YOLDIC is an intergenerational online project by ILEU eV that connects young German learners from the Danube region with German-speaking seniors. The aim is to build a lasting old-young network through regular digital encounters, fostering language practice, intercultural dialogue, and a lasting network between young and old.
Interested? Here’s how you can participate.
Project idea and goals
The YOLDIC project gives pupils and students from the Danube countries, as well as young people with a migration background in Germany, the opportunity to actively speak German outside of class and expand their language skills in everyday situations.
Through exchanges with senior citizens, they gain insights into daily life and work in Germany, while the older participants learn more about the realities and backgrounds of the young people’s countries of origin.
The project started in February 2026; the project is carried out by ILEU eV and financially supported by the German Foundation for Civic Engagement and Volunteering (DSEE).
We are currently collaborating with five educational institutions on the project:
- Kharkiv Pedagogical Institute, Ukraine
- Lyceum Br. 1 Bilohorod, Ukraine
- “Romano-Germanic” Lyceum No. 123 Kyiv, Ukraine
- Catholic School Center Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- National College “Johannes Honterus” Brasov, Romania
Project structure and formats
Currently, 16 tandems are participating in the YOLDIC project – but new young people from the Danube region regularly contact us, eager to begin a tandem partnership. Therefore, we are continuously seeking interested senior partners who are keen to engage digitally in this intergenerational exchange.
The project takes place in two phases. The tandems exchange ideas weekly for 45–60 minutes over a period of approximately four months via Zoom or other video conferencing systems.
In addition to the tandem partnerships, topic-oriented interest groups are offered via the online platform vima-danube , in which participants increasingly collaborate in a self-directed manner. This fosters lively dialogues and shared learning spaces between generations.
In addition, we are looking for learning coaches and experts who would like to contribute with short digital presentations or workshops on specific topics and questions. A constantly growing pool of materials and resources is available for senior mentors – while at the same time leaving plenty of room for their own ideas that develop from the tandems and groups.
Join Yoldic
Would you like to get involved in the project? Then get in touch with us and send an email to yoldic@ileu.net . We look forward to hearing from you!
