Towards the end of August 2026, Struga became a hub for young minds. From August 22 to 29, the city hosted the “Young Civil Society” bilateral youth exchange, organized by Volunteers Centre Skopje in cooperation with Europa Iuvenis from Poland. A total of 24 young people aged 15 to 21 from Macedonia and Poland gathered…
Being a teenager is not always easy. It is a period of discovering who we are, becoming more independent, dealing with expectations from others, and learning how to express what we need and feel. Sometimes, finding the right words can be difficult. Sometimes, we do not even know exactly what we feel. This is why…
This summer, young people from Macedonia had the opportunity to take part in the Erasmus+ youth exchange “Trailblazers: Learning with Nature 2” organized by NaturKultur, held in Berne, Germany. The Macedonian team was made up of Anamarija, who took on the role of team leader, David, Ana, Nikola, Anastasija, Nino, and Ina. Far away from…
At the beginning of June a group of us met up for an Erasmus+ training course on resilience - people from Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Slovenia, Iceland, Romania and Italy. We spent our days doing a mix of art, movement, walks in nature and honestly just talking a lot, trying to figure out what "resilience" even…
Almost a month has passed since our team from Macedonia left to participate in a youth exchange in Latvia with the title “YOU(th) in Media Literacy”. On this exchange Jovan, David, Joana, Bojana, Lazar and Sofija and the rest of the participants from other countries had the chance to learn more about media literacy and…
In this super-fast, hyper-competitive modern era, it has become essential to cultivate resilience - no longer an extra asset, but a vital skill. "Let’s get resilient!", the Erasmus+ training course organized by MC Dravinjske Doline in the picturesque village of Topolovec, Slovenia, did exactly that: over the course of seven days, it provided the participants…
If you have ever done an Erasmus+ training course, you probably have a Youthpass certificate somewhere on your laptop. Maybe in a folder called "documents" or "stuff" or "idk." It says you developed competences. Important ones. European-framework-level ones. And if you are anything like me or the 30 other youth workers I met in southern…
Did you know that women earn on average around 20% less than men worldwide? Or that one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence at least once in her lifetime? These facts are not just numbers – they represent real people, real stories, and real injustice. Even in the 21st century, gender equality is…
At the start of December, six young people from Macedonia bundled in thick winter coats and a list of their favorite traditional recipes and headed to KulturHaus, a cozy house on the outskirts of Bremen, Germany. Joined by 39 other participants from Italy, Lithuania, Serbia, Spain, and Germany for the Erasmus+ youth exchange “C.O.O.K.”, where…
There’s something unusual about the ability to stand in the same place again and realize that what has changed most isn’t the space itself, but the way you inhabit it. Bukowina Tatrzańska offered me exactly that experience - not as a return, but as a continuity that has finally become visible. Last year, I arrived…
Every single one of us is familiar with the game domino. In a single row, only one touch is enough to move the whole row. Arranged like that, the domino bars themselves stay in place, it's enough for only one to move, for the whole row to change. Youth activism works just like that, it…
“I am one of the lucky people that got to participate in the youth exchange “I want my tears back” in Buzau, Romania. I am happy to say this was one of the best experiences I have had, and for multiple reasons. It’s not a shame to admit that the situation in Macedonia regarding discrimination…
When curiosity meets courage and friendship crosses borders – magic happens. That’s exactly what happened as young people from Ireland and Macedonia set out on a journey that turned strangers into friends and landscapes into lifelong memories. Macedonia-Ireland Limerick Youth Center Exchange brought together 24 young adventurers for a two-part Erasmus+ exchange - first in…
There is an island on the Mediterranean sea that has a recipe for longevity. Maybe this recipe is connected with the recipe for happiness? It seems like Sardinia has them both, but what if both are actually one and the equation would be simply: happiness=longevity? One November week in Sardinia can give you a glimpse…
The world today doesn’t spin on its own. Its axis is not just planetary rotation – it is youth, ideas, and the constant thirst for knowledge. In a time when the digital has become real, and the real increasingly depends on the digital, the question “Who turns the world?” becomes a call to look in…
Ten days, four countries, one shared idea – young people becoming ambassadors of the rural spirit. The “Rural Youth Ambassadors” project took us to Brajchino, a village that at first glance seems frozen in time, yet quietly holds answers for the future. Brajchino welcomed us with stone paths and houses carrying the weight of generations.…
From the 6th to 15th May 2025, the Erasmus+ training course “Scam, Spam, Pam, Pam” took place in Sărata Monteoru and Buzău, Romania hosted by FPT BUZAU. This international training course brought together participants from across Europe to tackle pressing digital challenges such as fake news and cyberbullying. Through interactive activities, creative exercises, and collaborative…
Isabela, Tomche, and Stefan, represented Volunteers Centre Skopje at the youth exchange “Don’t gamble your future” in Sarata Monteoru and Buzau, Romania from 20.03 to 30.03.2025. The participants connected through cultural exchange, team-building, and heartfelt conversations on addiction awareness. Together, they built trust, promoted collaboration, and explored how different countries address addiction-related challenges. The exchange…
From June 28 to July 6, 2025, Filip and I were representing VCS and Macedonia at the "Leadership Goes Green" training course in Arrouquelas, Rio Maior, Portugal. The project was hosted by H2O Associação de Jovens de Arrouquelas, with one eco goal in mind – to gather young people from across Europe who are willing…
Do you know what gender equality is? Our team was on a one week Erasmus+ training course titled “Gender Equality: Tools to work with youth”, between the 12th – 17th of May, held in Peñaranda de Bracamonte, Spain. Marija: Our training started with a game for getting to know each other. Then in the next…