Student to Leader (S2L) is a project co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme that creates a structured pathway for young musicians to move from being participants to becoming young leaders, taking on active roles within the music communities in which they have grown and developed. Student to Leader runs from September 2026 to August 2028 within the framework of Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships in Youth (KA220-YOU), coordinated by Sistema Cyprus, in partnership with El Sistema Greece and Trillargento in Italy.
As part of the project, young musicians from Greece, Cyprus and Italy will receive training and, with the guidance of experienced educators, take on specific roles and responsibilities. They will support rehearsals and music ensembles, lead smaller groups and sectionals, mentor younger participants, and contribute to the delivery of educational workshops.
S2L aims to make this experience a meaningful step in the young participants’ personal and professional development. Through hands-on practice, mentoring and reflection, they will develop skills such as communication, collaboration, initiative, responsibility, decision-making and group leadership. At the same time, they will gain supervised experience in teaching and facilitation, strengthening their preparation for future studies and professional pathways in music, education and the cultural sector.
The experience will also extend beyond the local level. As part of an international music event taking place in Athens in 2027, a Youth Leadership Laboratory will be held, giving participants the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice in an international environment, exchange experiences and practices, and collaborate with young musicians from different countries.
Through the implementation of the project across the three countries, the partners will jointly develop and test a Youth Leadership Framework, which will form the basis for the S2L Youth Leadership Toolkit. The resources will be openly accessible, allowing the methodology and tools developed through the project to be used by other organisations working in the fields of music education and youth across Europe.
For El Sistema Greece, S2L builds on a practice that is already at the core of its educational approach, gradually encouraging young people to take on greater responsibility, support younger participants and play an active role within music ensembles. Through the project, this process will become more structured and connected to a shared framework for developing youth leadership through music.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Foundation for the Management of Lifelong Learning Programmes. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
