Four ways into the Gateway Project.
Whether you're 15 and curious, 50 and running a youth club, or a funder looking for a programme that actually works — there's a role for you here.
Join an exchange
Come to Pyla for a week of football, life skills and intercultural learning. Travel and accommodation covered. Apply through a partner youth organisation in your area.
Find a partner near youBecome a partner
Bring a group of young people you work with. We support with funding applications, preparation, safeguarding and ongoing network access.
Partner with usVolunteer in Pyla
We welcome experienced youth workers, coaches, film-makers and facilitators as volunteer contributors during exchanges and ongoing local activities.
Express interestFund the next cohort
We're scaling from two pilot exchanges to an annual programme for 100 young people by 2027. EU grants cover part of that. The rest needs partners like you.
Questions we get asked the most.
Who can apply to join an exchange?
Young people aged 15–18 from Dublin, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, working with one of our partner youth organisations, schools or sports clubs. Priority is given to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds facing economic, social or geographical challenges.
Does participation cost anything?
No. Travel, accommodation, food and programme costs are covered by grant funding and partner contributions. Young people and their families contribute only their time and commitment.
What languages do you run in?
Our primary working language is English, but participants communicate across Turkish, Greek and English throughout the week — and often pick up phrases in each other's languages. Our facilitators are experienced at running multilingual groups.
How long is a typical exchange?
Exchanges run for one week on the ground in Pyla, with online preparation sessions in the weeks beforehand and social action projects in the months afterwards.
How is the programme funded?
The 2024 pilot was funded by an Erasmus+ grant with additional contributions from Google and St Patrick's Cathedral. We're actively building a funding base for scale-up in 2025–27.
Is it safe? What about safeguarding?
Yes. All facilitators are trained in safeguarding, and the programme is built around structured daily routines, experienced youth workers from each partner organisation, and close coordination with local authorities and community leaders in Pyla.
How do you ensure balance between communities?
Balance is built into our governance. Our advisory board has equal Greek and Turkish representation and gender balance; our youth council does the same. Every exchange recruits in matched numbers from partner organisations on each side.
Tell us about you.
A short form to start — we'll come back within a few working days to set up a call. This applies whether you're a partner organisation, a potential funder, or a volunteer.