Strengthening European values! RAY DAY 2025

What impact do European youth exchanges have? How can professional peer learning in the youth sector be successful? Would European projects foster the democratic awareness of young people in Europe? What role do the European youth programs Erasmus+ Youth and the European Solidarity Corps play for active citizenship?

The European research network RAY is investigating the effects of the EU youth programs Erasmus+ Youth and the European Solidarity Corps on a regular basis. One focus is on how international youth work projects promote democratic competences and participation among young people in Europe. The results for Germany were presented at RAY DAY 2025, the network's first Europe-wide event, on October 20.

The event at the European Patent Office in Munich met with lively interest. Wolfgang Bücherl, Head of the Regional Office of the European Commission, as one of the two cooperation partners alongside the National Agency JUGEND für Europa (JfE) (Bonn), provided the audience with a warm welcome.

Eva Feldmann-Wojtachnia, member of the German research team RAY_DE at the Center for Applied Policy Research (C·A·P) at LMU, presented key data from the accompanying research in three short rounds, which were discussed against the background of the experience of practitioners.

The panel included Meryem Sen, member of the Youth Advisory Council of the German National Agency and EuroPeer, as well as Daniel Wagner and Ludwig Gasteiger from the Youth Council of the district of Dachau. The event was moderated by Claudius Siebel from the German National Agency JUGEND für Europa.
During the evening, the impact of the EU youth programs was examined with respect to three areas:

• promoting young people's willingness to participate after the project,

• providing significant, sustainable learning experiences that promote youth empowerment and active citizenship among project participants, and

• fostering a deeper feeling of belonging to Europe after the project experience and a stronger connection with peers from different European countries.

It became clear that the results of the RAY surveys and the qualitative studies largely correspond to practical experience. Young people gain experience and competences in the projects that are very important for their personal development and have a long-lasting impact on them. Participants noted that the experience improved their ability to influence policy-making and decision-making and to deal with socio-political challenges.

Times in Europe are tense. Populism, right-wing radicalism, and calls for simple solutions in politics and society are on the rise. This makes it all the more important to appeal to young people to engage in dialogue about democratic coexistence in Europe. The data presented by Feldmann-Wojtachnia and the comments of the guest speakers support the conclusion that the European youth programs Erasmus+ Youth and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) offer non-formal learning settings and facilitate youth exchanges in an extraordinary way, empower young people, and strengthen youth work professionals.

 
Welcome by Wolfgang Bücherl, Head of the European Commission Representation in Munich for Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg

Eva Feldmann-Wojtachnia (C·A·P) presents the latest data for RAY_DE

Meryem Sen (Youth Advisory Council of the National Agency JUGEND für Europa/EuroPeers) comments on the research findings from a practical perspective.

Daniel Wagner (Dachau District Youth Council) provides insights into the practical implementation of Erasmus+ youth projects.

Ludwig Gasteiger (Managing Director of the Dachau District Youth Council) explains the added value of Europe for youth organisations.

Editor-in-chief Dr. Uwe Kullnick (Literaturradio Hörbahn) in conversation with Meryem Sen

Podcast

Podcast of the literary radio station Hörbahn on the event: coming soon at

literaturradiohoerbahn.com

RAY

Further information on the European research network RAY (Research-based Analysis of the European Youth Programmes)

www.researchyouth.net

RAY YouTube channel:

youtube.com/@researchyouth/streams