LEVEL UP: Grow Your Sustainable Organisation

Below is a detailed description of the "LEVEL UP: Grow Your Sustainable Organisation" training course, structured for a SALTO-YOUTH call with a focus on non-formal learning and youth work.

Project Summary

"LEVEL UP" is a highly practical training course designed for youth workers who have already established a project, NGO, or social enterprise and are looking to scale their impact. This project serves as a follow-up to the "New Sprouts" initiative, focusing on overcoming growth challenges through experiential learning. Participants will work directly with real-world case studies—their own organizations—to develop strategies for economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

Target Audience: Youth Workers and Educators

This call is specifically targeted at applicants working in the fields of non-formal learning and youth work. It is ideal for those who:

• Are active youth workers, educators, or NGO leaders.
• Have been running or working within an organization/project for at least 6 months.
• Are motivated to support other young people in "leveling up" their own community projects.
• Are ready to share best practices and tackle strategic problems like funding, management, and outreach.

Objectives

The main goals of the training are to:

• Enhance professional skills: Provide youth workers with advanced knowledge in sustainability, sales, proposal writing, and organizational management.
• Foster Sustainable Growth: Help participants reflect on their organizational habits and create action plans for long-term sustainability.
• Practical Application: Use a hands-on methodology where participants solve tangible challenges within their own organizations.
• Multiplication of Knowledge: Prepare participants to organize follow-up activities in their local communities to share these tools with other youth.

Methodology & Flow

The training utilizes non-formal education (NFE) methods to ensure a demanding but rewarding experience. The program is divided into three parts:

• Reflection and Identity: Focusing on self-awareness, values, and the current state of the participants' organizations.
• Input and Expert Sharing: Diving into sustainability, systems change, and management with expert trainers.
• Action and Toolkits: Developing concrete action plans and toolkits to address specific organizational challenges.

Unique elements of this training include a digital detox (Days 2–3) to foster deeper connection and a strictly vegetarian menu to align with the project’s sustainability focus.

Follow-up and Impact

Participants are expected to remain engaged after the residential training. Between April and May 2026, they will implement local follow-up activities, such as awareness-raising workshops or themed gatherings, to share their learnings with local youth and stakeholders. A follow-up meeting with trainers will be held in June 2026 to monitor progress.