From 22nd to 29th February 2024, 3 young people from our country embarked on a journey in Poznan, Poland, and joined the Training Course ‘’Empowering Youth Workers: Building Resilience and Managing Stress’’. 30 current and future youth workers from North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Spain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Hungary gathered together and gained valuable knowledge and tools, therefore enhancing their own well-being through practical workshops organized by the wonderful trainers and discussions with the other participants.
The project was organized by the Polish branch of Service Civil International (SCI) which is the oldest voluntary peace movement in the world, with over 100 years of experience. Their mission is to promote a culture of peace by organising international volunteering projects with local and global impact. Throughout the training, we broadened our understanding of mental health and well-being. We became more aware and skilled in using different tools to support our own well-being and that of young people. We learned practical ways to handle stress and uncertainties in today’s world. We also gained skills to improve our happiness and well-being. Feeling more confident, we started using mindfulness in our daily tasks. We shared ideas, good practices, inspiration, and resources. Finally, we made a plan for what to do next in our local community after finishing the course. The project also fostered new connections and collaborations. We met diverse people from all over Europe and beyond from different walks of life. The participants left the project feeling empowered to make a positive difference in their communities. The trainers used various techniques, videos to teach us about emotional intelligence, various topics regarding stress and their mental wellbeing. The most important and mind-blowing activity was definitely one of the last days when we were challenged to leave our phones for the evening and connect more with ourselves, especially in these days when everything is digital and everyone is 24/7 on their phones, getting lost in the digital world.