Stories from the path

Young people describing what volunteering and youth projects in Europe changed for them. This is what a good application is for.

Stories and photos published on the European Youth Portal. They describe the programmes, not our service.

Joaldo
Bulgaria
I felt grown, with new friends and a deep sense of satisfaction
Maria
Bulgaria
I hope everyone has the chance to experience something like this and discover what it has to offer.
Alicia
Bulgaria
These were truly some of the best weeks of my life.
Marija
Lithuania
This program gave me more confidence, helped me speak my mind more freely, and taught me to set clearer personal boundaries.
Katlin
Bulgaria
That experience taught me to pack fewer expectations in my suitcase, because the journey life has in store for you can be even more beautiful than anything you could have imagined.
Monika
Bulgaria
what matters is having the desire to learn, communicate, and try new things
Nathan
Bulgaria
With the other volunteers, we painted stones, repaired and painted benches, painted a mural at a primary school, and cleaned up a playground. All of these actions, which aim to improve everyday life, showed me that small actions carried out together can completely change the look of the environment we live in.
Maryann
France
A year full of discoveries
Richard
Slovakia
For me, the week wasn’t just about workshops and activities. It was about helping to create an atmosphere of openness, curiosity, and joy, and discovering how powerful those experiences can be when shared across cultures.
Natália
Slovakia
DiscoverEU also challenged me personally. I had to talk to strangers, ask questions, find my way around unfamiliar places and solve problems on my own. At first, this was sometimes uncomfortable. However, after doing it many times, it became much easier. The journey made me more independent, less shy and more confident.
Martynas
Lithuania
I’m incredibly grateful for this wonderfully organised youth exchange project, and I encourage my peers to take advantage of opportunities such as this!
Olga
Czechia
Exploring the world as well as yourselves.
Syria
Croatia
I thought I had lost my path, but instead I found a new one.
Clara
France
Living with 7 other young people from different countries, ages, and backgrounds during my European Solidarity Corps showed me what "community" really means
Gloria
Spain
You are young and you feel lost. This is where your journey begins.
Charalambia
Cyprus
Learning Beyond Borders
Athanasia
Cyprus
Never miss a chance to make your life richer with new experiences
Olga
Cyprus
Personal growth begins outside our comfort and safety zone
Katja
Croatia
Sometimes, stepping away from our everyday lives helps us appreciate the simple things and truly connect with the people around us.
Ida
Denmark
Even though I have a disability, I want to live a life driven by desire and dreams. So I decided to give it a try - That is what I would encourage anyone to do. Adjust things here and there if doing so brings you closer to a positive experience with something that feels overwhelming or frightening. And, above all, give yourself credit for trying.
Sophie
Austria
These six months gave me more than I could ever have hoped for. My time in Finland and the people I met there will always hold a special place in my heart.
Nanette
Austria
Although I initially found it challenging to step outside my comfort zone so often, it turned into an incredibly rewarding experience that helped me grow in many different ways.
Angjela
Croatia
Growth doesn't begin when fear disappears - it begins when you decide not to let fear stop you.
Sheraida
France
This exchange programme will remain one of the most enriching experiences of my time as a student.
Salma
Belgium
Places depend a lot on the people you share them with, and I was lucky enough to be surrounded by incredible people who filled my experience with colour.
Loane
Spain
Thinking back to everything I’ve been through, I realize how much this experience has changed me: it is this version of myself that I will miss the most when the time comes to leave.
Angelica
Spain
I learned to accept what it means to receive much more than you give, in terms of listening, companionship, and love.
Carmen
Spain
I think this is something you should do at least once in your life.
Antonio
Italy
As part of DiscoverEU, the EURoots project gave my group of young people the opportunity to embark on a 10-day journey through different European cities that helped shape the European democracy we live in today.
Aoife
Ireland
Eager to gain international experience and broaden my understanding of worldwide agriculture, I applied for an Erasmus+ Traineeship with KI Samen, the largest privately owned artificial insemination station in the Netherlands.
Elisa
Spain
If things don’t go as planned, you can always hop on a plane and head back home. But not living this kind of experience at least once in your life, that’s a real missed train. An Erasmus experience is a small personal revolution; when you return, most of the time, you’re the 2.0 version of yourself.
Vojislav
Serbia
Youth work starts where schools stop, we build bridges between knowledge and belonging.