Activities

Twinning Programme

The JEF Europe twinning programme belongs to a broader undergoing effort to bring Europe closer to the grassroots members of JEF. The strength of our organisation is our dynamism and European network. Let us make this added value of JEF a concrete reality for as many members as we can, regardless of their level of involvement within our vertical structure (local, national, European). 

A twinning programme is a unique opportunity for Jefers from one section to co-organise activities with another JEF section, and create a special European spirit-inspired bond! This bond and shared activities are meant to last and aimed at building a better knowledge of one another. These sections are free to organise any type of project or activities, such as trips, online conferences or festive moments, depending on their sensibilities, interests and capacities. Twinnings between different countries may sometimes be eligible for funding from local authorities or national ones. 

Still intrigued? Here are Erwan’s words, International Officer from JEF France: ““Because our action as European activists in France is part of the wider network of JEF Europe, and because we promote ideas that aim to transcend borders, then twinning is also the best way of making this aspiration a concrete reality for our sections”

Here are some examples of the current twinning happening:

-JEF Strasbourg and JEF Baden-Wurtemberg and JEF Switzerland co-organise the “JEF Strasbourg interviews” and in general, their landmark event, called Oberrheintage days. 

-JEF Eichstätt, JEF Trento and JEF Thessaloniki are currently setting up their own experience. A seminar may be set up to think through a long lasting cooperation! 

If you have any questions about the programme, get in touch with us: twinning@jef.eu

Does the program have to start with physically meeting the people from the other section?

You don’t have to meet at first. Skype is also a good way to start. Another opportunity to meet can be at an international seminar organised by JEF Europe or some national sections. You just need to coordinate (and let the JEF secretariat know you’re twinning partners in your application).

Do you give us a guarantee, that you find a good partner and it will be a working partnership?

It is no guarantee, it’s just a starting help. What you make out of it is then up to you ! That being said, we remain at your disposal if needed and if you have any difficulties we can support you.

On which grounds do you choose the twinning section?

You give a lot of criteria in the application form. Based on this we search for possible partners. Also we look into which cities y your city is formally twinned with. You can also take the initiative by consulting the part dedicated to the programme’s participants, presented further down this section of the website.

Do you have funds to reimburse meetings?

We are working on this, but at the moment we don’t have funding for reimbursement of twinning meetings.

Is the twinning program only for sections or also for individual people?

At the moment it is only for sections. But we are keen on collecting ideas to build up another project for individual JEFers.

Is it also possible to twin with more than one section?

It is definitely possible. It is not an exclusive relationship. You can twin with more than one section or two twinned sections can again apply together. However, it is worth keeping in mind that a twinning is supposed to be a bit more than a one-shot cooperation, for instance to co-organise an event. Twinning is meant to be an ongoing part of your activities, to make them more sustainable and more attractive to potential members. In short, start small and expand as you develop.

Can a section also specifically wish for a section out of a specific country?

Yes, it makes it also easier for us if you are able to be specific in your application form.

How can the national sections push the twinning programme around the local sections?

National sections can remind them from time to time about the programme, publish the feedbacks and the photos that are circulated via JEF Europe (see the “success stories” part of this website), and do a lot of promotion of the twinning which might already be happening in their section. Local Branches and International Officers should actively promote the concept. Some sections even have a deliberate aim to ensure all local branches have a ‘twin’ somewhere in JEF!

Do you want some inspiration? We got you covered! Here are past editions’ key events:

-JEF Turku and JEF Munich : 

-On December 3, 2020, celebrating the partnership’s creation, during summer 2020. 

• What activity was co-organised? At a first joint meeting on the topic of “Mashup of cultures” via Zoom, ideas were exchanged, to create cultural quizzes on each others’ section and country, while listening to a Finnish-Bavarian playlist.

-From April to June 2021: both sections held discussions about their respective country’s political culture and system. 

• What activity was co-organised? “Finland – Progressive role model?” – where JEF Turku discussed – among other things – the health and education system in Finland. JEF Munich then talked about the federal system in Germany. These events went great! 

-September 2021 : Instagram Social Media Challenge from 17-19.09.2021. 

• What activity was co-organised? The different topics were covered on both Instagram accounts (@jefmuenchen / @turuneurooppanuoret) through various posts, reels and stories. On the first day, the topics were “Sustainability & Transport” and then “Sights, history, fun facts”. The closure of the Social Media Challenge was the topic “Culture”.

-21st of October 2021: JEF Turku’s excursion to Munich. 

• What activity was co-organised? Both sections first met in the evening when JEF Munich arranged a Roundtable talk. There was a member of the Bavarian regional parliament, Florian Siekmann, who spoke about EU regional politics and border politics. Discussions about similarities and differences were also held, to assess the EU’s degree of presence/integration in domestic politics and media. The next day JEF Munich had arranged a guided tour through the city. The tour focused on historical facts about Munich. After that, JEF Turku tried the local Bavarian cuisine and drinks. On Saturday, both sections went to Bundesliga football game together and then, experienced student life and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Sunday, the twinning ended with an informal chat about defence politics, nuclear power, and university studies. 

-JEF Portugal, JEF Slovenia and JEF Bavaria : 

-March 2021: celebrating the twinning’s creation!

• What activity was co-organised? A tri-national event in the context of the Trio-Presidency of the European Council, where sections learned about each other’s cultures…and had loads of fun! 

-During the year 2021 : 

• What activity was co-organised? Zoom meetings on a monthly basis and discussions about a series of events concerning European Literature and Culture. 

-Autumn 2021 : 

• What activity was co-organised? The international officer of Bavaria went to Lisbon to visit JEF Portugal.  Apart from having the chance to get to know each other better on many occasions and celebrating the intense work achieved together, the sections could organize an event to welcome new members of JEF Portugal. It was followed by a deep discussion about European politics and the state of European democracy, together with Jesús Cordero, the president of JEF Madrid.
• The overall objective? Deepening our relations to JEF Madrid and to build a deeper partnership between sections of the Iberian Peninsula and the Countries of Central Europe. As summarised in the sections’ words: We are looking forward to keeping on working together on our vision of Europe as Twinning Partners and friends!

That is the JEF twinning’s spirit!

JEF Brussels & JEF Essex

Newly twinned in 2019, the sections have been involved in a host of joint activities, online, supporting each other on social media in the run up to the elections, and offline through postcards from Milou, JEF Brussels’ mascot and of course in person! In April 2019, a delegation from JEF Essex came to Brussels for a 3-day tour of the capital of Europe, with a return match lined up for spring 2020.

JEF Aarhus & JEF Rennes

Twinned since 2018, JEF Rennes visited JEF Aarhus in Aarhus in 2018 and then participated in the Summer Camp of Europæisk Ungdom Denmark. Before the upcoming return trip, few members of JEF Aarhus attended the Bike tour organised in August in the framework of Europe on Road (“Europe En Vacances”). They also met at the JEF France Congress to discuss further cooperation in 2018 and 2019.

JEF Wuppertal & JEF Hordaland

JEF Wuppertal and JEF Hordaland joined forced in 2019 that great twinning stories can also start online and develop a long-distance friendship. The sections had several calls and online-meetings, helped each other on social medial and built up a letter-friendship! They are now planning a 6-day visit from JEF Hordaland to Northrhine-Westphalia.

JEF Strasbourg & JEF Freiburg

Twinned for many years, JEF Strasbourg and JEF Freiburg organize since 1988 the bilingual “Strasbourg/Freiburg Interviews”, seminars structured around workshops, conferences and various activities on a European theme. The two sections as part of a larger regional group: the Upper Rhine area and cooperated with JEF Switzerland on many occasions including.the street action on the German-Swiss border in 2018 and Kehl in 2019 or the Franco-German trekking with JEF Baden-Württemberg.