SKILLS IN ACTION is a youth exchange project involving participants from Italy, Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, and Albania. The project invites young people to explore the connection between two key aspects of their lives: their professional future and their social engagement. In particular, it focuses on how volunteering can help young people develop essential soft skills for personal growth and employability, such as communication, teamwork, leadership, adaptability, problem-solving, and empathy. In Europe, over 90 million adults participate in volunteering activities. According to the European Youth Forum, young people who engage in volunteering are significantly more likely to find employment: one study shows that 43% of young volunteers improved their job prospects, and up to 60% acquired skills directly transferable to the workplace. Increasingly, European employers recognize soft skills gained through volunteering as being as valuable as academic or professional experience. Through this project, we aim to demonstrate how volunteering can act as a bridge between young people’s identity as active citizens and their preparation for the labor market. Participants will take part in interactive workshops, simulations, practical volunteering activities, and intercultural discussions that will help them reflect on their strengths, values, and potential. The exchange will foster an inclusive and supportive environment where participants can learn from each other’s diverse experiences and grow together through dialogue and shared reflection. The project will also provide practical tools, such as guidance on how to recognize and present soft skills on a CV or during a job interview. By the end of the youth exchange, participants will understand that developing soft skills through volunteering is not only about contributing to society but also about becoming more employable, confident, and prepared for the future. By participating in SKILLS IN ACTION, the project aims to: • Strengthen young people’s soft skills through non-formal learning methodologies, supporting both personal development and employability; • Highlight volunteering as a valuable learning experience that connects active citizenship, social inclusion, and employability; • Promote mobility and intercultural exchange, creating an international space where young people can share experiences, develop leadership, and build collaborative networks; • Encourage youth participation and initiative, reinforcing the awareness that young people are active protagonists, not passive recipients, in social and economic processes.