a European Odyssey for Young people !The Youth Exchange Program of the Assembly of European Regions (AER)

Walloon Presidency 2003-2006

Eurodyssey’s got something for everyone...

For young people

For regions

For the companies in the regions

For young people...

…if you’re…

aged between 18 and 30 years old

recently qualified or graduated

living in a member region

a 3 to 7-month work training experience in another European Region

all branches of industry

all levels of professional qualification (both skilled and unskilled)

a maintenance allowance to cover living costs

…then you can get...

a free one-month intensive language course (basic knowledge may be required)

cultural activities and field trips (organized by most regions)

Which kinds of companies do offer internships ? Well, just about any kind … to name just a few of the 300+ companies participating each year in the program...

• Musée du Louvre • Coca-Cola Belgium • • Futuroscope de Poitiers • IKEA • Baxter R&D • • Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles à Paris • Citibank • • Kraft Jacobs Suchart • Peugeot • • Université de Besançon • Cockerill Sambre Charleroi • FNAC •• Champagne Veuve Clicquot • Chocolaterie Jacques • Stella Artois •• Feria de Valencia • Dow Corning Petroleum • Palaţul Culturii Arad• Centro do Mar da Universidade dos Açores • Caritas France •• Biblioteca judeţeană (Tulcea) • Instituto ASES • Amnesty Int’l •• Palais des Congrès de Liège • Hotels ACCOR • TECHNOMEDIA • • COSPIRIT Research Lyon • Opéra Royal de Wallonie • ...

A regional representative ensures the placement in a suitable company, finds the accommodation and follows up your training...

So...

To sum it up...

Acquire new skills

Energize your résumé & be more attractive on the labor market

Discover another culture & make new friends

Become autonomous

Open up your mind !

For the regions, a chance to...

take part actively in the professional training of the region’s youth

recognize youth as one of the regions’ greatest wealth

abolish borders while promoting a European and regional consciousness

give your region’s youth a chance to broaden their horizons, both professionally and personally

make your region known abroad through these young ambassadors

invest in your region’s future

How does a Region handle Eurodyssey ?...

Your region is a member of the AER (or is ready to consider joining the AER after 1 year of full participation to Eurodyssey)

You run the program quite freely, according to the following principles :

Autonomy : define method of managing, financing criteria,…

Reciprocity : finance incoming trainees - send yours for free

It’s quite easy...

Vote a budget according to what you want your Eurodyssée Exchange Program to be :

Host and send from 2 to X trainees per year

Decide whether you will finance or not trainees’ travel costs

...

Designate an officer to implement Eurodyssey in your region and to ensure a suitable management of the program

NB: Regions benefiting from the ESF (European Social Fund) can apply for co-financing. This concerns all 10 new member states.

You receive help from the Eurodyssey General Secretariat and are tutored by a seasoned member Region

Attend the Eurodyssey Forum

A yearly event for member regions & non-member regions

Exchange experience, get information

See where the trainees are living, learning and working in the Forum’s host region

Discuss problems encountered and find help

Discuss and vote on future trends of the program (members only)

For the companies in the regions, a chance to...

take part in the professional training of young people

exchange know-how and skills

open up to Europe

learn about other regions (markets)

show off dynamism and creativity

Eurodyssey member regions

• Bruxelles-Capitale, Wallonie (B)• Jura, Valais, Ticino (CH)• Baden-Württemberg (D)• Castilla y León, Catalunya, Murcia,

Valencia (E)• Champagne-Ardenne, Franche-

Comté, Île de France, Limousin, Poitou-Charentes, Rhône-Alpes (F)

• Adjara (GE)

• Istra (HR)

• Akershus (N)

• Açores, Madeira (P)

• Caraş-Severin, Harghita, Hunedoara, Tulcea (RO)

This list is regularly updated...

0

100

200

300

400

500

1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005

Number of young people sent abroad : about 500 young people

each year, 7 500 since the program was created in 1985, 10

years before Leonardo

According to young people, Eurodyssey helped them find a job when they came back home...

Yes84%

No16%

Eurodyssey is also a cultural experience. In 2005, young

participants got an opportunity to discover one of

the following cultures

French-speaking

56,9%

Spanish (Castillan

and Catalan)31,5%

Portuguese4,3%

Croatian1,4%

German3,7%

Norwegian0,4%

Romanian0,4%

Italian-speaking

1,2%

Internships for everyone…

Other22,7%

Architects2,2%

Scientific work9,0%

Administrative work12,0%

Arts/Culture12,3%

Tourism12,9%

Trade / Business21,8%Telecommunicat

ion7,0%

From Hair dresser to lawyer, from Web Master to Archeologist !!

2005 figures

For further information, please contact :

Eurodyssey General Secretariat

Espace International

Wallonie-Bruxelles

Place Sainctelette 2 B - 1080 Bruxelles : +32 2 421 85 12 : + 32 2 421 84 81 @: eurodyssee.dri.dgre@mrw.wallonie.be

www.eurodyssee.net

Walloon Presidency 2003-2006