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Main Character Energy

An Erasmus+ youth exchange in Finland where LGBTQ+ young people explore identity, self-expression and what it means to become the main character of their own story through creativity, storytelling, and theater.
Funded by EU
Registration is open
More about the project
Main Character Energy
Young people aged 15–17
1–7 March 2027
Funded by EU
Table of contents

Register here.

What is Main Character Energy?

Main Character Energy is an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange in Finland designed for LGBTQ+ young people aged 15–17 from three countries.

The exchange takes place at Youth Centre Villa Elba in Kokkola, a peaceful coastal setting surrounded by nature. The week combines creativity, self-exploration and community building, creating a space where young people can explore who they are and how they want to express themselves.

The title “Main Character Energy” is not really about being the centre of attention.

It is more about giving yourself permission not to remain a supporting character in your own life.

Writing our own stories together

The project's subtitle is Writing our own stories together.

That captures the idea rather well.

Every young person brings their own story and their own way of understanding identity, relationships, gender, sexuality, belonging and self-expression.

Main Character Energy does not ask participants to discover one perfect answer to “Who am I?”. Instead, it creates room to explore, experiment, change your mind and discover how other people understand themselves.

And the word together matters.

This is not an individual self-development retreat. Much of the learning happens through relationships with other people.

A space where being yourself is the starting point

The exchange is intentionally designed as a safe and affirming environment for queer young people.

Respect, openness and care for one another are central values throughout the project. Participants should be able to express themselves freely and connect with people who may share similar experiences – or completely different ones.

That can matter particularly during the teenage years, when questions about identity and belonging may feel very immediate while safe spaces to explore them are not always easy to find.

Nobody needs to prove that they are “queer enough”, have all the answers or know exactly which words describe them.

Creativity instead of lectures

Main Character Energy is based on non-formal education and creative methods.

Ideas in the project materials include creating papier-mâché masks, collaborative storytelling, theatre, improvisation and role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons. Other creative and interactive methods that explore identity and expression are equally welcome.

So it is entirely possible to have a serious conversation about identity in one session and spend another creating a fictional character, a mask or an imaginary world.

Sometimes it is easier to say something about yourself through a story than by answering a direct question.

The programme is not finished – on purpose

The programme is shaped collaboratively by the participating groups.

The aim is to make sure the exchange reflects the actual interests and ideas of the young people taking part rather than only what adults have decided young people “should” learn.

Each national group contributes one workshop, one warm-up or energiser and one evening programme.

The evening activity is created by the young participants themselves. It can be an intercultural evening, but it does not have to be – groups can share something they genuinely find meaningful, enjoyable or culturally relevant.

Participants therefore do not simply arrive to consume a programme - they help create it.

From meeting each other to exploring deeper questions

The beginning of the week focuses on getting to know one another through group-building activities and games.

The middle of the exchange moves into deeper exploration through workshops, discussions and creative activities connected with identity and expression.

The final days focus on reflection, sharing and celebrating what has been created and experienced together. This may include informal presentations, performances or collaborative creative outputs.

The final product is not the point.

The process of getting there is.

Identity is not a PowerPoint presentation

You can organise a lecture about identity. Main Character Energy takes a different route.

Creative methods make it possible to experiment with characters, stories and different forms of expression without immediately having to explain everything in perfect words.

A mask can explore what we show other people. A character can let us experiment with another version of ourselves. Improvisation requires us to respond without planning everything first. A role-playing game lets us temporarily see a world through somebody else's eyes.

“Who am I?” therefore becomes less like a test requiring one final answer and more like a question you are allowed to play with.

Three countries, many ways of being yourself

The project brings together queer young people from three countries.

An international group creates an opportunity to discover how differently LGBTQ+ identities, family, relationships, safety and belonging may be understood in different places.

At the same time, participants often discover how much is shared.

Intercultural learning during a Youth Exchange does not only happen through presentations about national traditions. Quite often it happens in the kitchen on day three, during a game or in a late conversation with somebody you did not know existed a week earlier.

Finnish winter and Villa Elba

The exchange takes place in Kokkola on Finland's western coast.

Early March is still distinctly wintry. Daytime temperatures are often around –5°C to +2°C and snow is usually still on the ground. The organisers plan to spend some time outdoors, although most of the programme will take place inside.

Youth Centre Villa Elba is one of Finland's eight National Youth Centres. It specialises in youth work, international programmes, education and volunteering and aims to give young people opportunities to learn in multicultural environments and discover their own strengths and abilities.

So Villa Elba is not simply a hotel where the project happens.

Youth work is what the place is built for.

Who can participate?

The exchange is designed for young people aged 15–17 who self-identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Each country can bring up to eight participants and two youth leaders. At least one leader should already have worked with the participants and be involved in preparing the group before the exchange.

No professional creative skills are required. Participants do not need to know how to act, draw or play Dungeons & Dragons.

Curiosity, willingness to participate and respect for other people's identities and boundaries matter much more.

Project partnership

The exchange is hosted by:

🇫🇮 Youth Centre Villa Elba – Kokkola, Finland

The Lithuanian group is sent by:

🇱🇹 Anglų kalbos studija

The project brings together LGBTQ+ young people from three countries and is intentionally designed as a safe, affirming and creative international space.

The project is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme.


Frequently asked questions

What is an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange?
An Erasmus+ Youth Exchange brings young people from several countries together to live, learn, discuss, create and take part in a programme built around a common theme. It is not simply a trip abroad, a language course or a summer camp with an EU logo. Each project has a clear educational focus – from inclusion, mental wellbeing and nature to theatre, culture or social issues – and uses non-formal education rather than traditional classroom teaching. A large part of the learning comes from international life itself: communicating, making decisions, working in mixed groups and sharing everyday life with people whose experiences may be very different from your own.
Who can take part in AKS Erasmus+ projects?
It depends on the individual project. Some of our youth exchanges are designed for teenagers aged 13–17 or 14–17, others for young people aged 16–19 or 18–30. Every project page therefore includes its specific age range and participant profile. Age is not the only criterion. We are looking for participants who are genuinely interested in the topic, ready to take part in the full programme and understand that a Youth Exchange is a shared group experience rather than simply an inexpensive week abroad.
Do I need to speak very good English?
No. English is the common communication language in most international youth exchanges, but it is not an exam. Nobody is grading your grammar or expecting perfect sentences. You need enough English – and enough willingness – to try to understand others, ask questions, contribute to group activities and communicate in everyday situations. For many participants, an Erasmus+ project is the first time English stops feeling like a school subject and starts functioning as what it really is: a way to meet people, joke, disagree, solve problems and create something together.
Is an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange free?
Most of the main project costs are covered by Erasmus+ funding. Accommodation, meals and programme activities are normally funded, while travel costs are reimbursed up to the limit allocated to the participant's country and project. However, “funded” does not mean that any flight or travel option can be booked and automatically reimbursed. Every project has its own travel limits, rules and documentation requirements. For that reason, participants should always follow the travel instructions provided for the specific project before purchasing tickets.
How are participants selected?
When AKS sends a Lithuanian group to a partner project, we announce a separate selection process for that particular exchange. We usually ask participants to tell us about themselves, their motivation and why the topic interests them. Some projects may also include a short conversation or a preparatory meeting. We do not select people simply according to who registers fastest. Our aim is to create a group of participants who genuinely want to take part and for whom the particular project is a good match.
Can I join if I do not know anyone?
Yes. That is completely normal. Many participants do not know either their Lithuanian group or anybody from the other countries before the project begins. We prepare the national group before travelling, give participants a chance to meet one another and discuss the project, journey and expectations. The first part of a Youth Exchange is also deliberately designed to help the international group connect.
How is a Youth Exchange different from an ordinary trip abroad?
On a tourist trip, the destination is usually the main event. On a Youth Exchange, people are. You can visit Berlin, Italy or Spain without ever really getting to know somebody who lives there. During an Erasmus+ project, you share daily life, activities, conversations and challenges with people from other countries. You may return with fewer stories about “12 attractions I visited” and more stories like “I now have a friend in Slovenia, understand Czech humour and am no longer afraid to speak English.” We consider that a pretty good trade.
What does the programme look like? Are there lessons?
Usually, there are no traditional lessons. Youth Exchanges use non-formal education: group challenges, discussions, creative methods, games, reflection, practical activities, nature-based learning, theatre, photography and many other approaches depending on the topic. It is still an educational project, which means the programme matters. Erasmus+ is not a format where participants spend the day doing their own thing and only join the group for sightseeing in the evening.
Do I have to participate in the whole programme?
Yes. A Youth Exchange is one continuous group process. Of course, people get tired. Sometimes somebody needs a break, some quiet time or a lighter level of participation, and a well-designed project should have room for that. However, when you apply, the expectation is that you actually want to be part of the exchange rather than selecting only the trips and entertaining activities. If your plan is “I will skip the workshops but come for the travel”, a Youth Exchange is probably not the right format.
Are Erasmus+ projects suitable for shy, sensitive or neurodivergent young people?
They can be – sometimes extremely so – but the answer depends on both the participant and the project. AKS pays particular attention to safer and more inclusive environments and to young people who do not always find large groups easy. Our work often addresses neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, emotional wellbeing and different ways of participating. At the same time, an international exchange still means a new country, new people, shared accommodation, a different routine and a great deal of communication. If a participant needs specific support, the best approach is to discuss it openly with us during the selection process. The goal is not to say yes to everybody at any cost, but to determine whether the particular project can genuinely be a positive experience.
Who is responsible for participants during the journey and the exchange?
Each national group travels with a group leader or leaders who support the participants throughout the mobility. The host organisation is responsible for the programme, venue, overall organisation and safety arrangements, while the sending organisation selects and prepares its national group and communicates with participants before the exchange. For projects involving minors, parental consent, emergency contacts, relevant health information and other required documents are collected before travel.
What is Youthpass?
Youthpass is the Erasmus+ youth programme's tool for recognising learning and the certificate participants receive after the project. Throughout the exchange, participants reflect on what they are actually learning: perhaps leading an activity in English for the first time, working in an international team, becoming more confident speaking in front of people, understanding their own reactions better or seeing a social issue from another perspective. Youthpass helps turn those experiences into words and recognise that “a really good week abroad” can also represent a substantial learning process.