What is Erasmus+ Youth Workers Mobility?

Erasmus Plus (Erasmus+) is the European Union's largest program for education, youth, and sports. Under the umbrella of Erasmus Plus, there are many sub-programs related to education, youth, and sports. The most well-known among these is Erasmus, officially titled "Higher Education Student Mobility." However, Erasmus+ includes over 50 sub-programs like Erasmus.

Among these, there are three sub-programs that are specifically and directly related to youth: Youth Exchanges, Youth Workers Mobility, and Volunteering Projects. The information below focuses on one of these three: Youth Workers Mobility.

Youth Exchanges and Youth Workers Mobility are quite similar and often confused. Both are group-based programs, involve participation from multiple countries simultaneously, and are short-term exchanges (5–21 days in the case of Youth Exchanges). However, while Youth Exchanges are for young people aged 14–30, Youth Workers Mobility is open to all youth workers aged 18 and over, with no upper age limit.

Although Youth Workers Mobility was originally designed for youth workers only, many youth organizations today accept young people who are not actively working as youth workers into these projects. However, not every organization follows this practice. Some may require official confirmation (such as a signed letter) from the represented organization in Turkey that the participant is indeed a youth worker.

Who Is a Youth Worker?

Youth workers are professionals who work directly with young people, helping them develop life skills, form healthy relationships, and make informed decisions. They usually work in youth centers, youth associations, or youth departments within public or private institutions, and act as facilitators in projects and activities. A youth worker can be of any age, and may be a salaried professional, freelancer, or volunteer. The key point is that their activities must target young people aged 15–35.

What Kind of Support Is Provided to Participants?

Participants selected for Youth Workers Mobility projects are entitled to the following types of support. These supports are usually provided in-kind (as services), not as cash payments. The final decision on how support is delivered belongs to the project coordinators. Therefore, participants may not request direct cash for the listed support items. You must participate in the entire activity program shared by the host organization—failure to do so may forfeit your right to these benefits.

Travel Support

Your international round-trip travel expenses are reimbursed. The host organization generally expects you to purchase your own tickets, and upon arrival, they reimburse you based on the original tickets, receipts, boarding passes, etc. Reimbursement can happen during the project or several months after (e.g., 3–4 months later). Travel budgets have limits based on distance bands. If your expenses exceed the limit, you are expected to pay the difference. Your team leader or contact person can inform you of the specific budget limit.

Accommodation Support

Accommodation is provided for the entire project duration. This is typically arranged in hotels, hostels, or dormitories, and you may need to share your room with 2–4 other participants. The host organization manages all accommodation arrangements and will share the details with you prior to the activity. You must stay in the accommodation provided and participate in the full program. Support is only valid during the official project period. If you wish to arrive 1–2 days early or stay 1–2 days longer, you must cover your own accommodation for those days and obtain written permission from both the host and your sending organization.

Meal Support

Like accommodation, three meals per day are provided during the activity days and are covered by the project budget. You cannot request this support in cash. Meals are served by the host organization and you are expected to join the group meals. If you are staying extra days outside the official project period, you must cover your own meal costs. If you have dietary restrictions (e.g., vegetarian, vegan, allergies), make sure to inform the host organization in advance so they can make the necessary arrangements.

Visa Support

If the project requires a visa, all visa-related costs (excluding passport fees) are covered by the project budget. This includes application fees, translation costs, agency fees, travel to consulates (e.g., trips to Ankara or Istanbul), health insurance (if needed), etc. You must provide original receipts or invoices for reimbursement. The only exception is if the host organization did not include visa costs in their budget proposal. Some projects assume only EU participants and thus don’t request a visa budget. If such organizations later decide to accept participants from countries like Turkey, they may not be able to offer visa support. Always confirm with the organization whether visa costs are covered.

What Are the Participation Requirements?

As previously stated, you must be an active youth worker aged 18 or older to participate in Youth Workers Mobility projects. While non-youth workers may apply, final acceptance is up to the host organization. They may ask for an official confirmation letter from the youth organization you are affiliated with. There are no requirements regarding university education, student status, foreign language skills, or holding a green passport. Some host organizations may narrow the age range (e.g., 18–25) or prioritize participants with relevant experience.

Although some Turkish organizations give preference to green passport holders, this is not considered best practice. At Yeskad Association, we do not prioritize green passport holders unless the project is less than one month away or if we urgently need participants. In such cases, we may prioritize those who already have a visa or a green passport.

I Want to Apply—What Should I Do?

First, you’ll need a passport, since you’ll be traveling abroad. Some candidates think they should wait until they are accepted before applying for a passport, but we don’t recommend this. Since you may be selected at any time, it’s best to get a passport as soon as possible. We recommend applying for a passport valid for at least 3 years. Once you have your passport, you’re ready to start applying.

Here are two options for finding and applying to projects:

Option 1

Follow youth organizations and associations in Turkey on social media and check their websites regularly. Join Facebook groups where youth worker mobility project announcements are shared. At Yeskad Association, we announce our open calls for Youth Worker Mobility projects on our website and social media using the code EPYE-XXX. Each announcement includes full details on the project and how to apply.

Option 2

Use the SALTO-YOUTH Platform, which provides resources and opportunities specifically for youth workers. One of these is the announcement of Youth Workers Mobility projects by foreign organizations. Note that this platform only features Youth Worker Mobility projects (with rare exceptions). Many mistakenly think it includes youth exchanges or volunteering opportunities—it does not.

However, to apply to projects via SALTO-YOUTH, you must be affiliated with a youth organization, as you’ll be asked to provide organizational details. If you’re not actively involved with such an organization, you won’t be eligible to apply through this platform. Also, don’t assume a Turkish organization will support you just because you ask—they typically support only their own active team members.

As a potential participant, this summary includes the essential information you need to know about Erasmus+ “Youth Workers Mobility” projects. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at:

📧 yeskadernegi@gmail.com
📞 +90 533 346 41 32