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Youth Stonks

16.05-26.05.2023
Aegviidu, Estonia

Event summary

In recent years, the economy has become increasingly challenging for many people, with financial experts warning that a recession and rising food prices are still ahead. In light of these challenges, it’s more important than ever to be mindful of our expenses and spending habits. Despite this, many of us still struggle to effectively manage our finances. This is due, in part, to the lack of financial education in schools. Furthermore, more and more people make poor financial decisions while falling prey to the vast amount of misinformation that is being spread through social media and other platforms.

To address this issue, we have created the “Youth Stonks” Youth Exchange program. Our goal is to provide young adults with practical knowledge and skills in financial literacy through a variety of activities, including games, discussions, and hands-on workshops. Participants will learn about key topics such as personal finance, economic difficulties, and will also tackle more into the world of economics.

This project will bring together 40 young adults from Estonia, Greece, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden who are eager to develop their financial literacy and economic understanding, make a positive impact in their communities, and create meaningful memories with a diverse group of international peers. If you’re looking to take control of your finances and improve your financial literacy, the “Youth Stonks” Youth Exchange program is the perfect opportunity for you.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission Erasmus+ programme. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Attention!
We do not offer financial or legal advice. The project is created to teach the basics of personal finance, among many other topics.

International Youth Exchange

Travel cost (Check the limits below), housing, food and activities will be covered by the organisation. If you got more questions, feel free to contact us!:)

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Where you'll be staying

Venue & Location

The venue is located in a secluded place surrounded by extraordinary scenery. It has a calming charm and relaxing vibe that is away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The big wooden houses seem like something out of Game of Thrones and make the whole accommodation very unique. When walking around the place, you will definitely meet some chickens, horses and other animals. No worries though, they are really friendly!
Our participants will be accommodated in single and double rooms which resemble small wooden cabins rather than a modern house. We will try to spend as much time outside as possible, but the venue also offers some great amenities.

Place includes:
  • Modern Finnish sauna
  • Estonian smoke-sauna
  • Hot tub
  • Rustic seminar room
  • Possibility to hike in the beautiful forests
  • Cozy indoor spaces
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served at the same location every day and we are also providing vegetarian options!


We truly believe that this is the perfect place to thoroughly enjoy the company of new-found friends, big healthy doses of clean fresh air, and participating in the planned activities. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a unique and picturesque part of Estonia.

Discover non-formal learning!

What can you expect?

The Program

The program is designed in a way that everything starts with ice-breaking and we will gradually move deeper into the topic. The days will be filled with workshops, games and other activities that spark your creativity and make this whole experience really engaging. Experienced trainers will guide you along this journey and the event will be a collaborative experience from start to finish. You will learn about non-formal learning, how to manage your finances, socio-economic issues we face today and how our world’s economy works. Not only that, but you will also improve your ability to speak in public, improvise, deal with difficult situations and coordinate people like a pro.

The Networking

It doesn’t matter if you are an introvert or an extrovert, you can look forward to making many awesome friends. We’ll spend more than a week together with 40 fun and energetic people in the middle of vast Estonian forests, sounds like an adventure, doesn’t it? It’s common for the participants to stay in touch long after the event has finished, so don’t miss out on this unique chance. If you ever felt the need to connect with new friends, there is no better opportunity than this one. It’s also an ideal way to join Youth Europa and work together with passionate activists who want to bring non-formal education to the masses.

The Unexpected

Youth Exchanges are not something that just a small group of people contribute to. Each participant has a chance to shape this event into something really memorable and useful. We highly encourage you to come up with new ideas and elements that can be added to the program even during the exchange itself. We will never force you to facilitate an activity, but perhaps taking this step out of your comfort zone will teach you something valuable. No worries, we will let you know how you can contribute and help the organizing team if you’re interested.
people jumping and smilling

Have fun while developing yourself!

Social program

While the main sessions of the youth exchange are mostly related to topics in economics and personal finance, we also got a social program planned for you. This will take place on each evening after the main sessions have ended. There will be cultural nights, theme parties, treasure hunt, and much more. It has also become a tradition of ours that each national group will bring some of their local cuisines for other participants to taste.

How to get to the event?

Travel

You must arrive on the 16th of May at the venue and have to participate in the full duration of the event. Departure day is on 26th of May. You can get to Aegviidu by flying to Tallinn and taking a train to your final destination. We will provide more travelling information once you have been selected to join the project. If you need more information, please contact us for additional details. We will cover your travel expenses up to a certain limit. You will receive your reimbursement after you have provided us with all the documents within a month after the event. If you’re economical, it’s possible to get your full travel expenses covered!
The travel reimbursement limit depends on the travel distance. The upper limit per country is:

Estonia (0-9km): 0€
Sweden (100-499km): 180€
Slovakia (499-1999km): 275€
Greece (2000-2999km): 360€
Spain (3000-3999km): 530€

Meet the people behind Youth Europa!

Organisers

Since every project that we are carrying out is based on our own interests and skills, you can expect us to be highly motivated and energetic. Our extensive experience makes us more flexible and helps us make meaningful adjustments to the program. Keep in mind that youth exchanges are collaborative events where you also have the chance to help and contribute. Come and meet some of the awesome people behind Youth Europa and who knows, maybe you’ll join us one day!

Proof of participation

YouthPass Certificate

As a participant of this event, you will receive YouthPass – a certificate of non-formal education recognized all across Europe that allows you to describe what you have done and learned. On top of that, it can be a great way to stand out at a job interview or when applying to a university, not to mention the part where you get to show off to your friends:)

Send your application!

Deadline: 31.03.2023

Contact us

Ask us anything!

Frequently Asked Questions

This project is supported by Erasmus+ program. This enables us to keep the participation fee very low and even remove it for people who are in financial difficulties. We know it sounds too good to be true, feel free to check out the reviews:)

Not at all. We try to focus on non-formal learning methods. This means that all activities are interactive and you will usually work in groups.

Everyone who comes from the eligible countries and is 18 to 30 years old is welcome to apply. There are no prerequisites, we actually welcome people who have no prior experience at all. Also, this event is not political. We don’t care if you hold conservative or more liberal views. Just be friendly and cooperative, we’re all here to learn, make friends & have fun!

Click the “apply now” button below if the deadline has not passed. Fill the form and answer all the questions as sincerely as possible. We will get in touch with you if you have been selected. Make sure that @youtheuropa.org mails don’t go to your spam!:)

The participants are selected based on their motivation and interest in the topic. There is no catch, you just need to be sincere and honest in your application. Also, if you’re not selected in this project, it’s more likely that you get selected for the next ones. 

Questions such as this one will be answered by the organisers or your group leader. Don’t worry, we will help you find the best possible option!

We will cover your trip to and from the project destination. There are some limits that apply, this is based on your travel distance. These limits are mentioned in the information above. If you buy the tickets early enough, it’s common to get your travel 100% covered.

After the event, all participants will fill the reimbursement form where you will be asked to upload the travel cost documents (itinerary, boarding passes, invoices etc.). The reimbursement process usually takes between 1-2 months. Remember that we will help you on every step of the way.

Nope. You will not be forced to do anything that you’re not comfortable with. But it’s definitely a great place to step our of your comfort zone. This is going to be a journey in your personal development:)

No problem, get in touch with us and we will do our best to provide you some answers. You can do so by heading over to the contact page.

Overview

This is the draft schedule. Some of the activities can depend on weather and other unpredictable aspects. We will always let the participants know about the changes. 

DAY 1
ARRIVAL
DAY 2
Getting to know and introduction to the topic
DAY 3
World and economics
DAY 4
Wealth inequality
DAY 5
Trip to the city!
DAY 6
Budgeting & Saving
DAY 7
Taxes & Debt
DAY 8
Investing 101
DAY 9
Personal finance plan
DAY 10
Sharing the results and final evaluation
DAY 11
DEPARTURE

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