Empowering Youth Workers: BE YOU Training Course in Malmö

Training Course “BE YOU”

 From July 22 to July 26 , 2024 in Malmö, Sweden a learning activity which brought together 15 youth workers from partner organizations from Sweden, Romania, Cyprus, Greece and Poland was held.

BE YOU Project

The training course held in Malmo was part of the Erasmus+ KA2 project “BE YOU” as well as the training course which will be held in Krakow, Poland 2-6 September. The “Build Efficiently Your Own Understanding!” (BE YOU) project aims to reduce social and professional anxiety among Generation Z by equipping youth workers with innovative tools. By the end of these two training courses the BE YOU training tool will be developed. This tool will help young people enhance their face-to-face communication skills, improve time management, work more effectively in teams, and increase their self-confidence.

Aim of the activities: Youth Workers were testing methods on themselves before bringing them out to the groups that they were working with.

Activities and their outcomes

• Brenes Brown’s Atlas of the Heart is one of the theories that was explored in practice.
• Touches of mindfulness and pure connection were tested in every activity we engaged in
• Meditation of the five senses was proposed by the well-being lab which is a useful tool to tackle overthinking
• An interesting activity was proposed by the well-being lab, which drove us to gain self-awareness, face our fears and realize that we have a little more in common than we knew.
• In one of the activities, we had to sit opposite each other and make a confession about ourselves
• In a safe environment, we were given the opportunity through an activity in which we pretended that we were a forest to lose control and trust each other. The outcome of this peculiar activity was the loss of control, gaining self-confidence and trust in others which led to adding in personal growth
• After the “forest” activity, we found ourselves along with nature and communicated with the trees. There, we talked to the trees and birds about our thoughts and concerns.
• NGO Larpifiers shared their extensive know-how about LARPS= *LARP=live-action role-playing game or live-action role play: a game in which players dress as particular characters and act out their roles (= parts) in the game.
• Partners from NGO SEP contributed with their established practices in time management.
• We shared about vulnerability and how it can be utilized for self-understanding
• We took some alone time to have a conversation with ‘nature’, a calming process to give space to our inner dialogue
• Lastly, we had to choose one of the cards placed on the floor and then describe our experiences in the programme based on that card.

Feedback

The “Build Efficiently Your Own Understanding!” (BE YOU) project provided a valuable and timely initiative, specially tailored to meet the needs of Generation Z, who often face unique social and professional challenges. The focus on reducing anxiety through equipping youth workers with innovative tools was particularly impactful. Throughout the experience, we as participants were able to engage in meaningful learning opportunities that directly addressed their needs.

The training course was well structured and provided a balanced mix of theoretical knowledge and practical application. The development of the BE YOU training tool by the end of the courses in Poland will be the highlight, as it promises to be a transformative resource. This tool will focus on enhancing face-to-face communication, time management, teamwork, and self-confidence is crucial, as these are key areas where many young people struggle.

Overall, the experience was empowering and left participants better prepared to navigate social and professional settings. The practical skills acquired will undoubtedly contribute to reducing anxiety and fostering a more confident, capable Generation Z.

Authors: Elena Yiasemi, Theodora Evangelou and Stella Ioannou