Project aim is to learn about Experiential Outdoor Education to tackle youth issues around environment, inclusion and wellbeing through a holistic intervention with a unified approach. 

 

The project took place in Vienna, Austria, from 18 to 25 August and involved 32 youth workers from Latvia 🇱🇻 Austria 🇦🇹 Croatia 🇭🇷 Greece 🇬🇷 Hungary 🇭🇺 N.Macedonia 🇲🇰 and Poland 🇵🇱 and Romania 🇷🇴.

 

Europe is facing several recent challenges that impact social, personal, and professional lives, such as increased social exclusion due to heightened political tensions, exacerbated health issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and deteriorating economic conditions due to inflation and environmental degradation. These challenges have significantly affected the mental health and social inclusion of young people and youth workers. But who should receive care first? We believe that youth workers should be equipped with the necessary tools and support first, to prepare them for working with young people. Otherwise, providing care without adequate competencies may have negative consequences. Our solution-focused intervention addresses pressing issues, emphasizing social and human wellbeing. This will be achieved through Experiential Outdoor Education (EOE), where youth workers will learn how to organize outdoor nature-based activities to enhance youth inclusion and wellbeing. Several studies also showcase how EOE in the form of experiential activities is a powerful tool for addressing wellbeing and inclusion issues, while raising awareness about the environment. EOE uses experiential outdoor challenges to boost personal growth and group development through authentic experiences, Interaction with the group, and self-exploration. The significance of EOE has increased due to the pandemic, which has led to high levels of stress, anxiety, and over-digitalization and even accelerating rates of digital gaming disorder among youth. Numerous studies have proven EOE's effectiveness in reducing stress, increasing motivation, mobilizing for the environment, and improving mental hygiene. EOE also embodies important values for youth work, such as sustainable living, respectful coexistence with nature, humble attitude, and a willingness to step out of one's comfort zone. 

During this ERASMUS+ training, we will discover together several youth issues (exclusion, mental health, climate anxiety) and explore the role of youth work in tackling these issues. We will explore one practical way, Experiential Outdoor Education, that can help tackle current youth issues in a pragmatic and inclusive healthy manner. Together we will discover the principles, theories, and practices of Experiential Outdoor Education and experience relevant activities. At the end, participants will design their own small activities in the frame of Experiential Outdoor Education and they will pilot them during the training. Participants will also be supported to design a local action plan for their own community. After the training, all groups will be further supported by the team to implement these newly designed initiatives as a follow-up to this training on the local level. Each initiative will receive the needed programmatic to enable its implementation. The actual implementation of the follow-up initiative is an integral part of the training itself. 

 

Project activity schedule:

Day 1 activities - identifying current challenges faced by young people in partner countries and examining effective steps for youth workers to implement in their work.

 

Day 2 - equipping youth workers with the knowledge and skills necessary for designing and implementing youth outdoor, nature-based non-formal activities aimed at improving inclusion and wellbeing of youth.

 

Day 3 - promoting values such as sustainable living, respectful coexistence with the natural environment, humble attitude, and readiness for stepping out of one's comfort zone through Experiential Outdoor Education.

 

Day 4 - nature walks, exploring Experiential Outdoor Education as an inclusive, healthy, and environmentally friendly method in youth work, focusing on its multiple benefits including reducing stress, promoting mental and physical wellbeing.

 

Day 5 - enhancing the potential of nature in shaping young people's learning and personal growth; exploring Experiential Outdoor Education as inclusive, healthy, and environmentally friendly method in youth work, focusing on its multiple benefits including reducing stress, promoting mental hygiene, and improving physical wellbeing.

 

Day 6 - enhancing participants’ transversal competencies necessary for working with young people; enhancing the potential of nature in shaping young people's learning and personal growth.