The Swapping Cultures is a Minorities of Europe programme that provides specialist resources and expert support to any organisation wishing to help young people to understand our globalised, multicultural community – and make an active contribution to it.

Swapping Cultures is equipping young people with a deeper understanding of the cultures around them, with recognition of the need for mutual respect and with increased confidence to find common ground with people who may previously, have appeared alien to them. It aims to bring communities, groups and individuals together by focusing on our similarities and viewing our differences as an asset, rather than a threat.

Since the project began in 2002, Minorities of Europe have worked with over 5000 young people and adults, in over 40 different settings with over 50 organisations. Our clients range from a diverse urban primary school in the London Borough of Waltham Forest to the more rural and mono cultural settings of the Coleshill Young Farmers in Warwickshire.

The flexibility of the Swapping Cultures project has meant it can be adapted to suit the specific and complex needs of statutory, voluntary and private sectors. A summary of the organisations that have used the Swapping Cultures initiative include: TNT, BTCV, Black Environmental Network, University of Lancashire, London Borough of Waltham Forest, Warwickshire Constabulary, British Council, National Parks, Regent College, Leyton 6th Form College, Waltham Forest College, Coleshill Young Farmers, Girl Guides and the Council of Europe

The Swapping Cultures has also been used in the following events: Induction Day at Sidney Stringer School (Coventry) Induction day at Barrs Hill school (Coventry) Girl Guides Jamboree 2006 (Charnwood, Leicestershire, UK) 21st World Scouts Jamboree 2007 (Chelmsford, Hertfordshire, UK) World Youth Festival 2004 (Barcelona, Spain) The Council for the Parliament of the World's Religions 2004 (Barcelona, Spain) Council of Europe’s All Different All equal 2005 (Strasbourg, France) British Council Funded projects