Emotional Well-being, Art and Youth Work- Second Edition

The first edition of this ambitious project took place in June 2022 organized by the Norwegian National Agency. You can check a glimpse of that learning journey here. The second edition represents an upgrade of the first edition based on the feedback and the post-training reflections of the project team and the participants. 

With this project, we invite youth workers to learn more about how to use art to support the emotional well-being of young people.

"Emotional Well-being, Art and Youth Work" is a training course for professional and volunteer youth workers working directly with young people regularly.

• The main aim of the training course is to increase youth workers' competencies in using art methods to support the emotional well-being of young people.

Objectives:

• To provide knowledge regarding emotional well-being specific and relevant within the professional limitations of youth work;
• To develop basic practical skills for applying creative and artistic methods (such as creative writing, Ebru painting, theatre, etc.) for fostering the emotional well-being of young people;
• To inspire and motivate youth workers to use new methods and reach out to young people holistically and sensibly;
• To explore the relationship between creative and artistic methods and their influence on the well-being of young people;
• To exchange, expand and improve youth workers working methods by sharing best practices, techniques and context-based learning from different realities, communities, and youth groups, about emotional well-being;
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The learning process will be guided and facilitated by an experienced team: 

• Andreea-Loredana Tudorache has been involved in the international youth work field since 2003 in various capacities. She is one of the founders of A.R.T. Fusion Association (Romania) and over the years has trained numerous professionals around the work in various topics. (http://trainers.salto-youth.net/AndreeaLoredanaTudorache )
• Tuba Ardic is the Director of Creative Connection, a Trainer at the National Agency of Norway and a passionate youth worker, active mentor, trainer, facilitator and social researcher since 2010. 
• Elena Stevkovska, youth worker, volunteers manager, theatre facilitator and trainer since 2021 (https://www.salto-youth.net/tools/toy/elena-stevkovska.6009/ ) 

The training course will be hosted in Balestrand, Norway. Art is a driving force in this community, and it is the soul of the village. Artists have been drawn to this village since the 19th century, attracted to the unique features of this area and have established an artist’s “colony” in the village. Today, various artists are using their skills and art in different social projects.

The location of the village, in the hearts of the fjords, with superb nature location and breath-taking views at every step, preserved and cherished by the local community will enable deep reflection, foster well-being in general and also inspire participants to appreciate the role of nature and how nature impact the status of emotional well-being.

The local host, Creative Connections Norway, is based in Balestrand and uses art as a methodology in their work with young people to create arenas for meaningful experiences. The organisation has an Art Factory where local youth get in touch with different forms of art activities and also can create and develop their own artistic projects.

Do you resonate with this course and want to be part of it? We are looking for: 

• Members or close collaborators of active Youth Organization for at least 1 year (staff or active member, paid or not). The organization should have a valid OID number.
• A strong and genuine interest in fostering the emotional well-being of young people. 
• An open heart, mind and willingness to develop practical competencies in different art methods.
• Good command of the English language. 
• People older than 18 years and with a legal residence (proven by documents) in the country they are currently residing in.