By Caroline Hager
Caroline Hager, CfE Committee member, recently organised a workshop at Penwith College in Penzance to talk with a group of A-level students about exciting new opportunities for young people to work and study in the EU following the UK government’s agreement to rejoin the EU’s Erasmus Plus programme from 2027. This decision marks a major success for campaigners, including the European Movement. Now the focus must be on promoting the programme as widely as possible and encourage young people and others to take part!
Erasmus Plus education, training, youth and sport programme has already helped millions of people of all ages and backgrounds take part in activities abroad. These include student exchanges, traineeships, youth exchanges, vocational training, adult education and sport. UK grants are expected to be awarded next year, with exchanges starting in September 2027.
At the workshop, Penwith college students discussed the benefits of living abroad, which include broadening perspectives, building skills and resilience, improving employability, and experiencing different cultures. They also watched a video featuring a group of young Europeans describing their experiences on an Erasmus Plus youth exchange in Italy.
The students also enjoyed a lively “True or False” Euromyth Buster Quiz to challenge misconceptions about Europe. Questions included: Is the UK still part of Interrail? Does free roaming still apply for UK users outside the EU? And: “Do Cornish shellfish need rest breaks and showers on their way to France and Spain?”
At the end of the workshop, students were able to ask questions about practical issues such as the current visa requirements for a holiday job in the EU, tuition fees for British students at European universities and wider political questions including Russia’s war on Ukraine, the rise of the far right and President Trump.
Ten years after the Brexit referendum and five years since the UK left the EU, relatively few people will have heard of Erasmus Plus. This means it’s important that we keep highlighting the opportunities the programme can offer to primary schools, colleges, youth organisations, local authorities and others across Cornwall and the UK.
More information on Erasmus Plus is available from the British Council, the national agency responsible for UK Erasmus Plus funding and projects. European Movement report “Unlocking Potential” also provides an excellent analysis of how the UK benefited from Erasmus Plus before leaving the EU.
Lastly, if you work for a college, school, youth or sport organisation, charity, local authority, and are interested in applying for Erasmus Plus funding, you may wish to get in touch with Intercom, an organisation offering support, advice and building an international network of partners.
