The following study aims to present some activities and results that are related to the Horizon 2020 “YMOBILITY” (Youth mobility: Maximising opportunities for individuals, labour markets and regions in Europe).

The flow of knowledge within student migration is set in globally networked communities which create dynamic relationships of knowledge and practice. Youth mobility is not only an important resource for stakeholders or industries, it is also relevant for society. However, there is limited research on youth mobility, in particular mobility related to grammar school students who are interested in moving abroad and who must be considered as the main resource for policymakers.

For the public at large it is difficult to know why students choose certain destinations, but knowledge is shared, used and produced. All actors involved in this process operate in a shared context while importing their own experience. Also young students share their experience on human mobility, some in a more conscious and other in a more unaware way. The classroom, but also the school in general, becomes a “new mentoring space”, where peer mentors and peer mentees share their knowledge, but also their impressions on human mobility to teachers, families, university students, researchers, nongovernmental institutions, governmental institutions and decision-makers at national, regional and local levels. Therefore, student mobility is to be considered a great value for human capital development, but it needs a good practice. This study provides some insights into Italian youth mobility and whether and to what extent this mobility can generate and enhance social participation and knowledge transfer. Many studies show that informal knowledge transfer processes, such as storytelling, apprenticeship or mentoring, are more used than formal knowledge transfer mechanisms. A wide variety of topics were investigated in mentoring research during 1980-2009. Several studies identify the positive contributions mentoring can make. Concerning youth, the research shows that mentoring can challenge and stimulate young people with creative thinking and problem-solving processes, creating also “teachable moments” within the school environment. Previous research has shown that mentors and mentees are co-learners who actively participate inside a dynamic process in which they exchange and share knowledge. Knowledge retention plays also an important role.

The purpose of this paper is to present a new perspective on youth mobility research by putting the focus on mentoring, both peer and reverse mentoring, and on science dissemination as key factor for citizens' engagement. As suggested, all actors inside this social context are both potential mentors and learners. Concerning the YMOBILITY project, a science dissemination program for secondary-school students is provided. Examples of activities which are currently carried out in diverse secondary schools of Rome will be illustrated to present first results of science dissemination as a two-way approach.