Organisations Across the Uk Come Together to Launch Brexit Campaign to #Keeperasmusplus

ORGANISATIONS ACROSS THE UK COME TOGETHER TO LAUNCH BREXIT CAMPAIGN TO #KEEPERASMUSPLUS

NEWS RELEASE

Youth and third sector organisations across the United Kingdom are to launch KeepErasmusPlus, a national campaign to save a vital European exchange programme which has benefited over half a million people.

Erasmus+ is a European funding programme for education, training, youth and sport. It enables people - especially those who can't otherwise afford it - to study, work, volunteer, teach and train in other countries.

Erasmus+ funds all sorts of educational activities in different settings, including in schools, youth exchanges, cultural projects, volunteering, vocational training and studying at university abroad.

Overthe past 30 years, 600,000 people from the UK have taken part in Erasmus+. Between 2014 and 2020, Erasmus+ will have been worth £793 million to the UK.

The Campaign

Through partnership across the 6 Erasmus+ sectors we will lobby politicians across the UK, to maintain participation in Erasmus+ after Brexit. The campaign will emphasise the positive impact of Erasmus+ on individuals and communities.

We are asking individuals and organisations to:

Sign our petition http://bit.ly/KeepErasmusPlus

Get in touch with their local politicians

Share your Erasmus+ story on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using hashtag #KeepErasmusPlus

Rob Young, Vice President of National Union of Students UK believes the benefits of studying abroad cannot be underestimated:

“Studying abroad has a significant positive impact on employment prospects after graduating and enables students to build confidence, skills and lasting international relationships. These benefits have a particularly big impact for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is absolutely vital that we protect these transformative opportunities. The Erasmus+ scheme accounts for 55% of all study abroad for UK students, and to lose that would be catastrophic. I am proud to be a part of this campaign to protect a programme which has given so much to our country and our students.”

Emily Beever, European Campaign Lead, YouthLink Scotland said: “In the midst of uncertainty on our future relationship with Europe, we say join us to celebrate the great success story of Erasmus+ in the UK. We would like to see the Prime Minister make a commitment to the continuation of Erasmus+, a programme that already involves non-EU members, including Iceland and Norway. This funding has given life-changing opportunities to young people from some of our most disadvantaged communities.”

Commenting on the launch, Paul Glaze, CEO, Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services said:

“CWVYS and the voluntary youth work sector in Wales are pleased to lend full support to the KeepErasmusPlus campaign. During the last 30 years, Erasmus+ has provided hugely positive opportunities for young people, youth work organisations and communities in Wales. It is imperative that the immense social, cultural and economic benefits of Erasmus+ are still available for future generations.”

Ends

Across our partners we have many case studies available.

For media enquiries and further information please contact:

- Sarah Paterson, Communications and Public Affairs Manager at YouthLink Scotland on 07804 603762 or 0131 313 2488 and at

- NUS UK 07866 695010

- Helen Jones, Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services (CWVYS) 07828007884

Notes to editors

List of current partners – this is a rolling campaign and we are adding partners all the time:

NUS UK

YouthLink Scotland

Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services

Momentum World

Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations

Carers Scotland

Scottish Youth Parliament

YMCA Scotland

Newbold Trust

Glasgow Council on Alcohol

Leonard Cheshire Scotland

Elevate

Xchange Scotland

A & M Scotland

East of Scotland European Consortium (ESEC)

Greenock Morton FC

The Surefoot Effect

Young Scot

Project Scotland

What is Erasmus+?

In 2014, Erasmus and other programmes (Comenius, Erasmus, Grundtvig, Leonardo, and Youth in Action) joined together to become Erasmus+.

Overthe past 30 years, 600,000 people from the UK have taken part in Erasmus+. Between 2014 and 2020, Erasmus+ will have been worth £793 million to the UK.

Further info: https://www.erasmusplus.org.uk

What are the benefits of Erasmus+?

Erasmus+boosts skills and employability, as well as modernising education, training, and youth work. It provides professional development opportunities for educators including study visits, job shadowing, training and the development of innovative resources.

It’s notjust individuals that benefit from Erasmus+. Charities, businesses and wider communities also benefit from the programme, gaining volunteers, additional training and international networks.

Will people from the UK still benefit from Erasmus+ after Brexit?

The UK government and the EU haven't agreed this yet.

We know it's possible for the UK to continue to participate in Erasmus+ afterleaving the EU. Countries like Iceland, Norway and Turkey, who aren’t members of the EU, still participate as partners in Erasmus+, each with a unique model of participation.

Further info: www.erasmusplus.org.uk/participating-countries

We're asking the UK Government to commit to maintaining participation in Erasmus+ programme after Brexit.

Take action

It's up to us take action to #KeepErasmusPlus. There arethree things you can do:

1. Sign the petition to #KeepErasmusPlus below

2. Contact your MP to ask them to support #KeepErasmusPlus

3. Share your Erasmus+ story on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using hashtag #KeepErasmusPlus

Sign the petition

We're asking the UK Government to commit to maintaining participation in Erasmus+ programme after Brexit.Will you join us? Sign: http://bit.ly/KeepErasmusPlus