PDA: VELFF – Voices of Equality: Learning for a Fair Future, Brașov, Romania📅 4–11 May 2027

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CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS 🇨🇾

VELFF – Voices of Equality: Learning for a Fair Future

Erasmus+ KA153-YOU | Mobility of Youth Workers

📍 Brașov, Romania

📅 4–11 May 2027

👥 4 participants from Cyprus🇪🇺 Erasmus+ funded Professional Development Activity

Cyprus Partner Organisation: Cultural Association NOSTOS Pissouriou

Recruitment & preparation in cooperation with: ACPELIA – Active Cypriot Programs and European Learning Into Acceptance

🌍 About the Project

Voices of Equality: Learning for a Fair Future – VELFF is an Erasmus+ KA153-YOU Professional Development Activity designed for youth workers, educators, trainers, volunteers and people actively involved in working with young people.

The project responds to an important challenge identified by the international partnership: many youth workers encounter gender discrimination, harmful stereotypes, gender-based violence, cyber-violence and social exclusion, but often lack practical tools to address these situations safely and effectively.

VELFF therefore moves beyond simple awareness raising. Participants will learn concrete non-formal education methodologies, practise how to facilitate sensitive discussions and develop tools that can later be transferred to their organisations and local communities.

🎯 Main Objectives

During the project, participants will:

1. Develop practical non-formal education skillsLearn concrete methods such as Theatre of the Oppressed, Living Library, Body Mapping, World Café and role-playing to challenge stereotypes and discrimination.

2. Strengthen their capacity to respond to gender-based violenceExplore safe approaches to recognising signs of gender-based violence, supporting young people appropriately and understanding when professional referral is necessary.

3. Understand intersectionalityExplore how gender can interact with poverty, rural isolation, conflict, displacement, culture and different forms of social exclusion.

4. Develop digital activism skillsLearn how to create positive online counter-narratives, digital storytelling and awareness campaigns against misogyny, cyber-bullying and hate speech.

5. Transfer learning into local youth workDevelop practical follow-up actions and replication workshops that can be implemented in Cyprus after the mobility.

👥 Who Can Apply?

We are looking for 4 motivated participants from Cyprus who are actively involved, or genuinely interested in becoming more involved, in youth work.

Suitable applicants may include:

youth workers;
educators and trainers;
teachers involved in non-formal or extracurricular education;
NGO staff and active volunteers;
community facilitators;
people involved in culture, youth participation or inclusion;
individuals working with young people from rural or disadvantaged communities;
people interested in gender equality, human rights, digital activism and social inclusion.

Participants should be willing to take an active role throughout the complete project process, not only during the mobility in Romania.

🌱 Inclusion & Fewer Opportunities

VELFF strongly supports the Erasmus+ priority of Inclusion and Diversity.

The Cyprus team is expected to include participants who may face fewer opportunities because of economic, geographical, social, educational or other barriers.

Applicants who require additional support are encouraged to apply and may confidentially explain their needs in the application form.

The approved project includes 16 participants with fewer opportunities across the international partnership.

🧠 What Will We Learn?

The six working days in Brașov will follow a structured learning pathway.

Participants will explore:

Gender & stereotypesHow social expectations and gender roles influence young people.

Intersectionality & inclusionHow different forms of disadvantage can overlap.

Gender-Based Violence & safe youth workHow youth workers can respond responsibly to disclosures and sensitive situations.

Body Mapping & creative expressionUsing arts-based and embodied methodologies in youth work.

Theatre of the OppressedUsing theatre and role-play to explore discrimination and alternative responses.

Digital ActivismCreating counter-narratives and digital campaigns addressing online hate and misogyny.

Advocacy & community actionTurning learning into concrete local initiatives.

Youthpass & reflectionRecognising the competences developed through the Erasmus+ learning process.

The training follows an experiential learning model in which participants do not simply take part in activities: they also examine how the methods work and how they can later facilitate them with young people themselves.

🏰 Hosting Location – Brașov, Romania

The activity will take place in Brașov, one of Romania's best-known historic cities, surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains.

Participants will experience the multicultural atmosphere and historic centre of Brașov while taking part in an intensive international training programme.

The wider Brașov region is also home to famous cultural and historical attractions, including Bran Castle, internationally associated with the Dracula legend.

The international environment will provide an additional opportunity for intercultural learning among participants from Romania, Cyprus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, North Macedonia, Spain and Ukraine.

🇨🇾 The Cyprus Team

Cyprus will be represented by:

4 Youth Workers / Participants

The Cyprus team will participate through:

Cultural Association NOSTOS Pissouriou,in cooperation withACPELIA – Active Cypriot Programs and European Learning Into Acceptance.

NOSTOS contributes an important cultural dimension to VELFF. The project will explore how cultural traditions, dance, theatre and storytelling can be used not only to preserve heritage, but also to create dialogue around modern values of equality, inclusion and respect.

✈️ What Is Covered?

Participation is supported through the Erasmus+ Programme.

According to the approved project budget and Erasmus+ rules, the project provides support for:

✔ Accommodation✔ Meals during the activity✔ Training programme and educational materials✔ Travel according to the approved Erasmus+ distance-band arrangements✔ Organisational and inclusion support where applicable✔ Youthpass Certificate

There is no participation fee for the approved mobility. The application itself confirms that participants will not be asked to make a participation contribution.

🤝 What Do We Expect From Participants?

Selected participants must be ready to:

attend the full activity from 4–11 May 2027;
participate actively in all workshops and reflection activities;
join the online preparation meetings;
complete preparation tasks before travelling;
contribute to the intercultural learning process;
take part in Youthpass reflection and evaluation;
cooperate with the Cyprus team and the international partnership;
participate in dissemination after returning to Cyprus;
transfer the methods they learned to other young people and youth workers.

Participants should understand that this is a Professional Development Activity, not simply an international trip.

🔄 Follow-Up in Cyprus

An important part of VELFF happens after the mobility.

Together with NOSTOS and ACPELIA, the Cyprus participants will contribute to follow-up actions in Cyprus.

These may include workshops for young people, youth workers, schools or community organisations, cultural activities, dissemination events and the adaptation of project methodologies to the Cypriot context.

The project places particular emphasis on participants becoming multipliers, using what they learn in Brașov in their own communities.

💡 Why Participate?

By joining VELFF, you will have the opportunity to:

🌍 Work with youth workers from 8 countries

🧠 Learn innovative non-formal education methodologies

🤝 Exchange practices with experienced youth organisations

🎭 Explore theatre, art and creative learning methods

📱 Develop digital activism and storytelling skills

🌱 Improve your ability to create inclusive youth activities🇪🇺 Learn more about Erasmus+ and European youth work

📜 Receive a Youthpass Certificate

🚀 Become part of future activities of NOSTOS and ACPELIA

📋 Selection Criteria

Priority will be given to applicants who:

✓ are actively involved in youth work, education, NGOs, volunteering or community activities;✓ demonstrate clear motivation for the topic;✓ are interested in gender equality and inclusion;✓ can communicate and participate in English;✓ are available for the complete mobility;✓ commit to preparation and follow-up activities in Cyprus;✓ can use the acquired knowledge with other young people after the project.

Selection will follow the Erasmus+ principles of fairness, transparency, inclusion and equal opportunities.

📝 APPLY NOW

We are selecting 4 participants from Cyprus.

Application deadline: 30 of November 2026

Application Form: 👉 [APPLY HERE FOR PARTICIPATION]

Selected applicants will be contacted by NOSTOS / ACPELIA for the next stage of preparation.

For information:

ACPELIA📧 acpeliacy@gmail.com

Cultural Association NOSTOS Pissouriou📍 Pissouri, Limassol, Cyprus