BE-IN. Belonging. Expression. Identity. Inclusion

The Spiral of Belonging

Long before we had words for identity, community, or belonging, we understood them through movement.

We knew that life grows in spirals. A spiral is a return without repetition. You come back to the same place - but you are no longer the same. Each turn brings you back to familiar questions - but with new awareness, new capacity, new choice. This training is born from that knowing.

Its heart consists of three elements essential for real belonging:

• Identity
• Authentic expression
• Belonging in community

None can stand alone. None can be skipped. Each one leans on the others.

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The training

Many young people - and many youth workers - do not struggle because they lack opportunities to participate. They struggle because participation without belonging is exhausting.

This work begins elsewhere: with safety, with presence, with the courage to return to ourselves again and again. Not to become someone new - but to become more whole.

This training does not promise answers. It offers a journey. A spiral you will walk more than once.

You will return to familiar places - identity, expression, community - and each time, you will notice something new. Because belonging is not a destination. It is a practice. And it begins exactly where you are.

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Practical information

This 8-day training course will actively engage 25 youth workers from any EU country and non-EU countries (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Ukraine).

This is a personal and professional development training and not a therapeutic setting. Participants are expected to assess their own readiness to engage in group-based learning so it supports their mental and emotional wellbeing.

Please note that this project follows a sobriety policy, meaning that no alcohol, drugs, or other stimulants are allowed during the whole programme.

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In this training you will...

• strengthen self-awareness and emotional presence by developing body awareness, emotional literacy, and reflection on identity
• develop capacity for authentic and safe expression, including emotional communication, boundary-setting, and consent-based interaction
• increase competence in creating inclusive and safe spaces through experiencing a sense of belonging in a community which creates conditions for gender equality, active participation, and inclusion as natural outcomes
• learn to transfer learning into concrete youth work practice by identifying adaptable methods

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Methods:

• experiential learning
• Nonviolent Communication
• embodiment (somatic practices, contact improvisation, dance & movement therapy methods, authentic movement)
• ecopsychology & nature-based practices
• group-based & individual processes

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For whom?

• working with young people (you are a trainer, youth leader, activist, volunteer etc.)
• above 21 years old
• resident of EU country, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, or Ukraine
• having a sufficient level of English to participate in the training actively
• curious to explore embodiment practices that include consent-based touch
• cooperating with an NGO in their country

You can find more information in the infopack HERE.