Pangeya Ultima and Peupl’en Harmonie works on rural development and decide to lead this project based on necessity to act for the dynamisation and valorisation of villages. BACKGROUND Indeed, according to the Worldbank data in 2010, the world’s urban population overpassed the rural population. This feels especially acute in Europe where a great number of countryside inhabitants steadily shrinks due to internal migration, a trend sharply faced by both Ukraine and French Guiana. The process of depletion of young population from rural area is especially overwhelming as young people would normally seek opportunities in bigger cities, facing the challenge of disappearance due to aging and emigration. This means dissolving of full chapters in local history and folklore, disruption of connection between people and relatives in whole regions. Furthermore, the countryside is becoming less and less addressed within developmental, social and educational programmes. However, the countryside wields an enormous resource and cultural value for any country. It hosts different sectors of economy as well as traditions and folklore preserved by people who live in a bigger exposure to nature and in more cohesive communities. All these features should not be discarded but preserved and exploited. The role of youth in this regard is especially important as they may bring new ideas of revival of social and economic dynamics into small communities. NEEDS ASSESSMENT The NA for the current project has been carried out by both partners with active engagement of their young followers through questioning, meetings with young leaders etc. to learn their needs. This youth from both sides later have commonly helped in planning and preparing this community-based, experiential education concept that form a basis of the exchange programme. It has encompassed individuals who first-hand understand the issues of the rural area as they came from small communities themselves (participating Stina, Ukraine; Kuwano, French Guiana). Thus, the analysis has envisaged several needs such as the understanding by the youth population of the importance of countryside in terms of food and energy supply, humanitarian security of the urban population, lifestyle, cultural and heritage value as well as acquiring practical skills and knowledge connected to household, agricultural, cultural activities present in the rural area. It also identified the need of fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of youngsters from rural areas, who disbelief in economic prospects in home villages and of promotion of social and cultural dynamics in small rural communities since the intercultural dialogue still lacks in these areas. Finally, the partners diagnosed the need of implementing various approaches and innovations in the direction of experiential education, of developing community-directed initiatives and broadening the beneficiaries basis. SHORT-TERM AIMS: -To cross-study the social, economic, cultural and natural background of the regional countryside in Ukraine and French Guiana by young participants of the exchange and therefore offer them the opportunity to identify common values with peers in spite of cultural differences. -To launch intercultural dialogue in the hosting rural communities and celebrate the diversity. -To improve practical, personal skills and knowledge of participants (especially from the urban environment) on the day-to-day life of rural inhabitants. -To launch a bilateral international connection between the two targeted rural communities from French Guiana and Ukraine and prepare ground for future sustainable communication. -To raise the entrepreneurial spirit of youth participants and showcase to them how economic prospects can be raised around home-based production, crafts and tourism. -To actively use experiential-education methods in an open setting with numerous educational opportunities driven by the rural-community youth and project partners. LONG-TERM AIMS Long-term aims were connected with further promotion by partners of new methodologies of experimental education based on rural communities as. All follow-up actions are implementing with active involvement of youth to garner the sustainable impact thanks to their long-term interest. REACHING OBJECTIVES OF THE E+ To improve the level of key competences and skills of young people through non-formal and informal learning, including those with fewer opportunities (e.g. from remote territories) and promotes intercultural youth dialogue, active citizenship and solidarity. To forster youth cooperation on intercontinental level between active organisations in the youth field in French Guiana and Ukraine. To enhance the international dimension of youth activities, promoting mobility and cooperation between stakeholders from Programme and Partner Countries. (It was underpinned by cooperation between Ukraine and French Guiana which is a highly uncommon connection but this gave an additional sense to this activity.)