We may be out of the European Union but the campaign to re-join Erasmus+ does not end.
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.
In 2014, Erasmus and other programmes (Comenius, Erasmus, Grundtvig, Leonardo, and Youth in Action) joined together to become Erasmus+.
Over the 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.
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 not just individuals that benefit from Erasmus+. Charities, businesses and wider communities also benefit from the programme, gaining volunteers, additional training and international networks. Read some of our Erasmus+ stories here.
Although the UK government has not continued to be part of the Erasmus+ programme, we could join anytime if there was the political will from Westminster to do so.
We know it’s possible for the UK to continue to participate in Erasmus+ after leaving 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.
The UK government has set up the Turing scheme which is not a replacement for Erasmus. We’re asking the UK Government to commit to maintaining participation in Erasmus+ programme.
It’s up to us take action to #KeepErasmusPlus. There are three things you can do:
Hillary Benn MP | Labour | Leeds Central
Tom Brake MP | Liberal Democrats | Carshalton and Wallington
Alistair Carmichael MP | Liberal Democrats | Orkney and Shetland
Douglas Chapman MP | SNP | Dunfermline and West Fife
Peter Grant MP | SNP | Glenrothes
Drew Hendry MP | SNP | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
Gerald Jones MP | Labour | Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
Ben Lake MP | Plaid Cymru | Ceredigion
Stewart McDonald MP | SNP | Glasgow South
Stuart McDonald MP | SNP | Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
Anna McMorrin MP | Labour | Cardiff North
Jo Stevens MP | Labour | Cardiff Central
Paul Sweeney MP | Labour | Glasgow North East
Alison Thewliss MP | SNP | Glasgow Central
Dr Philippa Whitford MP | SNP | Central Ayrshire
Jackie Baillie MSP | Scottish Labour | Dumbarton
Claudia Beamish MSP | Scottish Labour | South Scotland
Colin Beattie MSP | SNP | Midlothian North and Musselburgh
Neil Findlay MSP | Scottish Labour | Lothian
Kenneth Gibson MSP | SNP | Cunninghame North
Ivan McKee MSP | SNP | Glasgow Provan
Christina McKelvie MSP | SNP | Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse
Mike Rumbles MSP | Scottish Liberal Democrats | North East Scotland
Tavish Scott MSP | Scottish Liberal Democrats | Shetland Islands
Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP | SNP | Dunfermline
Andy Wightman MSP | Scottish Greens | Lothian
Dawn Bowden AM | Welsh Labour | Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
Llyr Gruffydd AM | Plaid Cymru | North Wales
Siân Gwenllian AM | Plaid Cymru | Arfon
Vikki Howells AM | Welsh Labour | Cynon Valley
Mandy Jones AM | UKIP | North Wales
Julie Morgan AM | Welsh Labour | Cardiff North
Lynne Neagle AM | Welsh Labour | Torfaen
Lee Waters AM | Welsh Labour | Llanelli