As part of the Stronger Together: Strengthening Youth Workers and Organisations for Displaced Youth Integration and Resilience (SYWOR) project, two local seminars were held in Chișinău, Moldova during June and July 2025.
«Twisted Stories» – Critical Thinking Through Interactive Storytelling
The seminar took place on 20 June 2025 in Chișinău with 14 teenagers aged 14–17 and was facilitated by Valeria Zolotari.
The seminar invited teenagers to explore the impact of choices through interactive storytelling. Using scenarios that presented dilemmas and multiple outcomes, participants practiced analyzing situations, generating options, predicting consequences, and reflecting on responsibility.
The session followed a structured agenda, including three story-based activities, each focusing on different aspects of decision-making and consequence analysis. Group reflection at the end helped consolidate learning and encouraged participants to connect personal responsibility with teamwork and empathy.
Key results:
- Improved ability to justify decisions and explore alternative outcomes.
- Stronger teamwork and communication in problem-solving.
- Increased awareness of how choices affect others and build responsibility.
- Safe psychosocial space (PSS) that encouraged openness and empathy.
Although some participants were initially hesitant to share, energizers and interactive methods helped create trust. By the end, all participants engaged actively and reflected on the importance of thoughtful decision-making.
Club for Girls: «The Girl and Her Dreams / My Boundaries – My Strength»
The second seminar was held on 18 July in Chișinău with 14 girls aged 13–17, all displaced from Ukraine and was facilitated by Iulia Voscalevschi.
The Club for Girls seminar focused on empowerment, resilience, and self-discovery. Designed specifically for Ukrainian girls displaced by war, the event combined creative and reflective activities to strengthen confidence and inspire future-oriented thinking.
Through trust-building exercises, sharing circles, and a visualization activity on canvases, the girls explored their strengths, dreams, and the steps needed to achieve them. The session emphasized the importance of boundaries, personal resources, and peer support.
Key results:
- Girls identified personal strengths and areas for growth.
- Creative visualization made dreams more concrete and motivating.
- Planning activities helped translate aspirations into realistic steps.
- Taking canvases home served as a daily reminder of motivation and resilience.
Feedback showed that the artistic format was especially impactful: many girls said the workshop helped them “see their dreams with their own eyes,” while the supportive group atmosphere provided encouragement and inspiration.
Impact
Together, these two seminars highlighted how SYWOR activities foster resilience, inclusion, and self-expression among young people, especially those affected by displacement.
Whether through critical storytelling or creative visualization, the sessions gave participants practical tools to strengthen decision-making, self-awareness, and emotional wellbeing — laying the foundation for more confident and connected communities.
About the Project
The course was part of the SYWOR project, implemented by Young Agents of Change in collaboration with:
- Georgian Youth Development Association – GYDA (Georgia)
- European Integration Group (Turkey)
- MilleniuM Training and Development Institute (Moldova)
- Fundacja Nowy Staw (Poland)
The project is funded by the European Union and aims to strengthen youth workers and organizations involved in supporting displaced young people through capacity building and cross-border collaboration.
