About the Project
From the 1st until the 3rd of July, we hosted a training course in Erfurt for the PENDYW project – Promoting Equality and Non-Discrimination in Youth Work. PENDYW brings together six partners from Belgium, France, North Macedonia, Portugal, and Germany with the shared aim of improving the quality, inclusiveness, and impact of youth work across Europe.
The project’s core focus is to empower young leaders from vulnerable groups—including ethnic and religious minorities, LGBTI+ youth, youth with disabilities, and refugees—so they can take active roles in their communities. This work responds directly to rising levels of inequality and exclusion, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, both of which have deepened structural inequalities affecting young people.
Through a combination of capacity building, cross-cultural learning, and community-driven engagement, PENDYW seeks to enhance the abilities of youth workers and organizations to promote equality, inclusion, and meaningful youth participation. One of the project’s key expected outcomes is a comprehensive, data-driven compendium of good practices related to youth inclusion, mentorship, and self-advocacy, providing a valuable resource for practitioners across Europe.
The Venue
The training course took place at ka:te, the former Kreativtankstelle, a vibrant creative space in Erfurt. Located in a repurposed gas station, ka:te has become a dynamic hub for co-working, events, and collaboration, drawing together freelancers, startups, artists, and community members. With its unique atmosphere, excellent coffee, and welcoming environment, it was the perfect setting for participants to connect, reflect, and learn from each other.
Day 1: Building Community and Exploring Leadership
The first day of the training focused on building trust and a sense of community among participants, who came from a range of backgrounds and experiences. Through a series of icebreakers, team-building exercises, and interactive workshops, participants got to know one another and explored different leadership styles and approaches relevant to youth work. These activities created the foundation for mutual understanding and dialogue throughout the rest of the program.
Day 2: Human Rights, Youth Activism, and Advocacy
The second day was dedicated to exploring human rights, youth engagement, activism, and advocacy strategies. Participants examined the role of social movements and citizen activism, reflecting on examples such as Black Lives Matter, the neurodiversity movement, and Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future. In small groups, they curated and installed an interactive exhibition, showcasing the significance of these movements and how they inspire youth-led change.
The day also included a role-play scenario in which participants stepped into the shoes of community advocates and decision-makers, practicing how to persuade stakeholders to allocate budgets for community-driven initiatives that address local needs. This exercise fostered a deeper understanding of the skills required for effective advocacy, negotiation, and communication in real-world contexts.
In the evening, participants gathered at CGE’s backyard at Saline 34, where they enjoyed an outdoor screening of CGE’s Planet4B documentary, which explores the relationship between youth, sustainability, and biodiversity. The evening concluded with a relaxed barbecue and music, offering time to network, reflect, and enjoy informal exchanges.
Day 3: Action Planning and Campaign Prototyping
On the third and final day, participants delved into stakeholder mapping and action planning techniques, identifying key actors, allies, and resources they could engage with in their own communities to drive positive change. The final session included a creative exercise where participants tested the design of a social campaign prototype, allowing them to apply what they had learned throughout the course in a practical and imaginative way.
As part of this session, participants were asked to choose their own topics — ones that affect them personally but also reflect challenges faced by young people today. One participant chose the topic “Connections Lost – Error 404”, focusing on the difficulty of making friends both with German peers and with internationals, highlighting a sense of loneliness that many young people experience. Their presentation explored the causes of this situation as well as possible remedies, demonstrating how the tools and methods from the workshop could address real-world issues.
Reflections and Conclusion
The training concluded with a collective reflection on key takeaways, challenges, and next steps, reinforcing the importance of solidarity, inclusion, and youth participation in building more equitable societies.
Overall, the three-day training was a deeply productive, inspiring, and engaging experience. It not only equipped participants with new tools, frameworks, and ideas but also strengthened transnational connections and built a sense of shared purpose. The diversity of perspectives and experiences present throughout the training enriched discussions and fostered empathy, highlighting the critical role of youth workers in advancing equality and inclusion across Europe.
