Our Erasmus+ Small-Scale Partnership project came to an end with a meeting of the transnational project team from 4 to 6 April 2025. In the picturesque surroundings on the coast of the Danish Baltic Sea island of Lolland, we looked back and forward together. As JEF Steiermark and Europæisk Ungdom Danmark, we had set ourselves the goal of developing an EU Training Programme for new members and interested young people in 2022 and implementing it as a pilot project with financial support from Erasmus+. The focus was on developing a concept and methods and building project management skills within our organisations.

At the Evaluation Meeting, we now took time to reflect on the achievement of objectives, record best practice, give each other feedback and analyse and discuss that of the participants. A typical Danish summer house provided just the right atmosphere to switch off from everyday life and prepare the Erasmus+ report together. There was also time to think about possible further cooperation between our organisations. There was no shortage of ideas and creative spirit. 🙂

We were also able to take a look at the construction site of the largest infrastructure project in Northern Europe. The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel removes a bottleneck in the transport network, shortens journey times and strengthens connections between Scandinavia and Central Europe. Once the tunnel is completed, the journey from Puttgarden (GER) to Rødbyhavn (DK) will take just seven minutes by train and 10 minutes by car. We were particularly excited to find a reference to the EU’s financial support for the project in the visitor centre.

In conclusion, we are grateful above all to the people who have committed their free time to European integration and have worked together on such a challenging project lasting several years, but also to the participants, whose positive development, growth in knowledge and skills and life journeys we were able to accompany for a year.