Re-Act
“Y.E.S.: Youth, Employability, Skills”
Youth Exchange
Empowering young people to discover their strengths and turn ideas into action
Sometimes for young people is difficult to find their own way for the future. They are not encouraged to take independent actions to discover, observe, try and also make mistakes.
This project is here to help you to discover your super- powers! It aims to help you in understanding what you are
already capable of, but is still hidden inside you: this
is your tool to reach all your goals!
Period:
11 – 20.05.2025
Countries involved:
- Bulgaria
- Serbia
- Greece
- Turkey
- Armenia
Donor:
- European Union
Program:
- Erasmus + Programme, Accreditation in Youth: Youth Exchange
Lead partner:
- Re-Act Association
All partners:
- Roes Cooperativa, GR
- Youth Opportunities Club NGO, ARM
- Navissos, SR
- E4U Youth Association, TR
Contacts:
Lyuben Georgiev
luben@re-act.bg
Documents:
- Daily Articles from the project
- Daily Videos
- The Young Entrepreneur’s Guide (free PDF)
- Best Entrepreneurial Examples in our Countries (free PDF)
Hashtags:
#YESyouthexchange #ErasmusPlus #YouthExchange #entrepreneurship #ReActBulgaria #PernikProjects
A journey into entrepreneurship, purpose, and peer-powered learning
What happens when 35 young people from 5 countries meet for the first time and are told: “This week, you will lead”?
In the spring of 2025, the International Youth Center in Pernik welcomed participants from Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Turkey and Armenia for a 10-day youth exchange that didn’t just talk about employability or entrepreneurship—it lived it. Under the title Y.E.S. – Youth, Employability, Skills, the project challenged every young person not only to reflect on their skills and dreams, but also to facilitate, lead, create and inspire.
“Y.E.S. – Youth, Employability, Skills” Youth Exchange happened on 11 – 20.05.2025 in the beautiful youth & art capital of Bulgaria: Pernik city. The project is co-financed by the Erasmus+ program.
Instead of long lectures and front-of-room teaching, each day was co-led by the participants themselves. National teams took ownership of entire program days, designing and delivering sessions in the fields of entrepreneurship, creativity, self-discovery and innovation. The result? A learning space that was real, messy, moving—and deeply empowering.
💬 “I never thought I could lead a workshop in front of 35 people,” shared Emma from Serbia, “but seeing my idea come to life, supported by my group, made me feel like anything is possible.”
From Competence Bingo to designing startup ideas using the Disney Method, every activity was hands-on and infused with laughter, challenge and reflection. Participants learned to translate abstract skills into real-world actions, and then turned those into business pitches, motivational videos, and a collective Young Entrepreneur’s Guide—a practical resource that will live on after the project.
But the most memorable lessons didn’t happen in front of flipcharts.
On Day 3, the entire group took part in a sports celebration with the children from Kindergarten “Radost” in Pernik. There were no formal roles—just people, big and small, running, laughing, and building bridges through play. For many participants, this was the moment theory became practice: leadership, empathy, and community impact, all in one.
And then there was the LUNAR Festival of Lights in Sofia, where participants were sent on a creative quest across the city to find and photograph a hidden “word in lights” that represented their hopes for the week: UNITY, HOPE, GROWTH, BRAVE. What started as a playful scavenger hunt ended in heartfelt reflections and glowing team collages shared the next morning.
Every evening, group reflections brought the day to a close, often with vulnerable stories, laughter, and applause. “This is not just a project,” one participant whispered during a closing circle. “It’s something I will carry in my hands and heart when I go back home.”
Y.E.S. was more than a youth exchange. It was an invitation—to discover purpose, to take initiative, to dream loudly, and to act with courage. And it was a living example that peer-to-peer learning, when rooted in trust and creativity, can move mountains.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union
