Italy because you will create an intervention plan for your local community!

👥 WHO?
• 5 participants + 1 group leader from each country
• 20 young people in total
• 21+
• Gender balanced
• Interested in ecology and environmental issues
• Active in volunteering/community activities
• Motivated to develop soft skills and intercultural competences

📍 Chaves, Portugal
📅 11–17 November 2026

Accommodation and 3 meals + coffee breaks provided and free
✈️ Travel: reimbursed up to the individual travel budget

💚 100% of the participation costs are covered!

⏰ Application deadline: 2 October
✈️ Flight booking deadline: 9 October

For the Infopack and application form, drop us a message!

Come, make your community greener! 🌱

Forest Hacking - Partner infoletter.pdf

✨ Are you curious about AI and its responsible use?
🤖 Have you ever wondered how we can explore AI in youth projects?

Join us for the ResponsAIbility Online Event and discover how we explored Artificial Intelligence, responsible technology use and youth democratic participation across Europe! 🇪🇺
After months of local activities and an international mobility in Romania, we’re ready to share our experiences and results!

📅 21 September
🕕 18:00 CET
💻 Online

🔗 Link in BIO to participate.

The teams from YOUth Connect, Asociatia Together Romania and YouthID are waiting for you!
🇪🇺 ResponsAIbility is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme.

✨ ResponsAIbility – From Local Action to European Exchange ✨

Do you remember ResponsAIbility? 🤖🇪🇺

A few months ago, we introduced you to this project and started our journey at the local level, bringing young people together and meeting AI experts to explore a question that is becoming increasingly relevant to all of us: how can we make sure Artificial Intelligence supports young people and society in a responsible, inclusive and democratic way? Those local activities were only the beginning.

✈️ This summer, YOUth Connect flew to Romania for the international mobility of ResponsAIbility, where young people, facilitators and decision-makers came together to exchange what had been explored in their own communities and learn from the experiences developed by our European partners.
From 18 to 26 July, in Valea Doftanei, we moved from the local to the European dimension, comparing perspectives, experiences and ideas around AI and youth democratic participation.
We explored topics ranging from AI in learning and social inclusion to environmental protection, freedom of expression, data protection and ethical technology use.

🏛️The experience went beyond the training room. Participants also had the opportunity to visit the Romanian Parliament and the Council of Europe presence in Romania, bringing the conversation about youth participation, democracy and responsible AI closer to the institutions and decision-making processes that shape our societies.

And what now? ResponsAIbility is not over yet.
🍂 The ideas, discussions and results brought back from Romania will now return to the local level. This autumn, YOUth Connect will organise a final local event to share what we learned, present the project results and continue the conversation on responsible AI together with young people and our community.

Stay tuned! the next chapter of ResponsAIbility is coming soon!🤖✨

🇪🇺 The project was funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme. Many thanks to Asociatia Together Romania and YouthID for continuing to be such wonderful and trustworthy partners!

🎉 10 ANNI DI YOUTHCONNECT ETS! 🌳✨
Sembra ieri, e invece sono già passati 10 anni di progetti e strada percorsa insieme. Il 20 Settembre vogliamo festeggiare questo traguardo speciale con chi da sempre ci ha supportato!

Ci aspetta un pomeriggio immersi nel bosco tra giochi, attività, musica e un buon rinfresco. Che tu sia unə socə storicə, unə amicə di lunga data o semplicemente curiosə di conoscerci meglio per la prima volta, sei il/la benvenutə!
- Quando: 20 Settembre | dalle 16:00 alle 22:00
- Dove: Borgata Calcinera, Caprie (TO)

AATENZIONE!
Come raggiungerci: La location è immersa nella natura ed è raggiungibile esclusivamente con una breve e piacevole passeggiata a piedi. Trovi tutte le indicazioni dettagliate (anche in inglese!) al link in bio di Calcinera 🚶‍♂️🌲
Portate la vostra energia e la voglia di festeggiare: non vediamo l’ora di brindare insieme a questi primi 10 anni! 🥂💛
👇 Tagga nei commenti chi vorresti portare con te!

✨ BE AWARE - A reflection from YOUth Connect ✨
What does taking responsibility in youth work really mean?
During the Erasmus+ Training Course “Be Aware” in Măguri-Răcătău, Romania, we were reminded that youth work is about more than just organizing activities—it’s about how we show up, the choices we make, and taking ownership of them.
Key insights from the project:
- Responsibility & Accountability: Understanding that our choices affect our teams and young people, reflecting on that impact, and taking action.
- Trust: Built through consistency and communication, trust empowers young people to step up, take initiative, and truly belong.
- Experiential Learning: Real growth happens when we experience challenges, observe outcomes, and reflect on what happened.
To inspire young people to become active, responsible community members, youth workers must practice awareness, accountability, and trust themselves. Meaningful youth participation starts with how we choose to work. 🌱
Thank you to everyone who shared this intense journey of reflection, growth, and connection!
🇪🇺 Organized by MATRISZ and funded by the European Union.

✨ Project Stories – BE AWARE | Basic Synergy Training ✨

From 19 to 28 July 2026, our youth workers took part in the Erasmus+ Basic Synergy “Be Aware” in Măguri-Răcătău, Romania.

💬 What our participant says:

“Reflecting on my experience with the ‘Be Aware’ project in Romania, I can say it was an impactful, structured, and deeply challenging journey.

From the very beginning, the atmosphere was incredible, built by an inspiring group of participants, an amazing setting, and a powerful theme. However, the methodology of non-formal education used here was unlike anything I had experienced before.

The topic of awareness was explored and unpacked from multiple angles. The most profound takeaway for me was the growing realization that we are the creators of our own destiny; we always have a choice, and we must take full accountability for whatever results follow.

Responsibility and choice were concepts I was already exploring in my personal life, and this training provided both answers and fresh, unexpected perspectives. It was an intense experience, but one that truly expanded my mindset.”

Over ten days, participants explored self-awareness, resilience, personal responsibility, and reflective practice through non-formal education and experiential learning. The training encouraged youth workers to recognise their own behaviour patterns and limiting beliefs, question established perspectives, and develop a deeper understanding of how their choices and attitudes can influence both their personal lives and their work with young people.
“Be Aware” created a space for reflection, personal development, and meaningful growth, strengthening competences that participants can bring into their future youth work and everyday lives.

A big thank you to the organisers, trainers, facilitators, and all the participants who contributed to making this such an intense and meaningful learning experience! ✨

🇪🇺 The project was organised by MATRISZ and funded by the European Union.

ACT Green - New Youth Exchange for Italian participants!

TOPIC: Turning environmental awareness into real actions. In a supportive and energetic setting, you’ll explore sustainability, connect with others and discover how your everyday choices can make a real difference.

🗓️ WHEN: 11 - 20 September 2026
🗺️ WHERE: Valea Doftanei (Traisteni village), Romania
🧐 PARTICIPANTS' PROFILE: Young people 17-25 +

📝 INFOPACK: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cUs5LOqNnLDZMBo0MeDMWiOUQjOBZNIA/view?usp=sharing
📝 APPLICATION FORM: https://forms.gle/z9xd2E8QQKMBGSsm7

ACT Green - New Youth Exchange for Italian participants!

TOPIC: Turning environmental awareness into real actions. In a supportive and energetic setting, you’ll explore sustainability, connect with others and discover how your everyday choices can make a real difference.

🗓️ WHEN: 11 - 20 September 2026
🗺️ WHERE: Valea Doftanei (Traisteni village), Romania
🧐 PARTICIPANTS’ PROFILE: Young people 17-25 +

📝 INFOPACK & APPLICATION FORM: Link in BIO