The Laissez-Passer
of the Erasmus GenerationThe Laissez-Passer of the Erasmus Generation
A fast way to create new opportunities for young Europeans!
All about the Laissez-Passer
Everything you would like to know about one of our most emblematic projects!
The Laissez-Passer of the Erasmus Generation is a project launched by gE in 2017 on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Erasmus programme. The project awards a symbolic passport, the Laissez-Passer of the Erasmus Generation, to distinguished European talents recognising their outstanding study or work mobility experiences, giving its holders tangible benefits and opportunities to improve their professional projects.
The goal of the passport is to create a connection between the Erasmus generation and privates, companies, recruiters and philanthropists seeking to support the most relevant programme of the European Union. The Laissez-Passer of the Erasmus generation wants to make former Erasmus experiences known, explaining their stories to the European Civil Society and helping them to develop their professional career.
The Laissez-Passer also provides an overall message in favour of European and international mobility, exchanges. It embodies the spirit of garagErasmus’ Appeal to the Erasmus Generation, read at the EU Parliament on November 2012 by its founders. Furthermore, the expression “Laissez Passer” is what the Erasmus Generation reckons regarding the barriers and borders of Europe: no obstacles can stop the Erasmus Generation in developing themselves through mobility and work experiences around our continent.
The Laissez-Passer is a passport that will be available both in an online and paper format (despite having no legal value) and will be released according to different categories, depending on who is entitled to receive it.
garagErasmus strongly believes that study and work abroad experiences help empowering students’ and trainees’ skills. Statistics show that youngsters who had an experience abroad have more opportunities to find their desired job afterwards.
However, not all the students who would like to take part in a mobility experience are able to fund it. Therefore, a part of the donations received in the framework of the Laissez-Passer project will be assigned to fund new scholarships for students and trainees going abroad.
gE Foundation Members are responsible to decide how to exactly invest the collected money in the upcoming Annual Meeting.
BLUE
Every month, through gE online platform, the garagErasmus team selects 10 young professionals that have:
- Shown an entrepreneurial mind-set and problem-solving skills
- Launched brilliant ideas for start-ups or new companies
- Proposed innovative solutions for European people
- An international CV with mobility experience
All these young professionals will be rewarded with a Blue Laissez-Passer, which is completely free of charge, and their profiles will be sent to all the holders of a Red Laissez-Passer.
RED
Companies, philanthropists and friends of the Erasmus Generation that want to support garagErasmus mission and monthly receive the 10 best profiles of European talents can join the project by getting a Red Laissez-Passer.
All holders of a Red Laissez-Passer will officially support the ErasmusGeneration and their name will be written in the book of the supporters of the Erasmus Generation, that will be published on garagErasmus website and will be strongly promoted during all the events of the 30th Anniversary of the Erasmus Programme.
GOLDEN
A jury of gE members, institutions and Foundation Members will reward the best European talent of the year with the award of the Golden Laissez-Passer during a Gala Night taking place once a year.. During the previous months, the online international community decides who are the 6 best talents to access the final stage of the contest. Those talents who will compete in the final, will be introduced to the audience during the Gala Night and will explain how they would like to invest the final Laissez-Passer prize.
A €3.000,00 price will be given to the winner, who will have the chance to invest it in:
- an entrepreneurial project
- a course to improve his / her education
- a mobility experience
What are the rules to participate in the Golden Laissez-Passer
- Golden Laissez-Passer is part of the Laissez-Passer project, carried out by garagErasmus Foundation, whose aim is to foster European talents’ mobility for study and work purposes and their relation with businesses, as well as to better support their entrepreneurial and training initiatives.
- The garagErasmus Foundation will award a prize of €3.000,00 to the winner, who will be able to invest it in an innovative project, a training course, or a mobility period, as agreed with the Foundation. Please note that there are no additional prizes.
- All those who have completed a mobility period of at least two months, for study or work purposes – are entitled to presented their candidacy for the Golden Laissez-Passer. Candidates that have completed, or are about to complete – according to the terms of this article – a mobility period, but not within the Erasmus+ programme, will also be accepted.
- Candidatures for Golden Laissez-Passer can be submitted from February 22nd to May 15th, 2019, 11:59 pm CET.
- In order to join the contest, candidates have to fill out the form that they can find on garagerasmus.org. Candidatures can concern the person who is filling out the form as well as a third party. In case a third party is not involved, the person who has filled out the form will automatically givegaragErasmus the authorisation to publish their own data and pictures within the context of Golden Laissez-Passer. In case a third party is involved, the candidate has to authorize garagErasmus Foundation to publish their candidature by replying to a message he will receive via email. Candidacies will be later approved by the garagErasmus Foundation through an email sent to the candidate. After being sure that the content of the candidacies is consistent and that it is not offensive or against public values, garagErasmus Foundation will post the candidature on its online platform WeTipp.com, which users can access by signing up for free.
- The first part of the contest is based on an online voting system taking place on garagErasmus’ online platform. Every community member will have the chance to vote for one or more candidates (“UP/DOWN” SYSTEM).
- At 11.59 CET on Wednesday, May 15th, the 6 candidates that have obtained the highest number of “UPs” will be selected to compete in June in the final stage of the competition, during an event specifically organized by the garagErasmus Foundation.
- In order to be allowed to access the final stage of the competition, the candidate has to confirm its availability to attend the Gala Night: . Candidates have to attend it presentially. Exceptions are people with a permanent medical condition disabling candidates to travel or family problems that the Foundation will evaluate case by case. In this situation, the presence of the candidate can be replaced by a live presentation via Skype.
- The closing night will take place in June 2019, unless promptly indicated otherwise by the garagErasmus Foundation.
- In the final stage of the competition, every finalist will be given a certain amount of time to explain to the audience how they would invest the prize of €3.000,00, according to the criteria explained in Article 2.
- The award will take place on the same night. The winner will be selected by a qualified panel made up of Foundation members and partners. In the first part of the final night, the least of the voters will be communicated to the audience.
- Under no circumstances appeals against the final decision will ve admitted.
- Subsequently, to the decision, the garagErasmus Foundation will contact the Winner who in order to get the prize, will have to provide all the financial documents of the project.
On the 2019 Edition
On the 2018 Edition
Apply now & become a volunteer!
Become gE reference point in your city!
If you are looking for an opportunity to extend your network of international open-minded professionals… this is your chance!
By becoming a garagErasmus volunteer you will…
- Be in the position to become a garagErasmus’ reference point for your city and for those interested in learning more about garagErasmus.
- Be able to become, if interested, a content curator and creator of news, articles and editorial contributions about social innovation, international mobility, personal and career development. Your contributions will be published and promoted through our communication channels.
- Be in the position to facilitate the establishment of a local garagErasmus association and to be part of it.
- Have the chance to participate to our international gatherings and events (facilitated by the Foundation) and to get closer to the Foundation’s staff and priorities.
- Have access to and be part of the first Erasmus Generation Professional Network.