Human Spices

Please check the full Call here:https://canva.link/humanspicespt1

A journey into body awareness, self-worth and authentic connection

Young people today grow up surrounded by images, messages and expectations that constantly shape how they see themselves. Social media, beauty standards, performance culture and the pressure to succeed can deeply influence body image, self-esteem and mental wellbeing.

For many young people, these pressures create a growing distance from their own experience, their body’s signals and their sense of intrinsic worth. Anxiety, self-criticism and comparison often become part of daily life.

As youth workers, educators and facilitators, we encounter these realities more and more frequently. Yet supporting others begins with developing our own awareness, presence and understanding of the complex relationship between body, mind and emotions.

Human Spices was created as a response to this challenge.

Human Spices is an Erasmus+ project that explores how mindfulness, embodiment and nature-based learning can support mental wellbeing, self-acceptance and healthy human development. The project invites youth workers to develop practical tools and personal experience that can later be transferred into their work with young people.

THE JOURNEY AS A WHOLE

Ideally, our intention is to create a committed and cohesive group of participants who are motivated to embark on the entire journey and attend both training courses. We strongly encourage this full participation because we experienced highly positive results with a similar project structure in 2025. Following the same group through both steps immensely deepened the impact, connection and learning outcomes for everyone involved.

This call is therefore dedicated to the first step of the journey, Personal Taste, while also opening the possibility to continue the learning process through Social Flavors in 2027.

PERSONAL TASTE

 

Just as every spice contributes its own flavour to a meal, every person brings unique qualities, experiences, sensitivities and gifts to the world.

Yet many people learn to evaluate themselves through external standards rather than through direct connection with their own experience.

Personal Taste invites participants to rediscover their inner flavour, developing a more compassionate relationship with themselves and a deeper appreciation of their own uniqueness.

Through embodiment, mindfulness, reflection, movement and nature-based learning, we will explore how greater self-awareness can become a foundation for wellbeing and meaningful youth work.

The project unfolds through two complementary training experiences:

Personal Taste, focused on self-discovery and personal development.

Social Flavors, focused on relationships, facilitation skills and community engagement.

The project is designed as a continuous and progressive learning experience. While this call is specifically for the first training, Personal Taste, the second training, Social Flavors, is scheduled to take place in Spring 2027 (with exact dates to be announced).

COURSE CONTENT

• Mindfulness and body awareness

Developing awareness of sensations, emotions and inner signals through mindfulness and embodied practices, cultivating presence, balance and self-connection.

• Self-perception and inner worth

Exploring how cultural narratives and personal experiences shape self-image, while nurturing a deeper sense of worth rooted in authenticity rather than external validation.

• Awareness and presence

Cultivating attention, observation and emotional balance, developing the capacity to respond consciously rather than react automatically.

• Personal discovery and embodied identity

Discovering the qualities, values and inner resources that make each person unique through movement, reflection and creative exploration.

OUTCOMES

Through grounding practices, experiential learning and meaningful reflection, participants will be invited to connect the themes explored during the training with their personal journey, professional role and everyday life.

Key outcomes include:

Greater awareness of the relationship between body, emotions and mental wellbeing.

A deeper understanding of the factors influencing body image and self-esteem in young people.

Practical mindfulness and embodiment tools applicable in youth work settings.

Increased resilience, self-acceptance and emotional regulation.

New methods for creating supportive environments that foster wellbeing and healthy development.

Stronger capacity to accompany young people with empathy, authenticity and presence.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Human Spices is a project and a learning environment dedicated to personal and professional development. It is not a therapeutic setting, nor is it intended to replace individual therapeutic or clinical processes. The practices offered are educational and experiential, designed to support awareness, learning, and reflection within a group context.

By applying, participants commit to being present and actively involved in the process, to the best of their personal possibilities.

Some activities are process-oriented rather than outcome-driven. They invite presence, openness, curiosity, and a willingness to stay with uncertainty, exploration, and a frame that may evolve over time. This requires a certain level of self-responsibility, emotional awareness, and respect for oneself and the group.

We welcome participants who feel ready to engage with this process with care, maturity, and commitment, contributing to a shared space of trust, learning, and embodied exploration.

This space is not the right fit at this moment if you are currently in psychological distress or recently destabilized by trauma-related work; if you are looking for a passive or low-intensity experience rather than an active, experiential learning environment; if you are unwilling to engage in activities involving physical contact or group movement; or if you are seeking a toolkit of ready-made methods rather than a process of genuine inner exploration.

WHO IS THIS TRAINING FOR?

This training course is designed for youth workers, educators, social workers, facilitators, volunteers and anyone engaged in supporting the growth and wellbeing of young people. It is particularly relevant for those interested in mindfulness, embodiment, mental wellbeing, personal development and holistic approaches to youth work.

Eligible participants are residents of the partner countries involved in the project, must be over 21 years old and able to communicate in English, the working language of the course.

This training is for you if you are willing to:

explore your relationship with yourself through embodied and experiential practices;

spend time outdoors, connecting with nature as a space for reflection and learning;

question assumptions and inherited narratives about identity, value and success;

engage with curiosity, openness and a willingness to learn from direct experience;

grow within a supportive international group and contribute to a collective learning process;

discover practical tools that can enrich both your personal life and professional practice;

share your perspectives while learning from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences;

commit to the full process, including preparation, participation and follow-up activities.