This study investigates the intercultural sensitivity of young people from Türkiye who participated in the Summer Work and Travel (SWT) programme, a mobility scheme that allows university students to live, work and socialise in the United States for a season. Framed by the recognition that intercultural communication has become an unavoidable part of everyday life in a globalised world, the authors note a gap in research on how short-term international mobility shapes young people's intercultural competence, particularly in the Turkish context. Using a sequential mixed-methods design, they first surveyed 129 participants with a five-point Likert intercultural sensitivity scale, then conducted semi-structured interviews with ten volunteers to explore their experiences in depth. The findings indicate that SWT participants developed a high level of intercultural sensitivity. While some initially lacked confidence because of limited language proficiency, they reported becoming more self-assured as their language skills improved and as they adapted to a multicultural environment. The authors conclude that the high sensitivity levels were closely linked to frequent daily interaction with people from different cultures and active participation in social events during the programme. The study highlights the value of experiential, mobility-based learning in fostering openness, empathy and respect for cultural difference among young people. For a Euro-Mediterranean audience, the research offers transferable insights for youth organisations, universities and exchange programmes seeking to strengthen intercultural dialogue through mobility. It underscores that structured cross-cultural encounters — including work, study and volunteer exchanges — can be powerful tools for empowering youth and building the people-to-people connections at the heart of intercultural understanding across the region.