CONTEXT and ORIGINThe Champions of GrowingUp youth exchange project was born from a need to offer participants from Balkans and EU a chance to acquire skills for healthy growing up and personal development, to enhance self-empowerment and self-esteem in Intercultural Learning setting.AIM:The youth exchange aims at empowering young people to discover and develop their true potential, to acquire skills for healthy growing up and to enhance self-empowerment and self-esteem in Intercultural Learning setting.TOPICS: Image of Self and Identity issue, Relationships within the peer group, Independence, Emotions, Relationship towards education and learning, Relationships with parents, Improving Communication Skills, Assertive Reacting, Active Listening, Conflict Transformation and Intercultural Dialogue.OBJECTIVESParticipants will be:-Building self confidence-Building independence-Respect for themselves and others-Experiencing the need for teamwork and accepting differences-Developing problem solving and leadership skills-Taking responsibility for their own actions and decisions-Developing social and life skills-Experience of healthy living-Understanding the needs and backgrounds of others-A sense of community and active citizenship-Developing a sense of equality and fairness-Promoting an awareness and respect for the environment-Promoting the importance of lifelong learning-Improved foreign languages competence having in mind the broad European linguistic diversity-Gaining information about existing possibilities and conditions for the development of European youth co-operation projects among EU and neighbouring countries, with special focus on the Erasmus + Programme;-Exchange best practices and develop an informal network of young people coming from neighbouring countries.PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS: Young People coming from Slovenia, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia, Italy and Romunia.NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 38 (4 young person + 1 youth leader per country + 2 extra youth workers/ledares as support staff in Slovenian team)THEME AND TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Youth Exchange on Youth Development and Empowerment.DURATION: 8 days (including travelling days) youth exchange in a period of August 19 – 26, 2016.VENUE: Pohorje, Slovenia. METHODS: Methodology that is going to be used is specific to non-formal education and learning, both individual and group methods, taking into consideration participants’ learning needs with a creative approach (Swimming, Dancing, Singing, Sports and everything else that can work as a learning experience).RESULTS AND IMPACT ENVISAGED: The participants will benefit from the project by increasing:-Self-confidence-Responsibility and respect-The ability to learn from experience-The ability to work with others and dealing with cultural diversity- Competences in intercultural learning and youth empowerment;- Perspective on youth work in Europe.The impact on the local communities –activity will uselocal realityas a tool for learning and achieve mutual influence both on local community and international group.LONG TERM BENEFITS: Previous experiences with this type of activities has shown us that participants, when they return home, share a stronger European values and are willing to motivate their community to engage in local and European events.