“The Art of Storytelling for Change” is the first international mobility of the Erasmus+ project “Stories for Change – Empowering Youth Voices (STORY-ACT)”. For nine days, 20 young people will gather in Vienna to explore how personal stories can become powerful tools to express identity, build empathy and prepare the ground for social change. This mobility is the starting point of the STORY-ACT journey, where participants first discover their own voice before learning how to use it for wider impact in the next activities.
This mobility focuses on personal storytelling and digital media production.
Participants will explore how their experiences, values and identities can be transformed into meaningful stories that speak to others. Through guided activities, they will:
• reflect on key moments in their lives;
• learn how to turn them into structured narratives;
• try out different formats – video, podcast, photo story, blog, etc.;
• start developing a personal storytelling project that will grow during the week.
What will you learn and how will we work?
By the end of the mobility, participants are expected to:
• understand what makes a story engaging (structure, emotion, message, audience);
• gain basic skills in digital storytelling tools (recording, simple editing, publishing);
• strengthen communication, active listening and constructive feedback;
• feel more confident to speak about themselves in front of others;
• experience non-formal education in an international group.
The programme combines interactive workshops, story circles, small-group labs and peer feedback sessions. Learning is practical and collaborative: we learn by trying, sharing and reflecting together.
Who is this mobility for?
The Vienna mobility is open to young people who:
• are 18–30 years old and come from Austria, Romania, Türkiye or Spain;
• are curious about stories, media, arts or communication;
• are willing to share and listen in a multicultural group;
• may have fewer opportunities and would benefit from a supportive, inclusive space.
What is covered?
This mobility is 100% funded through Erasmus+:
• accommodation in shared rooms at Brigittenau Youth Palace;
• three meals per day and coffee breaks;
• all programme activities and materials;
• travel reimbursement according to Erasmus+ distance bands and project rules.
Participants only need to bring their motivation, openness to learn and, if possible, a laptop or tablet to work on their digital stories.
What will you take home – and how does it link to the project?
Each participant will complete one personal digital story (in a format agreed with the team) and gain a clear sense of how storytelling can support self-expression and connection with others.
These stories will:
• become part of the STORY-ACT digital archive;
• serve as a starting point for the second mobility in Cluj, where participants will learn how to use stories for advocacy and social change;
• feed into the final European digital storytelling campaign, giving youth voices visibility beyond the project.
Vienna is therefore the first chapter of the STORY-ACT journey: the moment where participants discover their voice and begin to shape the stories they want to share with Europe.