Youth Exchange ‘’Youth Beyond Borders’’ is an in initiative of a group of young people who want to promote intra-cultural awareness and communication skills.  The theme of the youth exchange is centred around different European values and solidarity and will focus on various social issues that affect youth such as cultural differences, language barriers, and common solidarity.

The goal of the youth exchange is to promote European values and solidarity among young people from different countries. Participants in the youth exchange will have the chance to get to learn more about the different cultures, traditions and customs of the different participant countries. They will also have the opportunity to talk about their own experiences and perspectives regarding the topics with others. Another thing brought up during the project is the topic of modern radicalism on social media, something that has affected youth a lot. Youth can very easily be influenced since they are still growing, which is why developing critical thinking is very important for us.

By being able to engage in different discussions, interactive workshops and teambuilding activities, participants will develop critical thinking skills and also learn how to appreciate different viewpoints and opinions. Based on peer education and the use of their own potential,this program will not only provide participants with a unique opportunity to broaden their cultural horizons but also develop teamwork, cultural awareness and communication skills. Overall, the goal of the youth exchange is to create a positive experience for all participants involved, helping them to become better equipped to navigate the complex and globalized world we live in. Young participants are aiming to become more competent, confident, and compassionate individuals as a result of the youth exchange.

The activity will take place from the 25th of June to the 4th of July and will involve participants from several European countries. . Arrival day is on 24th of June and departure on 5th of July.

For our exchange we are looking for 25 participants aged 17-23. Each country will send 5 participants + 1 leader (aged over 18, with no max. age limit).

The participants profile:

Young people should be interested and motivated in working in the topic of European values, solidarity, interculturality, critical thinking, fake news, hate speech etc. Young people who look for change in their own environment and would like to focus as well on self development;

Young people with fewer opportunities (who struggled from war or conflict; from rural areas and poor regions; with disabilities);

Able to communicate in English, even with some difficulty, no one will be excluded for this reason, leaving the national groups to integrate young people with more difficulty in communicating in English.

Participants will be accommodated in O.W   Bingo in rooms for 3 or 4 people. Each room has appropriate  bathroom.  O.W.Bingo  is  set  in  Bieszkowice.  The  nearest  airport  is  Gdańsk  Lech Wałęsa, 25 km from O.W.Bingo. WiFi is accessible in the hotel. In the second part of the youth exchange participants will change a venue and will be accomodated in the Youth Hostel in Gdańsk in rooms for 4 people with shared bathroom.

Centre for Youth Cooperation and Mobility (in PL: Centrum Współpracy Młodzieży) is Polish NGO working in a field of youth internationally and locally since the year 2000.

Most of our work relates to the EU programmes for non-formal education such as European Solidarity Corps and Erasmus+. We are a team of pedagogues, psychologists, therapists and managers – funs of non-formal education, interested in sociology, politics and intercultural cooperation

How to get to poland

• by plane:

The nearest airport is located in Gdańsk (Lech Walesa Airport).

The next two most popular airports are located in Warsaw (Chopin Airport) and in Modlin near Warsaw (Modlin Airport).

• by bus:

You can also get to Poland by bus, for example, by Flixbus or other international lines. The buses reach Warsaw, Gdansk and Gdynia. If you get to Warsaw by Flixbus, it is best to get off in the Center («Warszawa Centrum») and from there walk (about 500 m) to the Central Station («Dworzec Centralny» Station). If you got off at a different stop you will need to take public transportation to the Central Station («Dworzec Centralny» Station), Western Station («Dworzec Zachodni» Station) or Eastern Station («Dworzec Wschodni» Station).

• by train:

For example, you can get to Warsaw, Krakow or Katowice directly from Vienna (Austria) or Prague (Poland), and maybe you have some connection to Prague or Vienna from your town. From Berlin you can get as well to Gdynia. If you want, you can search for the connections on the Polish railroads website: https://rozklad-pkp.pl/en.

Travelling from Gdańsk Lech Walesa Airport to Gdynia

Catch a train to Gdynia city center («Gdynia Główna» Station) from the platform situated in front of the airport. You can buy tickets on the platform or from the conductor in the train. One way ticket costs around 7 PLN. The trip will take around 30 minutes. You can also take the train that goes to «Gdańsk Wrzeszcz» Station, get off at this station and change to an SKM train going in the direction of Gdynia, Reda, Rumia, Wejherowo or Lębork and get off at the «Gdynia Główna» station. The trip will take about an hour.

Travelling from Gdańsk Dworzec Autbousowy to Gdynia

CIf you arrived in Gdansk Główny («Dworzec Autobusowy» – Bust station) by bus (e.g. Flixbus) then go down to the tunnel under the tracks and there find the platform from which SKM trains depart in the direction of Gdynia. You can take a train to Lębork, Wejherowo Gdynia, Rumia. Get off at the stop «Gdynia Główna»Station. The ticket will cost about 7 PLN. The trip to Gdynia will take about 35 minutes.

Warsaw Chopin airport or Modlin airport to Gdynia

When you land at Chopin Airport use the directions on their website to get to one of stations in Warsaw: «Warszawa Zachodnia», «Warszawa Wschodnia» or «Warszawa Centralna»: https://www.lotnisko- chopina.pl/en/train.html or https://www.lotnisko-chopina.pl/en/public-transport.html

When you land at Modlin Airport use the directions on their website to get to one stations in Warsaw: «Warszawa Zachodnia», «Warszawa Wschodnia» or «Warszawa Centralna»: https://en.modlinairport.pl/page/train. From Modlin you can also go straight to Gdynia, but not every train stops there, so it would be best to go to Warsaw and from there to Gdynia.

From one of these 3 stations you can take a direct train to Gdynia («Gdynia Główna» Station). You can buy tickets in online or at the station before the train departs. If you want to buy a ticket earlier, take into account more time to catch the train – the bus or other previous means of transport may be delayed.

When buying a ticket, also pay attention to the type of train. Trains leave for Gdynia every 1 – 2 hours or so. They all go to Gdynia in about 2.5 – 4 hours, but at the same time they differ significantly in price. TLK and IC trains are the cheapest (ticket prices starting at about 50 PLN), EIC and EIP trains are more expensive (prices start at about 130 PLN)

Trains from Warsaw airports might cost from 20 EUR to 70 EUR it depends from the class of trains. In Poland there are TLK trains – older and cheaper ones,  IC trains – middle class, EIP – express premium trains that are the most expensive.

Remember to check time of your arrivial to Warsaw airports, at night might be difficult to get to Gdynia from Warsaw.

We recommend to download the app called “Jak Dojade” to check your transportation. (App Store, Google Play) in Tricity.

Travel costs will be reimbursed for each participant after the training and filling up the report, up to a certain amount and provided that the participant provides all relevant and original documentation/proof of the travel costs. Participants will be reimbursed for their travel expenses from their place of origin to Gdynia, Poland and back.

After calculating the distance band between the participant’s home city/town to Gdynia, Poland using the tool below, the participant will be reimbursed for their travel costs as following:

Spain 360/410 EUR (Standard Travel/Green Travel)

No travel reimbursement will occur unless all travel documentation is received from the participants, including the receipts/invoices of airplane tickets (proof of payment), all boarding passes (proof of travel) and any other bus or train tickets and/or taxi receipts.

Travel reimbursement (if possible) will be made by bank transfer. The most convinient way is if the sending organization invoice us for all the costs of their all participants. In other ways we’ll need to produce extra documents to be signed by each indyvidual.

Good to know before arrival

Currency in Poland is polish zloty: PLN. You can exchange money in «Kantor» in Gdynia city centre (on Abrahama street or somewhere near). However in Poland you can pay by card in 95% of shops, restaurants, trains. But if you prefer to exchange currency, its best to bring Euro or US dolar to exchange it to PLN.

Each participant must have the insurance during the the exchange. This is the impute of each person to the exchange so particpants have to cover the costs of it. Participants are advised to bring European Health Insurance Card. Thanks to this card participants will be able to receive free medical care in a hospital or health center in case of illness or accident.

The nearest larger city is Gdynia. On the sands of the Baltic beach, a modern harbour and city were built from scratch in record time.There you can find stores, shopping malls, bars, restaurants, plenty of various tourist attractions. From Gdynia you can go to Gdansk or Sopot using the fast urban railroad called SKM.

In June the weather is quite mild, but it is worth taking an extra layer of clothes with you just in case and something against rain. The temperature in June oscillates around 12-19 degrees Celcius during the day. At night there will be around 10-12 degrees Celcius.

What to prepare before arrival and what to bring with you

Each national group will carry out:

• workshops about chosen topic connected to the youth exchange theme;
• energizers, ice-breakers and teambuilding games;
• cultural evening – bring food, drinks etc. that are typical in your country to share with others, prepare presentations of your countries or local culture;
• presentation of your sending organization (partner of this project)

Venue:  O.W.Bingo

Address: Słoneczna 2, 84-206 Bieszkowice, Poland