What can you really gain from going abroad? Insights from SBIM Street Interviews – 28/09/2026

Going abroad can be an exciting opportunity, but it can also come with questions, doubts and obstacles. What makes young people decide to take the step? And what can they gain from the experience?

As part of SBIM – Skip Barriers in International Mobility, we took these questions to the streets and interviewed young people about international mobility. Most of them had already experienced going abroad, while one of the people we spoke to was preparing for their own mobility experience.

We wanted to hear about the challenges they faced, what they learned and how going abroad affected them personally. Their answers highlighted some of the many things that mobility can bring: greater confidence and independence, new friendships, improved communication skills and the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective.

SBIM is an Erasmus+ project that aims to improve access to international mobility opportunities, particularly for young people who face additional barriers. The project brings together ESN France, Center for Intercultural Dialogue Association (CID), Connect Brussels, OBESSU and Youth Express Network (Y-E-N).

Through the project, the partners are developing tools and resources to help youth workers promote international mobility and reach young people who may not usually consider these opportunities.

🎥 Watch our street interviews and hear directly from young people about what they experienced, learned and discovered through international mobility: https://youtube.com/shorts/FyTdUelc4Qw?si=1KAWYvs0-V2ZHa_G

SBIM – Skip Barriers in International Mobility
Project number: 2024-1-FR02-KA220-YOU-000250671
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme.

Co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Agence Erasmus+ France Jeunesse & Sport (Agence du Service Civique). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.