About the YOUTH EXCHANGE
Youth Exchange | Cyprus | November 2025
hink Before You Bet was an international Erasmus+ Youth Exchange focused on gambling prevention, responsible play, and healthier lifestyle choices for young people across Europe.
Hosted by NECI Cyprus, the project brought together youth and youth workers from Cyprus, Bulgaria, Czechia, Italy, Romania, North Macedonia, and Spain to learn, share experiences, and take action through non-formal education and intercultural learning.
Project Sumary
This project was designed to promote Non-Formal Learning, through which representatives of the partner organisations shared personal and professional experiences, contributed based on their competences, worked collaborativelyregardless of background, and developed a programme.
Objectives:
Objective 1: Foster international cooperation between experienced and less-experienced organisations, youth workers, and young people,
promoting mutual learning and joint efforts to eliminate discrimination and marginalisation through inclusive practices.
Objective 2: Expand opportunities for young people to exchange experiences and good practices in social inclusion, making use of arts and
creative expression as tools to bridge cultural and national differences through non-formal learning methods.
Objective 3: Strengthen networks and partnerships that ensure sustainable impact on social inclusion and intercultural learning, leaving a
long-term contribution for the upcoming Erasmus+ programme cycles.
Objective 4: Enhance the skills and competences of young people and organisations to cultivate solidarity, empathy, and social responsibility
in their communities.
Objective 5: Empower youth to actively participate in civic life and decision-making processes, ensuring that their voices contribute to
building more inclusive, democratic, and socially cohesive societies
The Youth exchange was held in Cyprus, hosted by NECI EU and had the following objectives:
(a) Increase awareness on the positive impact of non formal learning and NGOs effort for youths and communities
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(b) develop youths learning to learn competence with main aim to influence other youths and youthworkers and local community on
developing opportunities for solidarity and inclusion when working with diversity.
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(c) offer safe and educative space for leaning by sharing to all participants irrespective skills and background and promote non formal learning on the base of Inclusive practices
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(d) explore and understand the power intercultural learning and dialogue for tackling global problems
The project also meet International, EU and E+ objectives because :
-encourages participation of youthleaders, youths, especially the ones with fewer opportunities
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-secures safety and pleasant NF learning environment
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-promotes the development of:
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*learning outcomes and improvement of basic key competences
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*practices for intercultural learning, equity and social inclusion
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*it's a project from youthς and organisations to youths and community
We tried to answer the questions:
(a) how the structure of the society changes throughout the time (within months, weeks, days),
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(b) what is the impact of NGOs and youth community for supporting the target group for a more healthy life.
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(c) what is the role of youth leaders and youths for preventing wrong habits in youths
Participant Reflection Diaries
What Participants Say
Martin
The morning was dedicated to our primary objective: preparing for tomorrow's awareness campaign. Teams made significant progress developing the Nicosia project ideas, engaging in focused strategizing, mutual encouragement, and reflective planning. The collective excitement for the next day's launch was high.
Midday brought unexpected excitement when a tornado ripped through the neighborhood. While pieces of roofs flew, we were simultaneously terrified and captivated. Critically, everyone remained safe, allowing us to quickly regain composure and appreciate the remainder of our stay.
After enjoying a delicious traditional dinner, featuring a variety of grilled specialties, the tone shifted entirely. Kyriakos organized memorable outdoor games that became the day's highlight. The first involved a hilarious, high-energy race: a relay of a bottle and a ball combined with a speed-drinking challenge, resulting in bursts of non-stop laughter.
The second activity introduced a small risk, where we navigated on roller mini-skates to collect letters for a word-building competition. Although our submission, "Lil Munich," was rejected, we finished second—without injury!
The day's overall success stemmed from the opportunity to share ideas, receive constructive feedback, and the overwhelmingly positive, collaborative environment. It proved to be a vital investment, both for substantially improving our projects and for strengthening relationships among participants, successfully uniting and motivating the group further.
Tzveti
During this experience I learned the importance of thinking carefully before getting involved in any form of gambling. I discovered that gambling is not only found in casinos but also in online games, sports betting, lottery tickets and even some apps that encourage spending money for a chance to win. Some people get caught in a cycle of trying again and again, thinking the next time will be different.
One of the most important things I learned is that gambling is based on a chance and the odds are usually designed so that the player loses more than they win. At first gambling might seem fun or harmless but it can quickly become risky. It can lead to losing money, getting stressed, damaging relationships or becoming addicted. Understanding these dangers helped me see why prevention is so important.
Another important thing I learned is that preventing gambling problems is not only about saying “no” but also about building strong habits. That includes setting goals on something positive to focus on and saving money for something meaningful which is better than risking it.
Veronica
During my Erasmus+ project in Cyprus, on the topic "Think Before You Bet – Gambling Prevention," I learned a lot about the dangers of gambling and how to prevent it. The activities helped me understand more about the risks gambling can have on individuals and society. I also learned some useful strategies to raise awareness about this issue and encourage responsible behavior.
In addition to learning, we had the opportunity to interact with local people in Nicosia, which gave me a chance to hear their opinions and perspectives on gambling. This was a valuable part of the experience, as it helped me understand the issue from a local point of view.
Besides learning, I also had the chance to meet new people from different countries. It was great to practice my English while making new friends and sharing experiences. This project not only gave me new knowledge but also helped me improve my language skills and connect with people from different cultures.
Felix
The experience has been truly enriching in many ways and has undoubtedly improved both my life and myself. Regarding the subject matter, we have learned many things such as factual information, different perspectives, official opinions, and how to act in certain situations. All of this has been possible through non-formal learning, always marked by creativity, group cooperation, imagination, and a positive attitude. We also greatly enjoyed the games that were proposed, discovering that the best way to learn is by enjoying the process, participating actively, and taking initiative.
Overall, I am very pleased to have lived this wonderful Erasmus experience, and I believe it has had a positive impact on areas I sought to improve in my life, such as public speaking, English, leadership, and cooperation. Furthermore, I take home with me a valuable lesson about gambling: it cannot be eradicated, but the focus must be on prevention and control. Understanding this is key to changing one’s behavior and to helping those around you who may need support.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize how satisfied I am with the facilities, their ideal location, and the role of the organizers, who listened to the participants and always sought the best for them.
Thank you, and farewell!
Alex
During our Erasmus project on gambling prevention, I joined different activities that taught me how gambling can affect people. We worked together, shared ideas, and learned how to notice signs of gambling problems. These tasks also helped me improve my communication and teamwork.
A key moment was our day in Nicosia. I talked to many people on the street, asked them questions about gambling, and listened to their stories. Some shared personal experiences, while others gave short answers. This activity made me more confident speaking to strangers and helped me understand that gambling can affect many people.
Aja
I'm Aja from the N.Macedonian team and I am so thankful and happy to have been a part of this magnificent project that taught me a lot of new perspectives in the view of gambling as well as in life in general. My experience in this Erasmus project i would describe it as a life lesson taught through experience and I love that because for me learning through experience is much better than just reading about it , I learned a lot of new facts about gambling and many ways that I can maybe help someone get through such an addiction , I got to learn about a lot of other people's views on this topic and how bad the situations are in many other countries which has helped to get a better idea of how big a problem the gambling addiction is not just in my country but almost all around the world. All in all i loved my experience and the time I spent here on this project and I loved every participant here and I would for sure want to go on many more Erasmus project in the future to learn about many more topics,life lessons, friends, countries and so on again I am so thankful and glad I got to be a part of this beautiful intercultural experience
Filip
The programme was very interesting and beneficial for me. I learned many new things about the issue of gambling, including information I had not known before. One of the most valuable parts was the lecture delivered by local experts. They shared their professional experience with us, which helped me gain a deeper and more realistic understanding of how gambling affects both individuals and society.Another highlight was our anti-gambling campaign in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus. While working with my team, we gathered a lot of up-to-date information about the current gambling situation in the country. It helped me realise how complex this issue is and how many social impacts it can have.Overall, I can say that the project was very beneficial for me. Although my personal opinion on gambling has not changed—since I have always been rather against it—I have broadened my knowledge, awareness, and understanding of this topic. And that, in my view, is the main goal of the project.
Flavia
During this project, the most impactful part of the learning experience was the transition from research to practical application. The initial activities, specifically the campaign helped us ground our ideas in reality. However, as we moved into executing the campaign, I realized how difficult it is to align different visions and also stopping people and breaking the ice... it was hard but useful. Reflecting on the campaign itself, I learned that consistency is just as important as creativity. While our initial "big idea" was strong, the actual success came from the smaller details we managed during the campaign. Seeing how the audience interacted with the topic of gambling taught me that you must be adaptabe, what looks good on paper doesn't always translate the same to the real world. Ultimately, this experience highlighted the importance of clear communication within a team. I discovered that my strength lies in anything that leads to art, also i developed my social skills, but also I need to improve my english knowledge. Moving forward, I really enjoyed the time spent here and I am glad a took part of this project
Daniel
This Erasmus project have been such a great opportunity for me. From the location, Cyprus, a place I have never been to before, I find it extremely beautiful and diverse. The people here are very sociable, open minded and funny; loved them.
The activities we had were very creative, we managed to get more information about the topic of gambling and it's risks. The personal experiences and stories people shared we're such an inspiration and it bought awareness of the gambling effects on one’s mind.
We managed to engage in non formal learning activities, the facilitator was really involved in the improvement of the project everyday.
Our campaign was a success because we managed to reach many people and bring more awareness of the gambling situation around the youth and not only.
Teamwork was seen in most of the activities we had, and people got involved in doing the most we could.
The overall of this project, I would say that it was a success
Darja
This project made me feel more confident about myself, gave me lots of new connections and friends from different countries and made my communicating abiities in english far much better.
I got to know different cultures and experience them, which is the part I find very giving in this project. I also got to learn a little bit of their languages and know some words.
I loved the part when we went to Nicosia for our campaign and got to visit the city. I loved the actvities here and how creative they were, we always had so much fun together and this project became an unforgettable memory for me
Julia
In this project, more than raising awareness about gambling addiction and its consequences, I have learned something else to improve international communication, as there were many different countries involved.
I have also made friends that I hope to keep for a long time and that I truly believe are genuine, which alone has made it worthwhile. I think we have touched on the subject of the project and although I have learnt a lot of facts and statistics about gambling addiction in different countries and how it affects many people, I am not sure if I have learnt much about how to help, for example.
What I am clear about is that I am now more aware of this problem.
I was also very shocked by the data on gambling organisations in Cyprus and the way they manage this problem while at the same time granting licences to the sites where these problems arise. It is curious how each country has its own opinion on this matter.
In addition, the coordinators allowed us to give our opinion on everything we were doing during the day so that we would feel comfortable and try to keep us motivated to do the activities.
David
In my personal experience, the project was very good and helpful. The people that were participating were very interactive, creative, and looking to help people in need of this. The activities we had were always fulfilling, everyone was looking to get the job done. My group for the campaign personally was so in sync. Everthing we did was as a group, no one was feeling left out, and the chemistry was there. For the daily article group we were also doing very well, taking notes everyday of our activities and later combining them making few adjustments and uploading them. What i learned from all the activities is how bad the gambling problem is all around the world and how many more people are getting into it.
When the day for the campaign came i was a bit nervous to be honest. But in an instant we put our social skills to use and in the first few mimutes managed to talk to 3 people about gambling prevention. The people there were also willing to talk to us very freely which made everything easier. We as a group had it all planned out and luckily for us it did go that way. I thought that the campaign was a great way to teach the people whats really happening with gambling, how many families and people in general are getting ruined by this problem. I also realized the situation in Cyprus isnt as bad as other countries but its still there and can become a bigger deal with time.
Marko
I liked the activities of this project and believe it to be a useful and practical learning course against the spread of gambling. I also admired the fact that high risk gambling was criticsed the most because this type of gambling is the most destructive and detrimental to people and our society.
I believe that a lot of times the participants could have participated more and been more active in the project. This maybe could be mended with more breaks and more creative ways to engage people about this topic. Other than this setback the project ran okay and I would say as I imagined it.
Jana
I am Jana Rufcheska from the Macedonian team.
Before coming to this project I was a bit sceptical about the theme. I thought it was going to be boring as everyone knows gambling is bad and addictive. There are many ways to do a project on this theme at a less satisfactory level, which are easier and require less effort from everyone involved. But that was not the case here.
I was very surprised by the effort the facilitators put in to make this project feel both serious and familiar and relevant us. I didn't feel any pressure or stress during our serious discussions and yet I understood the importance of each session. Using playful and lighthearted ways to showcase very useful information was really successful in getting the message across.
Furthermore I want to comment on the choice of information that was shared and discussed. I had thought that there was going to be alot more lecture-style sessions about the statistics and global impacts of gambling. I was happy to find out that the practicality of the information was prioritised. For me, learning about the personal impact and how to seek and give help was greatly impactful. This information I can and will use in my day to day life. In this way I am taking home the point of this project and, hopefully, spreading it to other people as well.
All in all it was an amazing learning experience. I found that the excellence of sharing information and the carefully selected pieces of information was truly key to its impactfulness.
I would just like to thank the whole facilitating team for a warm and welcoming environment. I am very grateful to have been part of this amazing project and to have met so many wonderful people.
Daniele
During this week in Cyprus, the activities offered were generally engaging and stimulating. The highlight of the program was undoubtedly the creation of the awareness campaign—an interesting exercise that allowed me to explore both my own creativity and that of the group. However, I would have appreciated support from a communications expert who could have guided us in crafting a stronger message and selecting the most effective strategies to capture people’s attention. The management of the location was also not ideal: we were unsure of where to position ourselves or how to navigate the space, which affected our ability to reach our intended audience and made it difficult to connect with the people we truly wanted to engage.
Despite these challenges, some activities were particularly enriching. The creation of a game focused on raising awareness about gambling was especially meaningful. It increased participant involvement and clearly showed how effective interactive tools can be in conveying complex messages.
One of the elements that impacted me the most were the personal testimonies shared by some project participants. These authentic and heartfelt stories made me reflect on the real consequences gambling can have on people’s lives. I believe that firsthand experiences are among the most powerful and impactful forms of communication.
In the end, despite some organizational difficulties, I consider the week to be very positive and full of valuable insights for my personal and professional growth.
Pavel
Being part of this erasmus project was a huge character development for me. I never thought that it can make that big of an impact on me.
The learning experience was great. I had the chance to improve my social, critical thinking and most importantly my communication skills which i had a huge leap of improvement on.
This project allowed me to improve my language competence and hardworking mindset on the highest level. It showed me that hardwork, if you really try, it really pays of
at the end and trains you to be a successful person in the future.
I am going to leave this project with the knowledge about the world of gambling and its problems. I have now heard many personal stories that have opened my eyes and will think about them the next time gambling crosses my mind.
All in all, this was a fantastic journey i had, and i will never forget about it.
Dara
During the gambling prevention Think Before You Bet, Responsible Play project I have gained very meaningful learning experience. Through the activities we took part in, I gained a much clearer understanding of how gambling affects individuals, families, and communities. Before starting the project, I didn’t fully realize how common gambling related problems are especially among young people. As the future of this generation it is vital that we aim to decrease the addiction. The lecture and discussions helped me recognize the emotional, financial, and social consequences that gambling addiction can create, and why awareness campaigns are so important.
Speaking of campaigns, one of the most impactful moments for me was our outdoor campaign in Nicosia. Speaking directly with people on the street and asking them honest questions about their experiences with gambling opened my eyes to the diversity of stories behind the issue. Some people shared concerns about friends or family members, while others spoke openly about their own struggles.
Throughout the project's inclusive group activities I learned the value of teamwork, communication, and empathy. This project will forever have a special place in my heart because it made me feel useful to society.
Maryem
My learning experience during the project camed with some twists i hadn’t anticipated, but they made the journey meaningful. Throughout the campaigns and the activities, i could understand why gambling becomes addictive and how it affects young people across Europe. It was very interesting to hear some personal experiences from some participants and this helped us to understand how even people close to us are affected by these issues.
The activities were interactive but also challenging, it wasn’t easy to work in some groups and to manage everything but this is part of the experience.
About the campaign which was focused on gambling prevention, my experience was thankfully very positive. My team worked very well, we were organized and all focused on the work, we created a key messages and managed to have a very well done campaign while also having a good time.
Overall, the project helped me strengthen my ability to work in a team and made me more aware of the topic. It was a challenging experience, a roller coaster of emotions, feelings and new perspectives that pushed me out of my comfort zone. But in the end, it allowed me to grow, connect with others and understand how important prevention and awareness truly are.
Pierluigi
In this project, I gained a clearer understanding of how gambling works and how it is regulated across different countries. The meeting with the National Betting Authority of Cyprus was amazing, offering information about common risks and effective prevention strategies. Through group discussions, we compared the gambling situation in each of the participating countries.
One of the most exciting parts of the project was working on a practical campaign in Nicosia. As a team we developed a gambling prevention campaign and then brought it to life on the streets of the city. It was an incredibly experience and seeing our ideas take shape was amazing.
The activities throughout the project were interactive and involved everyone, making it a fun and meaningful way to apply what we had learned.
Sami
During this project I learned about gambling, gambling addiction and responsible play. The activities included presentations, creating games and discussions. I got together with like-minded young people and we shared the situation in our own countries.
We did public outreach in Nicosia, where we asked people about their relationship with gambling and what they would do if a family member had a problem.
Ivo
This was my first project and did not have any expectations, but it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life.
The results of the campaign were a big surprise, because I did not expect it to go so well and productive. I got out of my comfort zone and in this way the things I achieved were beyond imagination. Being involved in the planning and implementation allowed me to understand how impactful youth initiatives can be when they are well-organized and supported by a motivated team. I gained practical skills in content creation, communication, and public outreach, but also learned the importance of adapting ideas and making decisions collectively. Seeing our final results made me feel proud and more confident in my ability to contribute to future community projects.
Overall, this exchange helped me grow both personally and socially. I leave with new friendships, valuable skills, and a stronger sense of responsibility as an active young citizen. This experience motivated me to stay involved in youth work and continue participating in international opportunities that inspire learning, collaboration, and positive change.
