Blog: Outside the mask: Youth Exchange 2024

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Masks made at the Youth Exchange 2024

Catherine, our Programme Lead for Children & Families, went to the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange event for young people who stammer this August and tells us how it all went.

Having a stammer can sometimes be the loneliest feeling in the world. For lots of young people who stammer, it might be years before they meet anyone else who talks like them. We want to help change that, which is why we got involved in the Erasmus+ annual Youth Exchange programme.

The Youth Exchange, organised by Stamily, is an 11-day residential event that brings together young adults who stammer from across Europe. It took place this August in Lemele in the Netherlands, a small village approximately 2 hours from Amsterdam, and young people from six other countries attended including Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Spain and Italy.

Following Brexit, STAMMA now arranges it for young people in the UK to attend thanks to the generous legacy left to us by the late Owen Simon, one of our members. With this gift we set up the Owen Simon Legacy Fund to support young adults who stammer.

Arranging for our younger members to go on the Youth Exchange is a chance to give them the opportunity to develop new skills like teamwork and leadership, as well as to learn about new cultures and languages. More importantly, we want to help them build friendships with other young adults who stammer and become part of the international stammering community. It's truly an experience that can change lives.

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Attendees at the Youth Exchange 2024 (courtesy of Stamily)

'Outside the Mask'

This year the theme was 'Outside the Mask'. Over the past few years, we've all had to wear masks at times to protect ourselves and others from COVID. As well as physical masks, many of us wear masks every day when we hide our feelings and parts of our identities we think other people don't want to see. 

• Some masks you might like wearing and others you might not. 
• Some masks you might feel forced to wear by other people. 
• Some masks you might have worn for so long you can't remember what it feels like not to wear them. 
• Some masks you might be worried to take off and expose the 'real you'. 

We know that sometimes it can feel good to have a mask to hide behind when you feel vulnerable or scared. But sometimes those masks can stop people seeing the real you and might make it harder to form real connections with other people.

During this year's Youth Exchange we made and decorated our own masks (see the picture at the top) and throughout the 11 days we explored when we use our masks, what it feels like to let go of them sometimes and how to create new ones which reflect who we want to be. 

Activities

Throughout the week we took part in a range of other activities such as nature walks, roleplay and improvision, daily reflections and meditations, group bonding exercises, karaoke, dancing, sport and body language games.

It's truly an experience that can change lives.

Each night we had a 'National Evening' hosted by one of the different countries, in which they shared something unique about their country, and we got to take part in activities and try new food and drink from across Europe. Of course, as part of the UK's entry we had to host a tea party!

Experiences

This year's Youth Exchange was an amazing space to share experiences and get to hear what makes each person special and unique. But don't take our word for it. Throughout this week in our Your Voice section, we'll be putting up stories from some of the UK group who came this year, starting with Liv. Click on the link below to read her story.

• Liv: "The Youth Exchange changed me in so many ways"
• Benita: "I felt a sense of belonging at the Youth Exchange"
• Liss & Marilena: "It was one of the most joyous weeks of my life"

Fancy going to the Youth Exchange 2025?

We're currently hoping to help 3-4 young adults go to the next Youth Exchange on the 21^st to 29^th July 2025. The theme next year will be 'Natural voice' and will focus on how people use their voices, how stammering affects the way you use your voice and exploring what makes your voice special. 

If you are a young person who stammers aged between 18 and 30, keep an eye on our website, or become a STAMMA member for free/join our mailing list so we can let you know how to apply for a place.