Connect
A Romanian evening with papanași, folk dance from Hungary, a cheese race in Switzerland: the culture nights are not a sideshow, they are the heart of it. People who have celebrated together work better together all year.
NCM
The whole network around one table.
Five days, in a different country every year: the National Coordinator Meeting (NCM) brings together the national leaders of Youngstars International. Spiritual input and small groups in the mornings, courses and workshops in the afternoons, and in the evenings one nation cooks for all the others.
- since 2014 a different country every year
- 5 days of programme
- 12 countries at the table
- around 50 leaders (2024)
Why the NCM matters
Equip
Training you can use on Monday back home: leadership training, fundraising, child protection. In 2026 everything revolved around the theme of Noah, from building an ark to debating.
Set out
The NCM is where decisions happen: which countries join next, who takes on which role. In Poland 2023, this is where Cosmin's path to becoming managing director began.
This is what the NCM looks like
2026 · Hungary
22–26 April in a village in the Danube Bend, under the theme of Noah: building an ark, debating, calligraphy, plus the first Charity Race and a trip to Budapest.
“Around grills, kettles and campfires, strangers became friends. For me, that was the true gift of the NCM: experiencing the community God created us for.”
Noémi Setét-Kabai, Horgony Egyesület, Hungary
2025 · Romania
In April at a lodge in the Bucegi Mountains: workshops on fundraising and child protection, a prayer trail, a Romanian evening with papanași and a trip to Brașov.
“You could feel that this was not just theory, but lived experience and real passion for working with children.”
Ronalds Svarups, national leader, Latvia
2024 · Langenthal, Switzerland
14–18 March at the scout centre in Langenthal: around 50 leaders from 12 nations, with a double birthday celebration in the middle of it all: 10 years of Youngstars International and 50 years of BESJ.
“Names from emails and WhatsApp chats turn into real faces, friendly greetings into warm hugs. Nothing can replace meeting people in person.”
Mirjam Klausberger, from the report on the NCM 2024
2023 · Poland
10–16 May in Bogumilowice near Kraków: a trip to Kraków's market square and Wawel Castle, games on the sports field, long evenings around the campfire.
So nobody misses out.
For leaders from countries like Cuba, travelling to the NCM is not a given: flights and transport exceed the local budget. Your gift covers part of the travel costs, so every national leader can be there.