Youth Exchange Project
What if?
Project Objectives
What If? was a Youth Exchange that invited young people to imagine a world without the internet.
No social media. No messages. No search engines. Just real people, real conversations, and time spent offline, all these in order to support young people in critically analyzing the role of digital technology and developing a more intentional and informed approach to using it.
We focused on three aspects:
Reflection
Understand the personal and social impact of technology and internet use in daily life.
Awareness
Identify and analyze concrete risks and limitations linked to digital dependence, misinformation, and privacy issues.
Balance
Develop practical strategies for using technology in a more balanced, intentional, and meaningful way.
Activities and Methods
The project brought together participants from Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Türkiye and Serbia for eight days of shared learning and connection. Living and working together, they rediscovered the value of presence, curiosity, and genuine interaction in a world usually filtered by screens.
The daily programme combined interactive workshops, simulations, and outdoor teamwork on one of Greece’s most peaceful islands. Participants discussed digital habits, online manipulation, and the emotional effects of constant connectivity — and then tested what it feels like to disconnect.
Learning took place through non-formal education, using creative and interactive methods that made every session participatory and engaging. Group projects encouraged collaboration and problem-solving, while daily reflection sessions helped participants connect experiences, share feedback, and identify what they learned throughout the week.
Take a Quick Tour
Cause sometimes pictures speak more than words….
Project Results
What If? brought together creativity, reflection, and humor in a series of original works that captured what it means to live without constant digital connection. Throughout the eight days, participants imagined new ways of communicating, created stories, and expressed their thoughts through writing and teamwork.
Their ideas came to life in six creative pieces and a collection of poems written in silence, each showing a different perspective on our relationship with technology.
Offline Moments
Offline Communication Toolkit
A short comic created by participants imagining what happens when the internet suddenly disappears. The story follows a young person learning to adapt to an offline world.
Emergency Checklist for Internet Outage
A funny list inspired by modern dependency on the internet. It describes the “essential steps” for surviving an unexpected digital blackout, blending real reflections with playful exaggerations.
Marinela’s Offline Sunday
A simple story about a girl who loses electricity and decides to spend the day differently. Through everyday scenes, it shows how boredom can turn into calm, and how routine can become discovery.
Mind Flush
A creative group exercise that became a “seven-day offline reset.” Each day included a short, funny instruction meant to help participants relax, reflect, or laugh at their own digital habits.
Mind Detox Plan
A piece written as a personal challenge. It lists small, practical actions to reduce digital fatigue and reconnect with real life, written with irony but based on participants’ real experiences.
Che Dú’s Manifesto
A parody of digital awareness. The text presents a character who takes online privacy and data protection to absurd levels, offering both humor and a bit of truth about online behavior.
Project Evaluation
The project ended with reflection and evaluation moments where participants shared their impressions, what they learned, and how the experience changed their view on technology.
★★★★★
“This project definitely exceeded my expectations, everything was great, I didn’t have a single problem, my only problem now is that I m gonna miss everyone and this beautiful island. This project made me realise how important is technology nowadays, but also how to use it properly. I tested my limits and I gave up using my phone for one day (great detox). I wanna thank the organisers and the facilitators for giving me the opportunity to be here and I hope I will have many more projects like this in the near future.”
★★★★★
“I really enjoyed this project. Even if I didn’t really have a knowledge about the topic, I enjoyed talking about the topic, learning more and getting knowledge and skills. I am satsified with group dynamic and with the facilitating. Even if first two days were not that interesting for me, later on this project exceeded my expectations. This project helped me to disconnect from my every day life and habits dedicated to technology, and I am very thankful for that.”
★★★★★
“For me this project was very nice and interesting. I thought I’m gonna be overwhelmed with a lot of activities but it was totally opposite because I enjoyed every activity and time was just passing by fast. This project helped me get out of my comfort zone more, I became more active definitely and I was leading group so many times, helped people without experience and encouraged them to work.”
★★★★★
“The activities were really fun and, for the most part, they really got me involved. I especially loved the fact that we kept switching teams and constantly interacting with new people — that was honestly the best part. I got to connect with everyone, and it felt super nice!”
In numbers…
Disemination
Participants presented their experience and promoted the Erasmus+ programme in their communities, inspiring more young people to reflect on their own digital habits and to take part in international exchanges.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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