Why we’re doing this: Because a lot of 14–17-year-olds we work with (rural, first-time travellers, quite a few LGBTQ+) don’t often get to experience (let alone stay in) spaces where they can breathe, speak, and be taken seriously. We want this exchange to be that space - and to help them carry it home, at least a small fraction of it. Our objectives (in real youth work practice): Build a genuinely safe space. Day 1 we co-create group rules, sort rooming by comfort/consent, make pronoun badges, set up a buddy system, and keep daily check-ins. Success looks like most teens saying, 'I felt safe to be myself.' Help young people find and use their voice - including our autistic participants. We’ll use story circles, small sharing groups, and gentle open-mic moments, with multiple ways to express (writing, drawing, pre-recorded audio/video). Visual agendas, clear timing, extra processing time, and a quiet space reduce sensory load; buddies and optional scripts support co-presenting. Everyone gets at least one moment to lead or share in the format that works for them - no pressure, lots of support. Use language as a bridge, not a test. Plain English, phrase swaps, peer interpreting. A lot of our kids, esepcially Czechs, do not use English much in their every day and stress a lot when they need to. If a participant can tell one personal story in English they’re proud of, we did our job. Grow intercultural empathy. Mixed-nationality teams, myth-busting games, cultural evenings that go deeper than snacks. Each teen will one stereotype they let go of and the person who changed it. This personal experience should do the work needed to start thinking about stereotypes and how deep they actually go in real life. Practice participation, not just talk about it. Youth take actual roles - Comms Squad, Docu Team, Green Team, Session Co-leads. Older teens mentor younger ones. Everyone carries one concrete responsibility during the week. Boost wellbeing basics. Short check-ins, “name your feeling” tools, nature time, quiet corners. We want each participant to leave with two coping strategies that actually work for them. Make inclusion and LGBTQ+ allyship normal. Allyship mini-session, zero tolerance for slurs or outing, easy reporting channels. The goal: most teens rate the space 4/5+ for safety and respect. Also, the teens who have not heard of allyship before (or considered it 'gay' for example) leave being more aware of how it works and why it is important. Make green habits stick. This one is often one of the hardest ones, but well. Refills, veggie-first, switch-off, upcycled materials. Each country commits to one small eco action back home (and sends photo proof). Turn the week into something that lasts. Youthpass finished for 100%, 3+ school/community shares per country, simple toolkits others can reuse. Keep the chat open; keep the support real. If we can send young people home a bit braver, a bit kinder to themselves and others, and a bit louder about what matters - we’ll call that a success.