Erasmus+ Training Course · Participant · Coma-ruga, Tarragona · 17–25 October 2025 · AHEAD – Association of Human Rights Educators

Democracy matters was an international professional development course examining how youth work and human rights education can respond to authoritarian discourse in contemporary European societies. The programme explored inclusive democracy, civic participation, critical thinking and anti-discrimination, and considered how authoritarian narratives operate across political, social and educational contexts. Activities were grounded in experiential and non-formal learning, including group discussions, case-based work, peer exchange and reflection on existing youth-work practices across Europe. My participation included facilitating dialogue in multicultural groups, examining educational responses to social and political polarisation, and working with approaches designed to strengthen young people’s democratic participation, resilience and capacity to engage critically with public narratives.

Erasmus+ Partnership Building Activity · ACR Finland Representative · Santa Maria da Feira · 1–7 June 2025 · PROACTING

PartnerUP! brought together youth workers and organisations interested in developing international cooperation around social entrepreneurship, youth participation and social inclusion. The programme was designed not simply as a networking event, but as a structured partnership-building process in which participants exchanged organisational practices, identified common priorities and explored possibilities for future Erasmus+ cooperation. Representing the Association for Cultural Relations (ACR Finland), I participated in workshops, collaborative discussions and project-development activities with professionals from different European contexts. We focused on identifying complementary organisational strengths, developing potential project concepts, and exploring how international partnerships can respond to social challenges through non-formal education, entrepreneurship, and inclusive youth work.

Council of Europe Study Session · Participant · European Youth Centre Budapest · 18–23 May 2025 · Youth Social Rights Network & I-Participate / Council of Europe Youth Department

This Council of Europe study session focused on the integration of young refugees and migrants through a rights-based youth-work perspective. It brought together youth workers and participants with migration-related experience to examine barriers to social inclusion and the conditions that enable young people to develop a sense of belonging in receiving societies. The programme addressed access to social rights, integration into education and the labour market, advocacy, communication, partnership-building and the role of civil society in supporting young migrants. Participants also engaged with Council of Europe standards and resources concerning young refugees. The study session combined non-formal education, peer exchange and practical work aimed at developing more inclusive approaches to migration and integration at organisational and community levels.

Erasmus+ Training Course · Participant · Lecce · 29 March–5 April 2025 · Terzo Millennio – Laboratorio di Umana Solidarietà

THREADS 2025 examined how understandings of intercultural learning and cultural diversity have evolved and how they can be translated into contemporary educational and professional practice. Designed for educators, trainers, youth workers and facilitators, the programme combined participatory activities, peer learning and reflective discussion with practical methods for facilitating intercultural encounters. Topics included cultural diversity, inclusion, changing approaches to intercultural education and the challenges of working across different social and cultural contexts. During the programme, I contributed to discussions on inclusive educational practice and shared examples from the Finnish education context while working with professionals from different countries. The course strengthened the connection between theoretical discussions of interculturality and their practical application in education and youth work.

Transnational Cooperation Activity / Training Course · Participant · Ioannina · 11–16 November 2024 · Hellenic National Agency for Erasmus+ Youth

This international training course focused specifically on strengthening the capacity of youth professionals working with young refugees and young people with fewer opportunities. The programme examined how non-formal education can support self-confidence, initiative, social inclusion, mental well-being, and skill development among young refugees. Activities included workshops on legal and social challenges, discussions of national contexts, work on strategies to support refugees, a study visit, role-play, storytelling, and exploration of opportunities available through Erasmus+ and other European programmes. I worked with youth workers and stakeholders from different countries to exchange methods and good practices and to consider how learning activities can be designed around the concrete needs and experiences of young refugees.

Erasmus+ Partnership Building Activity · Participant · Benicàssim, Castellón · 23–30 September 2024 · Xeración Valencia

This Partnership Building Activity was designed for youth workers and organisations seeking to develop stronger international cooperation within Erasmus+. Its central purpose was to bring together professionals from different organisational and national backgrounds, build trusted partnerships and transform shared interests into potential European youth initiatives. The programme introduced practical aspects of Erasmus+ cooperation alongside non-formal learning, project design, organisational networking and collaborative planning. During the activity, I worked with participants on programme ideas related to social inclusion, sustainability and youth participation, while exchanging approaches to youth work and organisational practice. The experience also involved reflection on intercultural communication, teamwork, evaluation and the role of partnerships in developing sustainable international projects rather than one-off mobility activities.

Erasmus+ Youth Exchange · Youth Leader · Athens · 7–12 March 2024 · Hellenic Migration Policy Institute (IMEPO)

Active Citizenship in Europe was a multinational youth exchange addressing democratic participation in societies shaped by increasing mobility, cultural diversity, digitalisation and environmental challenges. As a youth leader, I supported participants throughout the learning process and contributed to activities concerning civic engagement, European identity, social inclusion, digital literacy and sustainable development. The programme used non-formal and informal learning methods including group work, discussion, digital campaigning, role-play and educational visits. Activities also examined the relationship between citizens’ participation and citizens’ engagement, the expanding role of digital platforms in democratic life, environmental responsibility and inclusion. My role included supporting participant learning, intercultural cooperation and an inclusive environment during the preparation and implementation of the exchange.

Erasmus+ Youth Exchange · Youth Leader · Athens · 7–12 December 2023 · Hellenic Migration Policy Institute (IMEPO)

This international youth exchange explored active citizenship as both participation in democratic life and engagement with the wider social challenges facing contemporary Europe. As a youth leader, I supported a multinational group throughout a non-formal learning programme covering democratic participation, intercultural dialogue, European values, social inclusion, environmental responsibility and digital engagement. The project sought to strengthen participants’ capacity to contribute meaningfully to their communities while developing intercultural and socio-educational competences. My responsibilities included supporting the learning process, encouraging participation and dialogue, contributing to programme implementation and helping maintain a safe and non-discriminatory learning environment. The exchange also provided a setting for collaboration among partner organisations from several European countries, including ACR Finland.

European Training Strategy / SALTO Training & Cooperation · Professional Development · 2021

YOCOMO Systemic introduced a systemic perspective on professional competence development in youth work. Rather than treating a youth worker’s skills as purely individual attributes, the programme examined how competence develops through relationships with organisations, young people, colleagues, schools, families, local communities and the broader youth-work environment. The learning process used the European Training Strategy Competence Model for Youth Workers to Work Internationally as a framework for reflection and self-assessment. Participants were encouraged to map their professional systems, examine their roles within them, and consider how organisational and contextual factors influence professional practice. The programme also introduced tools for systemic self-assessment and for translating reflection into concrete professional development planning.

European Training Strategy / SALTO Training & Cooperation · Online Professional Development · 2021

This YOCOMO learning programme focused on competence-based professional development in international youth work. It introduced the European Training Strategy Competence Model and explored how competence can be understood through the interaction of knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours rather than through formal qualifications alone. The programme covered competence-based approaches in international youth work, the structure and purpose of the ETS competence model, self-assessment methods, and tools for planning continued professional development. Through guided reflection and online learning activities, participants were encouraged to connect the model with their own youth-work practice and identify areas for further development. The course therefore combined conceptual understanding of professional competence with practical tools for reflective and self-directed learning.

Erasmus+ Training Course · Participant · Online · 7–14 May 2021 · Youth Peace Ambassadors Network France

Creative Leaders for Peace was an international training programme on leadership, human rights and innovation in peacebuilding involving youth workers and activists from across Europe and neighbouring regions. The project approached leadership through principles of non-violence, empathy, dignity, equality and respect for diversity rather than conventional hierarchical models. Through non-formal and experiential learning, participants explored critical thinking, conflict-sensitive communication, social and emotional learning, and creative ways to respond to challenges within their communities. The programme was designed to strengthen participants’ ability to act as peace multipliers and to translate human-rights principles into local youth and community work. Particular attention focused on creating inclusive environments, managing conflict constructively, and developing practical approaches to peace education and social change.

Erasmus+ Transnational Training and Cooperation Activity · Participant · 22 February–19 April 2021 · Agency of International Youth Cooperation

This European online programme provided a structured introduction to digital youth work and the implications of digitalisation for professional practice with young people. Across eight modules, the course addressed the foundations of digital youth work, the effects of digitalisation on society, programme planning and design, information and media literacy, online communication, digital creativity, online safety, and evaluation of digital youth-work developments. Learning combined online materials, interactive activities, practical tools and webinars with professionals from different countries. The course placed digital technologies in the broader context of youth work rather than treating them as mere technical tools, considering how digital environments affect communication, participation, learning, and safety. I completed the modules and reflected on how to apply them in practical youth-work settings.

Erasmus+ Mobility of Youth Workers · Participant · Calatayud, Aragón · 19–27 March 2021 · Alternativa Ambiental

This youth-worker mobility project examined social inclusion and equality through the development of professional and applied entrepreneurial competences. Hosted by Alternativa Ambiental in Spain, the activity formed part of Erasmus+ professional development for youth workers and combined international mobility with non-formal learning and exchange of practice. The broader purpose was to strengthen participants’ capacity to develop youth initiatives that address social inequalities while improving the quality and impact of youth work. The programme provided an international setting to compare approaches, build professional skills, and reflect on how entrepreneurial thinking can support socially oriented projects, not primarily in a commercial sense, but as a way to identify needs, mobilise resources, and develop practical responses to social challenges.

Erasmus+ European Voluntary Service · Volunteer · Viljandi · 3 October 2018–15 July 2019 · International Youth Association EstYES

This ten-month European Voluntary Service placement was a long-term educational and intercultural experience in Viljandi, Estonia. I worked primarily with children aged four to five in a kindergarten environment, participating in everyday educational and recreational activities including workshops, sport, music, dance, handicrafts and excursions. My role involved assisting children in daily activities, supporting teachers and helping children participate and develop greater independence when away from their parents. The placement also included Erasmus+ on-arrival and mid-term training and took place within a highly international volunteering environment. Beyond the classroom, the experience required sustained intercultural communication, adaptation to a new educational setting, teamwork and the development of practical responsibility over an extended period rather than through a short-term mobility programme.

rasmus+ Youth Exchange · Participant · Córdoba · 2–10 May 2018 · Fundación Córdoba Club de Fútbol

Social Media on Sport was an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange bringing together 32 young people from Spain, Türkiye, Italy, Romania and North Macedonia to examine social media, communication and the responsible use of digital technologies. The programme used workshops, discussions and intercultural activities to explore how new forms of communication shape everyday interaction and participation. Its objectives included strengthening personal and social skills, improving communication abilities, promoting intercultural understanding and social integration, supporting active citizenship and encouraging responsible use of technology, including in entrepreneurial contexts. The project represented one of my earlier international non-formal education experiences and provided a practical introduction to multinational youth cooperation, intercultural learning and digitally mediated communication.