The “Soft Skills Academy II” is an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange mobility that was hosted in Nyiregyhaza, Hungary at the Korona Hotel. It involved participants from 4 countries (Serbia, Hungary, Romania and Greece).

It took place from 8 to 17 of November 2025. The participants of the project were youngsters that wanted to learn about communication skills as well as different cultures and make new friends.

Α. Programme description:

The goals of this project was to develop the participants’ communication and time management skills as well as to encourage intercultural learning and expand opportunities and potentional for both international and local partnerships. It involved learning between people that come from different backgrounds and cultures, and the lessons were split into theory sessions and activities: participants made workshops and worked it out practically in a non-formal setting. After the theory session, we were given the task of coming up with our own input that would directly influence the topic. All of us learned life-long lessons that we will carry for the rest of our lives, directly learned from each other.

Β. Why was it needed?

This program teaches everyone about time management and communication in a playful manner, which are very important skills to master early. Communication skills were also strengthened by the fact that people from different countries come together in a place where we don’t need distractions such as phones, because we all came here for the same reason: to get to know each other’s cultures and build lifelong friendships. Time management skills are also important in an era where everything is fast-paced and youngsters don’t have what it takes to manage their life properly in a time when everything seems so overwhelming.

C. How did it help?

It helped us learn about different types and forms of communication, teaching us how to address issues and people properly, which directly transfers into school or workplace scenarios. On the time management part the participants learned about new strategies that helped them do things in a more efficient manner while also coming with their own recommendations. The Concepts that were harder to grasp were simplified by the facilitator, allowing everyone to be on board by the end of the day. The workshops allowed the participants to put themselves into the position of facilitator, helping to bolster their public speaking skills while also managing time themselves during the planning phase. Intercultural nights allowed the participants to get in touch with the other countries’ traditions and customs.

D. Intercultural nights:

The intercultural nights were a fan-favourite, everyone got immersed in the cultures of the participating countries by watching presentations, humorous videos and trying snacks and food. The nights were very inclusive and were always challenging the participants with quizzes, dances, songs and tongue twisters. These events were also the bridge between the two programmes, allowing the people to get to know each other.

E. Non-formal education:

This approach was probably one of the key factors in making the experience as comfortable as possible. The activities were fun yet challenging, and encouraged teamwork. The setting is also what made the activities be enjoyed by everyone, a cozy atmosphere and some jokes can really people on board. There were multiple energizer sessions throughout the day that helped build a good mood.

F. Local impact:

During the project, we participated in an interactive city game where the objective was to cross off as many things as we could do in Nyíregyháza. There were 50 objectives varying from exploring local culture spots and businesses, visiting important city landmarks and even just chatting with residents. It was both fun and engaging, exploring the city on our own and relying on locals for help. It played a big part for our team building! We also met the deputy mayor of Nyíregyháza, Menyhért Jászai, who gave us more insight about the city. Last but not least, we visited a local radio station Mustarhaz to chat with volunteers that host it, who are also a part of an Erasmus project. We got to see their studio and even record something for ourselves.

G. Testimonials:

1. Katarina Stancic (Serbia – 18) As a highschool student in this project I felt really welcomed and gained a lot of confidence in my group speaking and socialising skills, as well as getting out of my comfort zone. This project really exceeded my expectations and I realised how important communication skills can be. It was fun while we were doing the workshops and the activities, it really brought us together as one team and taught us a lot about new stuff that would be useful. I like how planned and organized everything is, the organisators are kind and understanding and I would recommend everyone to get the experience of an erasmus project.
2. Vissarion (Greece – 26) Participating in this Erasmus program was one of the most important experiences of my life. Traveling abroad gave me the opportunity to get to know a new culture, improve my language and improve my way of thinking. I learned to be more independent and more open to new challenges. I took interest in all the courses, worked as a team with people from different countries and participated in group projects that helped me develop new important skills. Erasmus was an experience that helped me grow as a person and as a student. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to try something different and discover themselves through an international experience.
3. Peter (Hungary – 17) I think everyone shares the same opinion about this program. In my opinion, this program is an excellent thing because you can learn a lot, you don’t get tired of school, and it teaches us things about life that we can start implementing immediately. There were many fun activities that helped us get closer to each other and make new connections. Ι enjoyed the city game the most, because running around with random tasks to do felt so fresh after feeling so stale in my own city. I can’t list many negative things, because I feel very good here!
4. Katica (Hungary – 16) I think this program is very good because you can make a lot of friends and get to know people from different nationalities. This helps with learning by making understanding easier, and it increases how much I enjoy being in a group. It also helps me improve my English language skills and my speaking ability.