Learning mobility, social inclusion and non-formal education

Book excerpt: How do we involve less advantaged young people in mobility projects, and how do we engineer and implement these projects to make participation a realistic option for all? This book presents the state of the art of learning mobility in the very complex and heterogeneous European youth field, bringing together contributions from all over the continent. The authors present empirical research findings that explore and analyse the experience of participants from a range of different backgrounds, in varied learning mobility settings – exchanges, volunteer service, camps – and in diverse regions of Europe. This volume addresses two interrelated questions: first, how learning mobility can be used as a tool for inclusion, providing disadvantaged and excluded people with opportunities and assets; and second, how focusing on inclusion can become a more intrinsic part of learning mobility projects and initiatives. The book is divided into three parts, spanning the range of stages and dimensions of the learning mobility process: access, reach and target; processes, strategies and practices; and effects, outcomes and follow-ups. Relevant for those with experience but also directed to newcomers to the field, this work provides an explanation of the main concepts and issues in the light of current developments in youth policy and practice in Europe.