Comparing and Contrasting Experience of EVS & Erasmus Students in Athens

Comparing and Contrasting Experience of EVS & Erasmus Students in Athens

by Manon Bodren EVS volunteer in Inter Alia; October 2016 – April 2017

1

Index Introduction 1. The main aims of Erasmus + Programme 1.1. What is the Erasmus + ?

1.2. Is the Erasmus+ a helpful tool for the EU? 1.3. Solving unemployment in the EU 1.4. Supporting active citizenship 1.5. Fighting individualistic values 2. EVS and Students Mobility : how different kinds of education can help build a more democratic and inclusive Europe.

2.1. Non-formal exchange : EVS 2.2. Before the EVS 2.3. Their expectations 2.4. Their feelings 2.5. What they would like to see improved 2.5.1. Accessibility to the European Voluntary Service 2.5.2. EVS and the Organizations 2.6. EVS and Europe 2.6.1. According to EVS volunteers, the European Voluntary Service is the best way to defend social values than the Erasmus Exchange 2.6.2. EVS impact on European youth unemployment and European citizenship 2.6.3. Youth Unemployment 2.6.4. European Citizenship

2.7 Formal education : Students Mobility 2.7.1

Main goals of the Erasmus+

2.7.2

Recognition and validation of skills and qualifications

2.7.3

Multilingualism

2.7.4

Cooperation between universities

2.8 Impact on European citizenship 2.9 Obstacles : is it a democratic device?

Conclusions: formal or non-formal education?

2

Introduction “Travel broadens the youth’s mind”; «Les voyages forment la jeunesse» Michel de Montaigne

Erasmus means European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students. It is a set of mobility action programs established by the European Union in 1987 that became part of a major program for education and training called the "Lifelong Learning Programme" in 2007.

This Programme ended in 2013 and, consequently, the former Erasmus was merged into the Erasmus+, another Programme of the European Commission for education, training, youth and sport that runs from 2014 until 2020.

Firstly, this paper will focus on what are the main aims of the Erasmus+ Programme. Secondly, among the many programs available, I will focus on the European Voluntery Service (EVS) and the Student Mobility. The reason why I chose these two programs is because they perfectly show the diversity and variety of what the Erasmus + has to offer. The former represents the non-formal education type and the latter the formal framework of education. The aim of this research is to see how the EU can involve youth in international experiences and make them more aware of EU issues and possibilities through both kinds of education.

1. The main aims of Erasmus + Programme 1.1 What is the Erasmus + ?

Erasmus+ has been set up to tackle a serious contemporary European issue which is youth unemployment. The goal is to improve the current situation in Europe through an education program involving each European country. In this way, the future generation will be socially and economically integrated into their own country but also into the European Union. Youth’s involvement in the European processes is one of the most discussed topics today. The Lisbon Treaty clearly states that the EU should «encourage the youth’s participation in the Europe democratic life ». However, the majority of people is not aware of every aspect of the Erasmus + Program and they mostly apply for it in order to go abroad as exchange students. As we shall see, though, this is just one of the many aspects of the program.

3

1.2 Is the Erasmus+ a helpful tool for the EU? The Erasmus+ Programme was born not only out of the concern regarding youth unemployment, but also as a means through which a more inclusive and united EU could be built. The Erasmus+ is a helpful tool for the building of a better European Union because it supports active citizenship, tries to solve unemployment and fights self-centered ways of thinking.

1.3 Solving unemployment in the EU The major advantage of the Erasmus + program is its ability to include different profiles. In fact, a lot of young people take part in the Erasmus+ in different ways, mostly as exchange students (formal education), but also as EVS volunteers (non-formal education). All young Europeans have the chance to participate in this program.

According to the Erasmus+ guide: ÂŤ Fighting rising levels of unemployment - particularly among young people - has become one of the most urgent tasks for European governments. Too many young people leave school prematurely running a high risk of being unemployed and socially marginalised Âť .

Currently, the EU is affected by different social and economic problems, one of which is youth unemployment. More precisely, in March 2016 4,287 millions of young people under 25 years old were unemployed in the EU while 19,6% of young people in the euro area were without a job. For example, according to Eurostat data, in Greece 51,9 % of young people under 25 years old were unemployed (data registered in January 2016) while, even more advanced economies

4

such as France face similar problems with a percentage of 24% (March 2016). Thus, it is necessary to find a solution in order to improve the current situation of the youth.

1.4 Support active citizenship « Another challenge relates to the development of social capital among young people, the empowerment of young people and their ability to participate actively in society, in line with the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty to «encourage the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe».

Today, everyone knows that the EU faces a time of economic and social crisis, but not everyone feels concerned about this issue as a European citizen. Actually, the EU was primarily created as an economic union and not a political one. Consequently, the citizens were not the main focus of the picture. However, since 1976 the concept of «european citizenship», as it appears on the dedicated article 20 in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, was created.

Following on from this, the members of the European parliament are to be elected by direct universal suffrage. Thanks to the creation of this concept, the notion of EU itself undergoes a process of democratization. However, the most important question remains unanswered: how can one feel European? As a matter of fact, there are millions of people in Europe but just one definition of being European. Six Europeans out of ten do not feel European citizens at all.

Thus, one of the most problematic issues of the EU is its democratic deficit. One of the reasons why people do not take part in the democratization process is because there are a great variety of institutions each deling with different tasks at different levels. The ensuing confusion for the common citizen leads to a loss of interest in active participation.

This is exactly the type of problem the Erasmus+ was set up to tackle. According to the Erasmus guide « Europe needs more cohesive and inclusive societies which allow citizens to play an active role in democratic life. Education and youth work are key to promote common European values, foster social integration, enhance intercultural understanding and a sense of belonging to a community, and to prevent violent radicalisation. Erasmus+ is an effective instrument to promote the inclusion of people with disadvantaged backgrounds, including newly arrived migrants. »

5

1.5 Fight individualistic values

Travelling is arguably one of the best ways to learn and discover not only the world, but oneself as well. A new country, a new environment, a new language, a new lifestyle… travel is by all means a constructive way of learning and, as such, a vital element in one’s own education. It is another type of non-formal education because one learns through meeting people and exchanging ideas and opinions with them. On the other hand, travelling and living abroad without any guidance or help can be frightening. For this reason Erasmus + Programme is a great opportunity for young people between 17 and 30 years old to travel in Europe within a supportive framework. The program gives the opportunity to everyone to do what they love: studying abroad, becoming a volunteer, doing an intership or participating a training course.

What the program does to fight individualistic values is excatly this: it creates a safety net made out of solidarity with foreigner people that actually helps you live an extraordinary experience.

2. EVS and Students Mobility : how different kind of education can help build a more democratic and inclusive Europe.

2.1 Non-formal exchange : EVS The European Voluntary Service was established in 1996 and, since then, 6000 young people per year go volunteering abroad thanks to this program. It aims at including disadvantaged people into the framework of European polity and encouraging them to find their own way to be included in the labor market. For this reason, the program is open to everyone: the applicants are not selected by language, skills or degree but based on their motivation. Non-formal education allows exchange, initiative and equality between participants. It is the « citizen school », i.e. it helps people “learn in learning” thanks to a different approach than the one used at school.

6

I have asked 21 EVS about their experience and their feelings among whom 6 have finished their volunteering period. They are, on the whole, between 18 and 30 years old (with a majority of 18, 24 and 29 year-old persons) and come from 10 different nations.

2.2 Before the EVS The majority of the EVS I have interviewed were students or trainees before their EVS (14/21), while the remaining were looking for a job (7/21) or were in an unstable professional situation.

In particular, people coming from Germany are the youngest (18 years old) and do not know yet what they want to do after college. For them, the EVS is good opportunity to travel abroad after college within a safe framework.

According to all the people I talked to, the EVS is an important period in order for them to explore themselves and to meet people coming from all over the world. In a sense, the EVS is like a gap period, an important tool for the many who have some projects but that either do not have the opportunity to carry them out or have difficulties in implementing them. With this experience they hope to improve their working experience and have a better knowledge of what they would like to do in the future.

As we have seen, the majority of the EVS are students. Therefore, at least in the first stage of the application there is what we could call a “social selection�. One aspect to bear in mind is that information about EVS is available for everyone who wishes to approach it. This implies that the whole project actually depends on the will of people. On the other hand, the high number of students among the interviewees suggests that information about this opportunity does not circulate effectively. It is difficult to know that EVS exists at all if one has no access to information about it. This represents a paradox because EVS was implemented precisely for those who are excluded from the labor market but they are also the ones who are not involeved in the program due to a lack of information.

2.3 Their expectations The preparation for the European Voluntary Service depends on the specificities of each applicant. EVS is usually prepared with the help of a sending and a receiving organization. The volunteers are therefore accompanied during each administrative step. However, everyone writes her or his own CV and cover letter and, more importantly, the choice of the project is personal. It is for this reason that the expectations for each project are different according to the

7

personality of each applicant but also according their ambition and motivation and the identified needs of involved communities and organizations.

Generally speaking, volunteers during their EVS wish to develop new skills, including improving their level of language (especially English) and meet people who share the same interests. The European Voluntary Service represents a structure that tries to frame non-formal education. Only the structure is "formal", because there is a legal framework that should be respected. But the EVS itself is built up by the volunteer and this is the key difference when compared to formal education methods. It goes without saying that the volunteers need to complete some tasks but they are based on their own interests and skills as identified in the preparation phase. Moreover, the EVS is usually free to develop their own personal project that will allow them to flourish personally and, at the same time, that will add value to the organization they are working for.

2.4 Their feelings The majority of people recommended EVS for the following reasons: - To be in contact with local communities which is one of the best ways to learn about the culture of the country.

- To increase your expertise in the field of work you like.

- To meet people who come all over Europe.

- To travel abroad without spending much money.

I asked the EVS to describe their experience in just 3 words and here are the most common: - Life changing : EVS is, first of all, a challenge. In many cases it is the first experience abroad or the first time volunteering in an organization. «It's a really good opportunity to get out of your comfort zone» ; « It is an amazing opportunity for someone to improve themselves in many ways plus help others to improve ». This challenge is educational because you learn every day without even being aware of it. Even the negative experiences allow you to learn and develop new skills. For example, if there is an issue in your organisation, you can develop adapation capacity. « You can learn, not only about new things (and open your mind), but also about yourself and everything you are able to do ».

- Hard: an EVS can be difficult because you live in a different country and thus in a new environnement. Furthermore, some organisations might not be well organised or it could be 8

difficult to understand how your organisation operates and find your place in it. It can be hard also because you are in contact with the difficulties faced by the local communities (like those of erderly people or people with disabilities).

- Friendship: being in a different and new environment also means having the opportunity to meet new people who share your interests. «You meet so many people on EVS that you will create strong connection with for life». Thanks to your work with the local community and the cooperation with other EVS who have a different culture, you will be able to broaden your horizon, be more motivated and clear your mind about your future.

2.5 What they would like to see improved 2.5.1 Accessibility to European Voluntary Service « I think more people should be able to do EVS » As an EVS myself, I think that information about this program is not enough in order to promote this kind of mobility. The available information is not clear for everyone and this means that not every social category can benefit from it. The majority of EVS are students but the program was created primarily to promote professional integration for disadvantaged young people.

Paradoxically, these are the very people who have no access to information about EVS. These are also the people who feel estranged from the values of the European Union because, not knowing about the possibilities it can offer, they do not feel they belong in it. EVS is clearly based on volunteering, so people who want to participate in it must have a strong motivation.

In this way, the current EVS structure contributes to the exclusion of the main target of the program. According to N. Bouchaud it is an «information selection process» and Cohen speaks about the « existence of indirecting process of selection of volunteers contributing to the construction of a relatively homogeneous public». In this case, the homogeneous public is the student, the one who actually benefit from EVS. « The database of the projects and organisations’ and the descriptions aren’t clear ».

Volunteers need to know their project and their tasks. In order to live abroad, it is important to have details about the environnement you will find yourself in, how your organization operates and which are its aims and priorities. These factors are vital but they are also underrated because the information about it is insufficient. « EVS is not recognized ».

9

Each volunteer during their EVS think about their Youthpass that proves they have improved the skilled they wanted to develop before the EVS. At the end of the EVS period, they receive a certificate that attest their newly acquired skills. But, unfortunately, the Youthpass is not recognised in the job market. Because it vouches for skills gained through non-formal education, the certificate itself ends up becoming non-formal. It is difficult to recognize nonformal education skills because they cannot be assessed by formal-education standards.

However, since 2007 the number of Youthpass certificates delivered have multiplied according to the European Commission. From 2009 to 2013 an average of 70.000 Youthepass certificates have been delivered. This testifies the growth in popularity of the EVS among European youth.

2.5.2 EVS and the Organisations «I recommented an EVS experience if the project the volunteer will work on seems interesting and hosting organization is seriously involved in making the volunteer feel useful and independent in realizing his/her own projects ».

However, some organizations insist on the involvement of the volunteer in the organisation’s project and not on their personal project. « The National Agency’s control on how the NGO’s spend their money ».

In reality, some organisations do not respect the rules especially regarding accomodation: «Accomodation choices by organisations» 2.6 EVS and Europe

2.6.1 According to EVS volunteers, the European Voluntary Service is the best way to defend social values than the Erasmus Exchange «Through EVS you can interact with the community much more than Erasmus », « I think with EVS you learn better how the world works and how to adapt to a new culture and people from very different backgrounds ».

«EVS is for all people not only for the university students. It is more open and more practical.

It is also more real as it is deeply linked to the lives of the people in the country you go living in».

10

In addition, EVS truly represents non-formal education because you learn about social values while actively participating in the organization’s activities. These organizations are usually involved in community issues and this means that they understand these issues and try to solve them. In so doing, people come into contact with each other (between worker and community, EVS and community, worker and EVS, in-between EVS as well) generating togetherness and sense of belonging to a cause.

2.6.2 EVS impact on European youth unemployment and European citizenship The European Voluntary Service is a program set up by European Union in order to solve the issue about youth unemployment and increase European youth citizenship. « Fighting rising levels of unemployment - particularly among young people - has become one of the most urgent tasks for European governments. Too many young people leave school prematurely running a high risk of being unemployed and socially marginalised », Erasmus guide.

2.6.3 Youth Unemployment

Erasmus + impact on youth unemployment 32% 47%

21%

Impact

shared

No impact

EVS survey about the Erasmus + impact on youth unemployment in European Union

11

Today many young people seem unable to find what they want to do after their studies or are unsure about what kind of studies suits them best. For example, in France young people who study for many years at university find it difficult to find a job once their studies are over. As a matter of fact, degrees are increasingly losing their value since today’s high level of literacy allows more people to pursue a university degree. More people having the same literacy levels implies, as a consequence, more competition in the labor market. Moreover, the requirement most valued by employers is experience. However, because what is taught at university is more theoretical than practical, the students cannot possibly have the experience required by the employer. The problem here comes down to the flaws of formal education. EVS is a powerful means to overcome the distance between theory and practice because it is based on how our skills and knowledge can be useful for the implementation of one project. In so doing, new skills and new competences are being developed, creating a fair exchange between people. It is not jus about “give-and-take” but being rewarded while giving.

Many volunteers denounce the same problem: after their studies it is very hard for them to find their way in the job market. As we can see from the pie chart above, a percentage of 47% among EVS interviewed think Erasmus + can have an impact on youth unemployment in the European Union because they rightly see it as an opportunity to have an acknowledged job experience.

As one of the interviewees said to me: «I was really afraid not to be able to get a job, or to achieve my goals, but after this experience I know that it isn't impossible, there will always be a chance for us». Some people do an EVS in order to have an experience in their field especially as social workers and they hope this can help them find a job. Because the majority of the EVS are students they share the same problem: studying is too much theoretical especially when it comes to social and humanities studies. It is a catch-22 situation since, as I have pointed out earlier, without any practical experience it will be even harder for students to enter the job market.

On the other hand, a percentage of 21% among the interviewees do not have a clear and definite answer for this topic. For them Erasmus+, and EVS in particular, is a great opportunity for travelling and meeting new people. I have noticed that there are three main trends regarding EVS and youth unemployment: 1. «I am part of a generation who lives its youth period in the middle of an economic crisis.

This could be an opportunity to open our perspectives but to make it real we need help».

12

2. «We have to change the idea of "volunteering", I mean, it's not enough to pay a bit the volunteers and give them a certificate like the "YouthPass". You need more training and more job offers opportunities after the EVS».

3. « I believe it might [help youth unemployment], in a small scale. I know the EVS is not a working experience or equivalent to an internship but it shows that the volunteer was able to leave his-her country, to go abroad, to go out of his-her comfort zone etc. It is also up to the volunteer to make it worth!»

After the EVS, the volunteer receives the Youthpass which is a certificate that, as we have already seen, recognizes the volunteer’s skills. Some people expect it to be a good tool that will help them find a job afterwards.

Finally, for 32% of the interviewed EVS the program fails to tackle the youth unemployment issue because, job-wise, EVS is not formally recognised. Moreover, as one of the volunteers noticed, people taking part in or knowing about EVS and Eramus+ in general are just a minority of unemployed young people: «Maybe for some people, but I don't know if it can have a great impact, because there are not so many people taking part in Erasmus+, compared to the rate of unemployed young people».

According to the Erasmus+ Guide, the European Union needs to encourage citizens to live abroad in a different European country, foster communication between people but also improve their employability especially during this hard times of world-wide crisis. Erasmus+ Programme has to include the disadvantaged people as well. Indeed, this is the first aim of this program. However, because there is no selection at all, the majority of EVS are students and not disadvantaged people. Accordind to N. Bouchaud we can explain this paradox analyzing the actual EVS framework which is eventually much closer to students’ demands than to what disadvantaged people are in need of.

2.6.4 European Citizenship «Another challenge relates to the development of social capital among young people, the empowerment of young people and their ability to participate actively in society, in line with the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty to "encourage the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe". This issue can also be targeted through non-formal learning activities, which aim at enhancing the skills and competences of young people as well as their active citizenship» 13

Involvement in EU affairs

24% Already involve before EVS

38%

Bigger interest after EVS Not at all

38%

According to a survey conducted by Céline Belot on the feeling of belonging, for young Europeans in 1999, 48% of them felt belonging first and foremost to their city, 23% to their country, 17% to their region and only 3% to the EU. As we can see, the local level is essential in its closeness because it is more “visible” and “tangible” for young people whereas the EU is an imagined space and a group that is much less close to them. Benedict Anderson in his 1983 book called Imagined Communities introduces the notion of "imagined community" which refers to the feeling of belonging to a group, often in a delimited space. Accordingly, for Anderson a nation is something imagined by the people who perceive themselves as part of something bigger. Seen in this light the concepts of “nations” and “nationalism” can be analyzed as something that is socially constructed. Therefore, media play an important role in shaping these perceptions about ourselves and the place we feel we belong to. I have asked the EVS about their interest and involvement in EU politics since they participate in a project set up and financed by the EU with the aim of spurring interest in and developing awareness of European citizenship and sense of belonging.

Only 24% of the EVS surveyed were more or less involved in European politics before their European Voluntary Service, particularly through their studies. They are able to understand the mechanisms of how EU works and they have some knowledge about the institutions through which the EU operates.

14

Otherwise, 38% of the volunteers were not interested in European Union politics and modes of operation but, while carrying out their EVS, they have developed a certain interest in the idea of a union between European countries by meeting other young Europeans and finding out they share the same values. « I felt European before but only like a general idea. Now I really feel I am part of this union of different cultures. I feel this not only about EU but about the world.

Now I feel like I would like to visit more countries »; « I started getting a wider view on the EU and got to know more about political and social situations in other countries by exchanging with other people ». The idea of the EU remains unclear or abstract for many volunteers but meeting other young people from different countries belonging to the EU and sharing a common experience with them make them aware of one of the many opportunities Europe can offer.

The remaning 38% of the volunteers were not interested in the European question before their EVS, and after it they still do not feel European citizens but are nonetheless interested in this issue.

In conclusion, the EU is still a very abstract idea. As we can see 38% of EVS felt being European citizens at the end of the program because they had met other European youngsters from different EU countries. However, another solid 38% of EVS do not feel being European citizens today but they are still interested in the topic. In spite of the Erasmus+ Programme, the EU still feels as something distant and needs to work on spreading a sense of belonging to the EU among youngsters. What we see is that many younge people feel quite lost and they share this feeling with other European citizens, but they apply for the Erasmus+ mainly to take advantage of the opportunity of living abroad and meet new people.

The EU is currently in a situation of social and economic turmoil that contributes to the democratic deficit. In theory, a European citizenship exists but many supposed citizens either are not aware of this or do not feel any sense of belonging to Europe. Differences among countries are still strongly felt. We can conclude that there are several European citizenship notions in each country. Besides the European Union, we can see that the population of each country is less involved in social life and feels discouraged by the current social and political situation. The closure of borders mirrors people’s fear to which they respond by closing themselves off and rejecting other European or international people. In this way, people participate even less in the European elections and politic. The citizens believe the decisions at European level are taken far away from them and they think they are unable to participate in this process.

15

2.7 Formal education : Students Mobility In the scolar year of 2013-2014, 272 497 students have travelled around Europe. Among European countries, Spain is the most popular destination for Erasmus students but also the country that has sent the highest number of students abroad. According to an European survey taken in 2013-2014, the standard profile of the average Erasmus+ applicant is the following: a 23-year-old girl (60.5%) in her last bachelor year (67%) that has decided to spend one semester abroad (22%) as a mobility student or as an intern in a company or organization.

The Erasmus students that have answered my questionnaire were 13 people coming from Italy, France, Greece, Slovakia, Turkey, and Slovenia. They are either Erasmus students in Greece or they are Greek who have spent one Erasmus year abroad.

2.7.1 Main goals of the Students Mobility 2.7.2 Recognition and validation of skills and qualifications: Erasmus+ supports EU transparency and recognition tools for skills and qualifications in particular Europass, Youthpass, the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) that allow to go to a foreign university in EU without losing one year or one semester because both uniservities recognise the same skills and qualifications. It is implemented in every universities. PRIME project developed by the European Student Network showed that the granting of ECTS was widespread, but that a large number of students did not obtain full recognition of grades acquired in a foreign university.

2.7.3 Multilingualism: Multilingualism is one of the cornerstones of the European project and a powerful symbol of the EU's aspiration to be united in diversity.

Foreign languages have a prominent role among the skills that will help equip people better for the labour market and make the most of available opportunities.

The EU has set the goal that every citizen should have the opportunity to acquire at least two foreign languages, from an early age. Among the 13 Erasmus students interviewed 3 speaks 3 languages (English, Italian, Spanish) apart from their mother tongue; 4 people speak 2 languages; 4 people speak only English but have a high proficiency of it (C1-C2).

16

As we can see, 7 students speak 2 or 3 languages besides their mother tongue. Thus, the multilingualism seems to be important for young students. However, language might still be an obstacle because students who wish to live with other Erasmus students should have a good command of at least another foreign language. Young people are very aware of the importance of language because they recognize it is a fundamental element in order to be integrated and to be able to communicate with local community. Thus, language-wise, it is important to be well prepared beforehand in order to fully benefit from university courses but also to become part of the local community. For this reason, many universities ask their in-coming students to take and pass language proficieny tests such as TOEFL or IELTS in order to have an idea of the candidates’ level during their Erasmus exchange.

2.7.4 Cooperation between universities The majority of the Erasmus students I have talked to have chosen Athens because their home universities have an agreement with the University of Athens or because of the university program in their host country. Some of them said their choices were limited as their home university had not many partnerships with other universities in the EU. There is another program called CEEPUS «Central European Exchange Program for Universities Studies » that includes 16 countries, some of them are from the Eastern part of Europe, the other do not belong to the EU like Kosovo, Macedonia (FYR) and Moldova. The aim of this program is to enhance academic cooperation between these countries: «A region with a strong tradition of academic cooperation that finally led to the first multilateral University exchange program in the region». In 2005, Macedonia (FYR) obtained the European Candidate Status but following a conflict with Greece regarding its name (Macedonia is also the name of one region in Greece) the accession process has been stalled.

The majority of students I have surveyed are involved in social studies like sociology, social and polical sciences or psychology. The number of exchange students in this field is higher than the number of students in scientific or medicine field. Therefore, we can assume that, depending on the student’s filed of studies, the probabilities to apply for the Student Mobility Programme vary. In addition, the level of the studies is relevant. 5 students have done their Erasmus during their last bachelor year and 4 during the last year of their master.

17

2.7.8 Impact

on

European

citizenship Students who decide to apply for this program usually express the desire to broaden their horizons, discover the world and sharpen their critical thinking.

According

to

Vasiliki

Papatsiba, in a society in motion, the new norm for the individual is the growing responsibility for its own success and its construction. Being mobile becomes then an active orientation capacity, which must enable it to face changing environments instead of undergoing them. So students want to study abroad in part to increase their surplus value in the labor market. Even if in reality studying abroad during an Erasmus Exchange does not improve employability, it makes possible to differentiate between candidates with similar profiles. Indeed, many students speak about their ability to take initiatives, to be autonomous, to be able to communicate. All these opportunities offered by the EU fully meets the individual expectations of students. This means that generally students do not really pay attention to European issues. For example, when I ask the reasons why doing an Erasmus year, the recurring answers are: to learn a new language, to improve my English, to perfect self management, and to grow as a person in relation to other people. Almost half of the people interviewd (6/13) think that with the Erasmus Programme it could be possible to improve the situation of youth unemployement : «I hope, personally I push all young people around me to take advantage of Erasmus experiences and not watch only in their small garden».

According to Emmanuel Sigalas in his article “Does ERASMUS student mobility promote a European identity?” this kind of mobility allows students to improve their individual skills, especially in foreign languages and their knowledge in European countries but it does not promote a feeling of European citizenship. However, it should be pointed out that 6 out of 13 students surveyed were more or less involved in the EU politics and wanted to understand the mechanisms governing the EU. They confirm that after their Erasmus they feel more "European" thanks to the encounters they had made. They were able to share their story, their point of views with other young Europeans. Only 2 were not involved before their Erasmus but

18

after it they became interested in the issue. Finally, 2 students assert that they do not care about the EU and do not feel more European citizens after their Erasmus.

2.7.8 Obstacles : is it a democratic device?

According to an Eurostudent survey, less than 15% of European students have been abroad for studies or internship. Another survey by the European Parliament has found out that 57% of students do not take part in the Student Mobility Programme because it is too expensive.

Communication is considered an obstacle for 41% of students who feel partially discouraged to study in antoher country because of their limited language skills. It can be useful to promote an Erasmus exchange earlier at school so that pupils are aware how much language skills matter nowadays, especially if they wish to go abroad.

Conclusions: formal or non formal education?

EVS and Student Mobility represent the diversity of programs offered by Erasmus + which includes two forms of education: formal and non-formal. These two programs are essentially different because they do not address the same profiles of young people: the former aims at all young people, especially those who do not have a degree, the latter at students, especially university one. It should be noted that, although they address a multifaceted audience, young graduates are the ones who benefit the most from both programs.

The European Voluntary Service was created with the aim of integrating young people in difficulty, notably to make up for the failure of their education. Unfortunately, most volunteers are students looking for experience, travel, meeting, novelty in the hopes of being able to clarify their minds in regard to their professional future. Indeed, very few disadvantaged young people, i.e. young people leaving the school system early and without any vocational training, are present. All the volunteers have more or less the same profile, that is to say that they have studied most often in the field of humanities and communication. Volunteers between 26 and 30 years of age are most often looking for work or doing EVS between two projects.

The Erasmus students who responded to the questionnaire have a nearly similar profile in the sense that most of them are in the field of social sciences and humanities. This is telling because they are also the ones who are more inclined and interested in this kind of research that I have carried out. Compared to the EVS volunteers, Erasmus studens are younger and, perhaps, less mature. They live an experience abroad but in a formal framework where they come into contact with other Erasmus students and not with the local community. Several admitted being in a 19

"bubble". On the other hand, the EVS are in contact with the local community all the time thanks to their work. This can be an opportunity for them to make a first work experience but also to get engaged in an organization. It is non-formal education that we can call ÂŤa school of citizenship Âť because the volunteers work for the general good (take care of ethnic minority, refugees, people with disabilities, children) and in so doing they develop a spirit of solidarity.

The volunteers go out of their comfort zone whereas Erasmus students live more in a bubble without much contact with local community. I asked Erasmus students if they have heard about EVS, and 5/13 replied yes with 3 out of these 5 willing to do it. Three students said they have never heard about the EVS and 2 have already done an EVS. As we can see, 5 Erasmus students have already volunteered in their country or as an EVS while other 5 students have never volunteered. Through this results we can see that voluntary work is becoming more and more popular for youth even and especially for the students.

Both programs give the opportunity to European youth to meet and live together for a limited period of time. For EVS and Erasmus students this opportunity allows them to open their minds, to develop their critical thinking and their curiosity. Ultimately, we can say that both programs deal with various degree of informal education as they both bring together different people from different countries. Everyone learns through exchange whatever the place or the moment and at the same time they become friend with different people creating a net of solidarity. According to their answers, both students and volunteers feel concerned about what happens outside of their country and they feel they have acquired a better picture of the European Union, even though there are some noteworthy flaws in both programs that need to be addressed.

20