UK-German youth exchange formats, topics, outcomes, and benefits
Encouraging UK-German Youth Exchanges
Graph 3.16 Youth workers – Exchange topics considered suitable, by country group
Graph 3.15 Young people – Exchange topics wanted (UK)
0.5
Learning about foreign culture, countries, and people
Not at all interested Not so interested Somewhat interested Very interested Extremely interested
1.6
14.5
52.3
31.1
UK (n=46) DE (n=79)
60.9% 60.8%
Social topics and issues
Language learning
17.6
20.7
51.8
3.1 6.7
58.7%
Culture, historic sites, country experiences
44.3%
1.0
26.4
37.8
32.1
Volunteering
2.6
56.5%
Social action or volunteering projects
30.4%
21.8
32.6
34.2
3.1 8.3
Adventure & outdoor activities
43.5% 43.0%
Adventure and outdoor education
Social topics & youth issues
24.9
28.5
36.3
2.6 7.8
17.4%
Ecologial or conservation projects
22.8%
17.4%
Arts & music
31.1
30.6
28.0
2.1 8.3
Employment and entrepreneurship
5.1%
17.4%
25.9
31.6
25.9
Climate & environmental
2.6 14.0
Arts and music
19.0%
34.2
29.0
19.7
Employment & entrepreneurship
4.7 12.4
13.0%
Sports
29.1%
28.5
19.7
20.2
9.3
22.3
Sports
10.9%
Language exchange
36.7%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Valid % (n=193)
Valid % multiple answers possible
In the youth worker survey, participants were asked to identify the three topics they thought were most suitable for their organisation to support or promote (Graph 3.16).
can provide a methodology for a youth exchange, but that the core focus should be intercultural learning. In order for exchanges to be led by young people, the resonance group concluded it is not desirable for national programmes of funding for youth exchanges to encourage specific exchange topics or themes. Instead, project or topic themes should be determined at the project level varying by each individual exchange.
Interviewed youth workers identified that there was a value to topical or thematic exchanges. However, they said it is important that topics and themes were identified by the young people involved in the exchange based on their specific interests. Youth workers therefore preferred not to have topics set by any external funding, organisational or policy agendas. The exception to this was youth workers from organisations with a particular thematic focus (e.g., arts) who wanted exchanges to be linked to this theme. The resonance group explored these ideas in further, identifying that topics and themes
The most commonly identified topics on the UK side were:
The most commonly identified topics on the German side were:
1. Social topics and issues (e.g., racism, equality, digitalisation, mental health), 2. Culture, historic sites, and country experiences, 3. Social action and volunteering projects.
1. Social topics and issues (e.g., racism, equality, digitalisation, mental health), 2. Culture, historic sites, and country experiences, 3. Adventure and outdoor education.
Interest in language exchange and sports was notably higher on the German side than the UK side.
36
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