📅 May 25 – June 1, 2025
📍 F’estival, Moldova
Recently, a vibrant group of youth workers returned from a week-long international training course “Stronger Together” held in the scenic location of F’estival, Moldova. The training was part of the SYWOR project (Stronger Together: Strengthening Youth Workers and Organisations for Displaced Youth Integration and Resilience), co-funded by the European Union.
Over the course of seven intense days, participants from Ukraine, Moldova, Turkey, Georgia and Poland came together to exchange experiences, explore innovative youth work practices, and deepen their understanding of how to support displaced youth and young people with fewer opportunities.
Core Topics Explored
- Designing inclusive and impactful activities for youth from vulnerable groups.
- Tools and strategies for integrating displaced youth into new communities.
- Creating emotionally safe environments and offering meaningful emotional support.
- Increasing youth engagement and participation using practical, resource-based approaches.
Strengthening the role of youth work in building social cohesion and community resilience.
Methods and Activities
The training embraced non-formal education methods including:
- Interactive workshops and role-playing scenarios based on real-life youth work challenges.
- Intercultural teamwork to foster empathy and cooperation across contexts.
- In-depth discussions on ethical dilemmas in youth work.
- Co-creation of original youth workshops tailored to local realities.
Field visits to inspiring local initiatives in Chișinău: the Sunflower Center and the office of MilleniuM Training and Development Institute, offering real-life examples of community-based youth support in action.
Community & Impact
Beyond skill-building, “Stronger Together” succeeded in something just as essential — forming a strong, supportive professional community. For many youth workers, this was a space of solidarity, shared understanding, and mutual learning — values that lie at the heart of inclusive youth work.
Participants left not only with new tools and knowledge but with a renewed sense of purpose and concrete ideas for integrating what they’ve learned into their home 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.
