There is something special about the first time a new group sees each other’s faces. On 28 September 2026 it happened on our screens: the participants of Growing Europe joined their first online meeting. Many didn’t know each other yet, and some will be flying for the first time. In a few days, all of them will be learning together in Alicante.
For Association Aries this is a big moment. Growing Europe is our second learning mobility for adult learners under Erasmus+ KA122-ADU. The first, Building Bridges, showed us what a European learning experience can mean for people who rarely get such opportunities. They came back more confident and more curious, and ready to do more in their communities. Now a new group is about to start that journey, and we couldn’t be more excited.
Phase one: preparation starts at home
For us, a mobility doesn’t begin at the airport. The online meeting was the first phase of the project. Together we:
- went through the programme of the week,
- covered every practical detail (flights, luggage, the European Health Insurance Card, safety contacts),
- agreed how we will travel and learn as one group.
We also gave everyone their first piece of homework.
“My place in 3 photos.” Before we fly, each participant photographs three places in their own town:
- Proud: something that works well.
- Stuck: something that should change.
- Together: a place where people meet, or could meet.
Each photo comes with one sentence or a short voice message explaining the choice.
These photos will travel with us all week. We’ll use them to introduce ourselves, to talk about inclusion and who our public spaces are really for, and to practise sharing images safely online. We’ll also compare our streets with those of local participants in Alicante. By the end of the week, each person’s “stuck” photo will become the starting point for a small plan to bring home.
Participants also filled in a short “starting point” questionnaire. They’ll answer it again on the last day, so everyone can see how far they’ve come.
We can’t wait to see the photos, and we can’t wait for Friday. See you at Sofia Airport!
About the project
Growing Europe is an Erasmus+ learning mobility for adults, coordinated by Association Aries (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) and hosted by our partner Asociación Europea Equalis (Alicante, Spain). From 3 to 10 October 2026, adult learners, many of them with fewer opportunities, will build practical skills in three areas:
- Digital: checking information, collaborating online, staying safe online.
- Civic: democracy, human rights and active participation in local life.
- Social: teamwork and working across cultures.
Together with local people, they’ll identify real community needs, and plan and carry out a small joint initiative. They’ll then adapt what they learned to their own communities in Bulgaria. Their learning will be recognised with a Europass certificate.
Project code: 2026-1-BG01-KA122-ADU-000418580
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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