Youth Empowerment Seminar

The biggest event in YFU returns on 23.–27.6.2025

What is the YES?

The Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES) is a yearly event hosted by Youth For Understanding, gathering more than 100 volunteers and 400 students who get the chance to learn about active citizenship and topics of global interest, but also to talk about their exchange experience with the volunteers and the other students.

The YES aims to empower participants to expand upon the learnings gained through exchange programmes or other intercultural experiences, while connecting with the global YFU community, and thus become proactive and globally-oriented agents of change.

Watch the official After Movie of YES 2024!

YES 2025

YES 2025 THEME

Mission 2030: Dream Big, Act Now!

Are you curious about how you can make a difference in the issues that matter most to you? Do you want to know how you can start to fight discrimination or address climate change today? Are you eager to learn what tools you already have and how your exchange experience can help you make a real impact? – Join us at the Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES) 2025 to find out!

At YES 2025, we’ll dive into the biggest challenges of our time — together, as a community of young change makers from around the world. We’ll explore how the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can become achievable, looking at how even the largest problems can be broken down into manageable steps. You’ll discover inspiring projects and creative solutions, meet fascinating personalities, and find allies to support you in making meaningful change.

You’ll also get the chance to choose one of our five unique workshops, or Tracks as we call them at the YES, each focused on a different area where you can deepen your knowledge and skills in a topic you’re passionate about: Identity and advocacy, climate change, equality, unity, or media literacy. In each track, the topic is approached through a different creative method.

Are you ready to get your hands on shaping the future? Join the YES 2025!

Since 2005, the YES has been held each year (bar 2020 and 2021) at EjB Werbellinsee, in Germany. The camp is spread over 105 hectares and offers access to sleep and eat to hundreds of people, as well as an opening to the beach and Werbellinsee lake.

The venue

Whether you’re looking for a place to socialise with other exchange students and volunteers or you’re more interested in the topic we prepare each year, the YES has a bit of everything for everyone.

Your days will be spent between learning sessions, socialising during our Spirit Activities or at the lounge, or reflect with well-prepared volunteers about your exchange experience.

The YES is the most special event in the YFU world, and an opportunity for hundreds of students to mingle with each other, to learn, and to get an insight into the fantastic world of YFU volunteers.