Tell us the of your YolanDa Brown – 34 – United Kingdom
Erasmus student Business Management in Spain, 2003-2004 With only a suitcase of clothes and her saxophone, YolanDa set off for a year in Spain. She has fond memories of a night when she built up the courage to join an impromptu jam session with amazing musicians. Little did they know that she would later become the UK’s premier female saxophonist. During her Erasmus, she also studied harder than ever, adapting to a different teaching style with a lot more exams. YolanDa is now a multi-award-winning musician known for her unique mix of jazz, reggae and soul. She’s also a children’s author, TV and radio presenter and an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust. Discover inspiring Erasmus+ stories or share yours on ec.europa.eu/erasmus30
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ENRICHING LIVES, OPENING MINDS FOR
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Tell us the of your Matthew Lawrence – 20 – United Kingdom
Erasmus+ school project with six countries, 2015-2018 Thinking globally and learning together is the Erasmus+ programme at Matthew’s school, that adapts teaching techniques for students with special educational needs. Through the programme, teachers and pupils travel abroad to get ideas from other specialist schools. Matthew is autistic and was petrified of flying to Belgium. Yet he had the courage to go for it and actually enjoyed the flight: ‘It was like being in airplane heaven!’ He now knows that he can go to other countries, without worrying that he would have to stay there forever. Nowadays he wants to travel the world – a huge achievement. Discover inspiring Erasmus+ stories or share yours on ec.europa.eu/erasmus30
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ENRICHING LIVES, OPENING MINDS FOR
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Tell us the of your Alison Walton-Robson – 52 – United Kingdom
Erasmus+ adult education in five countries, 2015-2017 Through the power of participatory arts, Headway Arts provides a platform for disadvantaged people to express themselves and contribute to their community. As creative director, Alison is at the forefront of this group that includes those with learning disabilities. Thanks to Erasmus+, this vision has expanded to a five-country partnership programme and skills of education staff have been upgraded through arts workshops, transnational learning activities and seminars. Alison applauds how the European dynamic has added ‘richness’ to their work. Discover inspiring Erasmus+ stories or share yours on ec.europa.eu/erasmus30
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ENRICHING LIVES, OPENING MINDS FOR
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Tell us the of your Marcus Miller – 36 – United Kingdom
Vocational Education and Training in nine countries, 2010-present Marcus is the founder and CEO of REY Europe, a social enterprise that helps students secure international internships in a wide range of areas, from construction and tourism to hair and beauty. Most of the students come from deprived areas so this is often their first time abroad. Participating in a work placement, picking up skills and independence, is an amazing experience for them. Students come back with more confidence and their eyes are opened to opportunities available further away than their own street. Discover inspiring Erasmus+ stories or share yours on ec.europa.eu/erasmus30
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ENRICHING LIVES, OPENING MINDS FOR
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Tell us the of your Nicola Daley – 49 – United Kingdom
Erasmus+ adult education project, 2005-present Nicola is the head of Merseyside Expanding Horizons (MEH), an organisation that promotes social inclusion and active citizenship through adult education. For more than a decade, she and the MEH team have lead many Erasmus+ funded projects that reach a wide range of people with no formal education, including refugees and those with mental health problems. The adult learners are then encouraged to become Community Learning Champions: volunteers who teach other adults. Our favourite is Sway with Ray, Zumba lessons for older people, by an older man. Discover inspiring Erasmus+ stories or share yours on ec.europa.eu/erasmus30
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ENRICHING LIVES, OPENING MINDS FOR
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Tell us the of your Callum Player – 22 – United Kingdom
Vocational Education and Training in Sweden, 2012 Imagine: at only 17 years old, leaving your small town in Scotland to travel abroad for the first time independently. Waking at 5am and making your way through Stockholm to coach football to Swedish kids who don’t speak English. This was Callum’s 2-week Erasmus+ experience. Not only did he learn to adapt, he overcame his shyness and discovered himself. Shortly after, he landed a job at a sports travel company. Now he plans and manages sports tours worldwide, which has him travelling 3-4 months a year. Callum’s motto: ‘You’ve got to make things happen.’ Discover inspiring Erasmus+ stories or share yours on ec.europa.eu/erasmus30
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ENRICHING LIVES, OPENING MINDS FOR
YEARS