GIRL is an international youth exchange designed to empower young women to become confident leaders and active agents of change. Through non-formal education, feminist pedagogy, peer learning, storytelling, simulations, applied theatre and collaborative activities, participants will examine gender inequality, intersectional discrimination, power and decision-making.
The project will strengthen participants’ self-confidence, leadership abilities, communication, critical thinking, teamwork, intercultural competence and civic participation. Participants will also develop practical action plans addressing challenges in their communities.
The partnership consists of six organisations with complementary expertise in youth participation, gender equality, non-formal education, inclusion and anti-discrimination:
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QUEST – Quality Education in Europe for Sustainable Social Transformation, Belgium
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Fundacja Laboratorium Zmiany, Poland
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ASAT – Asociația Solidaritate și Acțiune pentru Tineret, Romania
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Beirut Erasmus International Club, Lebanon
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PAL Network, Belgium
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SAPLINQ, Slovakia
- Project title: Growing into Real Leaders
- Acronym: GIRL
- Programme: Erasmus+
- Action: KA152-YOU – Mobility of Young People
- Activity: Youth Exchange
- Project duration: 1 August 2026–31 January 2027
- Mobility dates: 12–18 December 2026
- Host country: Belgium, Brussels
The GIRL Leadership Labs Youth Exchange will be a five-day residential activity in Belgium. The programme will progress from trust-building and the establishment of a safe learning environment to the exploration of gender stereotypes, intersectionality, leadership, power relations and democratic participation.
Participants will take part in:
- team-building and intercultural activities;
- workshops on gender equality and feminist leadership;
- storytelling and peer-learning sessions;
- simulations, role-playing and applied theatre;
- assertive communication and confidence-building exercises;
- shared decision-making and conflict-transformation activities;
- development of local action plans;
- daily reflection and evaluation sessions;
- Youthpass-based recognition of learning outcomes.
Expected results include:
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- greater self-confidence and readiness to express opinions;
- improved understanding of gender inequality and intersectional discrimination;
- stronger leadership, communication and civic competences;
- practical community action plans developed by all participants;
- local follow-up initiatives reaching approximately 300 indirect beneficiaries;
- improved capacity of partner organisations to apply gender-sensitive and inclusive youth-work methodologies;
- stronger international cooperation and solidarity among young women.
