Supporting Parents’ Expertise in Erasmus+
An idea of Biedrība ideA (Latvia) in cooperation with partner organisations from Slovakia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Austria, Italy, Hungary
The intention
Mobility is never neutral. In Erasmus+ youth work, participation is often described in terms of competence, motivation, and opportunity — yet underneath those categories sits a quieter infrastructure of who can actually leave home, who can travel freely, and who carries the invisible weight of care while others move.
The seminar - that will take place in Latvia 25-29 August 2026 - was designed in response to a recurring tension in the field: experienced trainers and youth workers who are also parents frequently step back from international engagement, not due to lack of expertise or commitment, but because existing structures assume uninterrupted availability. The project begins with a simple but uncomfortable question: what does the system look like when we include the realities of caregiving as a core professional condition, not an exception?
The design team was listening to patterns emerging across partner countries — stories of cancelled participation, shortened careers, reduced visibility in international networks, and the quiet attrition of experienced practitioners from mobility spaces. At the same time, there was another signal: when conditions are adjusted even slightly, parent-trainers do not just participate — they often bring a depth of facilitation shaped by lived experience, relational awareness, and systems thinking grounded in care.
The guiding question carried into this event is not how to “support parents better” in abstract terms, but rather: what would Erasmus+ mobility look like if care was treated as part of its architecture rather than an external constraint?
Biedrība ideA
Latvia
Association “ideA” is a Latvian non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting self-directed learning, personal growth, creativity, and innovative educational approaches for young people and adults. Through practical methods, educational tools, workshops, and international collaboration projects, the association supports individuals in developing the skills needed for lifelong learning, career development, and active participation in society.