Exploring individual and collective resources in the context of the ecological crisis.
A six-day gathering in the south of France that brings young people from different countries together to explore how personal transformation meets collective change. Through dance, sound creation and time in nature, you'll give form to the questions the ecological crisis raises in you — and shape them, together, into a final artistic performance.
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What is ANIMA?
ANIMA is a long-term research-creation project, built around a six-day training in France, that invites you to explore how your own inner transformation connects to wider collective change in a time of ecological crisis. Through artistic workshops in dance and sound, you will give form to your emotions, questions, and visions. Together with other young people, you will co-create a final performance and contribute to a Project Book tracing the stages of this learning and creative journey. Before, during, and after the gathering, an international team of educators and artists will accompany and support you throughout the process.
If you are curious, you can find previous elements linked to the project here.
Who is this project for?
This project is for people from 18 to 25 years old coming from Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Germany and France. This project is for people who are open and interested in debating about the crisis of our modern world, who are interested in environmental issues and are willing to take an active role in the inner and outer transformation. During the project you will take part in a collective experience that requires genuine commitment from each participant: waking up early, sharing perspectives, and engaging in the adventure of artistic transformation. You will meet people from different nationalities, coming from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Key Information
- When?
- Arrival Day
- 20.09.26
- Departure Day
- 27.09.26
- Duration
- 6 full days (21 – 26.09.26)
- Application deadline
- 20.07.26
- Who?
- Participants
- 25 (+10 team members)
- Residents of
- France, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Denmark
- Age
- 18 – 25 years old at the time of the course
- Where?
- Location
- Grain&Sens eco community, near Lyon, France
- Costs?
- Cost
- 100% funded by an EU grant — covers participation, accommodation, and food. No costs for participants.
- Commitment
- We expect your full presence and commitment to the project.
What to Expect
- Meeting new people from all over Europe
- Most of the activities will be in English, with some parts translated when it is needed
- Stay at a French eco community where sustainability is a way of living
- Shared rooms
- Eco toilets
- Outdoor activities
- Artistic expression: dance and sound work
- Embodiment
- Mindfulness practices every morning
- Early wake up (activities begin at 7h)
- Active Listening practices
- Being part of a research project on inner and outer transformation
- Intense learning program
- Group and solo time in the forest
- Only vegan food
- Interviews will be led to collect your experience and point of view on the topic
The Venue
This course will take place in the permaculture community Grain&Sens, in southern France.
Grain&Sens is an eco-initiative based in a domain: the Lavenant estate, located at an altitude of 750m, surrounded by 20 hectares of forest and prairies.
The project was created in 2018 with the ambition of creating a multicultural and bilingual project where people can share spaces, equipment, land and knowledge, aiming to preserve natural resources. The main activities and courses on-site, focus on education for sustainable development. There are permaculture gardens, an artisanal bakery and a professional kitchen on site.
If you want to know more about the project please check it here.
Accommodation and Food
This Youth Exchange will take place surrounded by nature, garden and a mindful community. You will be accommodated either in tents or shared rooms of 2-4 people in the Grain&Sens guesthouse (Gite). Bathrooms and showers are available for the use of all participants. The activities will be facilitated indoors and outdoors.
Meals provided during the Youth Exchange will be vegan and emphasize locally-sourced, seasonal, and organic ingredients. We prioritise supporting local farmers and reducing the carbon footprint associated with food transportation.
In addition we have self-service tea, coffee and a coffee replacement available.
Allergies and food intolerances can be indicated in the application form.
Travel Information
Travel and participation costs for this course are 100% funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the EU. You will have to purchase your travel tickets in advance and will be reimbursed after the activity (if this arrangement is an obstacle to your participation, please let us know). You will receive travel reimbursement based on actual costs of your travel for which you need to provide original tickets/receipts, with a maximum limited by your travel budget (see below for each country).
Green Travel
To reduce the project's environmental footprint, all participants are asked to avoid flying. This means you can travel by train, bus, car-sharing (if you drive alone it does not count as green travel).
How to Reach Grain&Sens
You will book your train to Valence Ville. If you arrive at Valence TGV you need to catch a local train from there to Ville. This one is a SNCF train, the ticket costs 3,20€.
From there, Valence Gare Routière, a bus leaves to Boffres, the nearest town to Grain&Sens. The bus, No. 46 in direction of Vernoux Place Delarbre, takes about 40 minutes and goes up the hill along a very windy road (so if you tend to get motion sickness, be prepared). The bus ticket costs around 1,40€ (you can not pay this by card so bring some cash!).
Once you reach Boffres, it's a 45 minute walk to your final destination. We will arrange a luggage pick-up service for you.
What to Bring
- Health Insurance which is valid in France — this is absolutely essential since we can't accept you as a participant without it. However, most EU insurances cover France anyways — PLEASE CHECK.
- Towels (just for your own use)
- Rain clothes (the weather can vary a lot this time of year here)
- Warm jumper for chilly nights
- Comfortable clothes for movement/dance
- Sturdy/robust shoes (for walking)
- Slippers or comfy shoes for inside
- Notebook and pen
- Watch/clock so you don't need to bring your phone into the forest
- If you have it, biodegradable soap, toothpaste and cosmetics (especially if you want to sleep in a tent and use the outdoor shower)
- A sleeping bag (if you have got one)
- Crafty things you like using (e.g. pencils, paints)
- Instruments/Games if you like to
Who We Are
- MaliWaking Life AssociacaoMorning circles, facilitation and follow-up
- ElsaMilieux SensiblesDirecting performance
- RomainGrain&SensMentoring and local point of contact
- MatteoWe SoundSound Artist
- UmbertoWe SoundSound Artist and technician
- JosieCo-literateProject guidance, co-creation and wellbeing
- MorganeMilieux SensiblesDancer and photographer
- EttiEuro YouthMobility participant management
- QuitoMilieux SensiblesVisual artist, technical and conceptual research
- SinjeBern University / FLL LabScientific Research, Interviews, Writing, Observations
Your Commitment
By applying to this Youth Exchange, you agree to the following conditions for participation:
Cancellation Conditions
To ensure we receive the full EU grant that covers your free participation, it is essential to have the full number of participants, as well as that the participants commit to all the stages of the project (preparation, exchange program, follow-up activities). Cancellations are only permitted in cases of force majeure, such as a serious illness. In such cases, a medical certificate must be provided. Alternatively, with assistance from the partner organisation in your country, you may be able to find a substitute.
Report and Travel Documentation
Each participant is required to complete a participant's report issued by the EU upon returning home from the event. Participants must also provide complete travel documentation (e.g., train tickets, boarding passes) for the final project report and travel cost reimbursement. The reimbursement will proceed only after the training when the travel documentation of all participants are completed.
Youth Pass
Participants will receive a Youthpass certificate for their participation in the training. If you wish, you can familiarize yourself with the Youthpass and related key competences online. We will use the key competences framework to evaluate your learning experience.
Apply
- Deadline
- 20.07.2026
- Feedback on application
- 21.07.2026
- Collective Welcome Call
- Thursday 23.07.26
- 12:00–13:00h — with all participants and team
- Link coming soon
Questions?
If you have questions, get in touch with Etti, our participant manager, via info@euro-youth.eu
