EGL SNAC "YOUTH WORKERS WELL-BEING"

Are you working with young people daily? 

Are you questioning the meaning of youth work?

Are you feeling a lack of motivation in your job?

Have you been on the edge of a burnout?

Do you feel the need for a fresh perspective in your work?

Then you have to apply! 

Youth work is creative, interesting and developing every day! With this development youth work and those involved in youth work face many challenges, such as youth workers burnout, municipality employees turnover, lack of support from employer, municipality, organisation or cooperation partners, different World challenges (Covid-19 pandemic, war) and lack of support for their psycho-emotional well-being. These are valuable aspects for quality in youth work.

The aim of the study visit is to raise awareness of psycho-emotional well-being of youth workers (youth specialists, youth workers, youth policy makers, NGO representatives, etc. involved in youth work) and to improve the quality of youth work in local municipalities. In order to achieve the goal, from August 17 to August 19, 2022, we are organizing a study visit in Latvia.

Objectives are:

• to share experience on how to support youth specialists and policy makers, youth workers and NGO representatives;
• to understand aspects and challenges of youth worker’s everyday life;
• to create ideas on how to overcome burnout and stay motivated in youth work;
• to collect information about tools and resources that can help develop quality of youth work through raising well-being of youth workers;
• to share experiences on how to implement support system in national and local level;
• to develop ideas on how to raise prestige on youth work and those involved in youth work.

Target group of the study visit is: 

Up to 25 professionals directly involved in working with young people (at least 50% of daily tasks) and with at least 2-3 years of working experience in current role:

• youth specialists or policy makers;
• youth workers or youth NGO representatives;
• civil servants responsible for youth work in their manucipality;
• teachers, school support staff, alternative education staff, vocational programme staff (involved in youth work);
• other sector professionals directly working with young people: welfare, health, justices, sports, police, education etc.

Study visit program will be provided by our trainers:

Natalja Gudakovska: organisational and work psychologist, trainer and coach. She has been involved in youth work for 20 years working with young people and specialists (youth workers, educators, social workers, psychologysts etc) working with young people on every day basis. Natalja focuses on the topics of psychoemotional well-being of young people and youth workers in the last three years.  

Lauma Zubule: work psychologist, certified supervisor/coach, trainer. Have been actively involved in youth work for the past 20 years. Currently leading training programs on emotional intelligence, motivation, communication, leading group workshops for  youngters from social risk groups and supervising individuals, teams on work related issues. 

Rules during Pandemic:

The study visit is planned to be residentially hosted according to applicable laws and regulations valid in Latvia at the time of the event. In case the Covid-19 situation prevails and prevents travelling, the organiser reserves the right to cancel the residential activity and/or the event and move it to online study visit.

The organiser will follow and apply all COVID-19 health and safety guidelines by the Latvia government, health officials and regional government, which are valid by the time of the study visit.

In order to travel, all selected participants may need to be able to show the European digital certificate or show negative test results of COVID-19 tests when leaving their home country and entering Latvia. More detailed information about the travel guidelines will be provided to the selected participants closer to the event.

Information for travellers to Latvia: https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/information-travellers-latvia-provisions-preventing-spread-covid-19 

Study visit is organised by the Agency for International Programs for Youth of Latvia within the SNAC “Europe Goes Local”.