Hi. Our names are Ariton Bajrami and Amir Xhelili, and the following is a summary of our amazing stay in Baile Tusnad as youth workers. We were chosen and sent to this program by our local organization in Skopje called Volunteers Centre Skopje.

“Get empowered, Get employed” was a program within the Erasmus+ program and it covered the key action 1 frame. It was held in Baile Tusnad, Romania, and there were thirty participants from different countries of Europe. It was a fantastic experience for both our social and academic growth, where the program covered a brought range of topics and addressed serious employment problems that the youth face nowadays in the employment .

Altogether, our stay in the town of Baile Tusnad was extraordinary. The breakfast was always served on time, and so was lunch and dinner. Along with the delicious meals we also had coffee breaks. The food and the drinks were available for us at anytime and there was no shortage of snacks; and I can’t complain about our accommodation. Of course, the meals, drinks, and snacks were not the only thing we enjoyed there. The small but charming town of Tusnad was a lovely surprise, having plenty of attractions and some hidden gems too. However, we did not go there to travel or to eat local and international food. We were youth workers in the program “Get Empowered, Get Employed”.

The topic of this program was quite a challenging one because many people today, be that youth workers or graduates, face the challenge of getting employed. The international atmosphere of the program meant that the topic was significantly broadened to the international market. We dealt with topics and were introduced to methods and practices that dealt about the importance of soft and hard skills, we were also taught about the importance of non-formal education, which was also a central topic to the program, and strategies and methods to further strengthen our skills for a better chance of employment in the job market. Other activities included of building our leadership competences, and how to be a better team player.

In general, we enjoyed the program, and benefited from the other participants in the program, and as well from the highly-prepared trainers that worked with us on a daily basis. It was an unforgettable experience and we encourage other youth workers, and even those who are in the studies to participate in such programs because they are valuable to our growth as human beings and to our development as students, and youth workers alike.

Ariton Bajrami, Amir Xhelili