Pattern Breaker

Overview 

Are you an experienced youth worker ready to break out of the cycle of repeating the same energizers, team-builders, and organizational practices? Join our 7-day training course designed to help you critically evaluate your existing patterns and shift toward impact-first youth work design.

Through intensive reflection sessions, practical experimentation (motto: “a little chaos is okay”), and collaborative redesign workshops, you'll learn to question the "why" behind your methods rather than just the "how." Instead of starting with activities and hoping for impact, you'll learn to design from impact backwards—deciding what you want to achieve first, then creating methods that truly serve those goals.

This training isn't just about learning new techniques—it's about developing a critical mindset that will transform how you approach youth work. You'll challenge decades-old practices, experiment with innovative approaches, and gain the confidence to break patterns that no longer serve your participants effectively.

And who knows? Maybe some decade-old practices are still with us for a reason. However, we must occasionally step outside of them to determine whether they still serve us.

What You Will Learn

• Dive deep into your own communication patterns and facilitation habits to become a more effective facilitator
• Review and discard old patterns in youth work practices while co-creating fresh, impact-driven methods
• Examine your organizational communication and internal processes, embracing change where needed
• Collect upgraded tools, fresh ideas, and innovative activities in a comprehensive toolkit
• Build confidence to question established practices and lead methodological innovation in your field

Who Can Apply 

• We are looking for 24 participants from Hungary, Spain, Austria, Portugal, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, and Italy. This course is for you if:
• You have experience in local or international youth work, but find yourself repeating the same patterns without questioning their effectiveness
• You have "your own way of doing things" but are open to challenging old patterns and discovering fresh, impact-driven approaches
• You want to gain confidence as a facilitator and learn how to design methods that leave a lasting impact rather than just fill time
• You face fewer opportunities but are motivated to grow, develop new skills, and bring back valuable knowledge to your community
• You're tired of youth exchanges that feel like "celebrations of old rituals" and want to create more meaningful experiences

Requirements

• Experience in youth work (local or international) with some established practices you're willing to question
• Intermediate or higher level of English
• Previous experience in Erasmus+ youth mobilities and a basic understanding of non-formal education
• A willingness to fully participate in the training and follow-up activities, including organizing a workshop for your local community
• Openness to challenging your existing methods and experimenting with new approaches

Trainer Team 

Marcelina Woźniak (PL), Renáta Uferbach (HU), and Ábris Szép (HU)

Program Overview 

Day 1: Arrival & getting to know each other - starting to question common team-building patterns 

Day 2: Communication & facilitation patterns - examining how we interact and lead 

Day 3: Absolute chaos - experimenting with completely new approaches to program structure

Day 4: Organizational patterns - reviewing how we organize and communicate about youth projects 

Day 5: Non-formal education lab part 1 - designing and testing new methodologies 

Day 6: Non-formal education lab part 2 - trying out our creations

Day 7: Future plans - cementing our commitment to impact-first approaches 

Join us and become a pattern breaker who transforms youth work from the inside out!

More info and the application form can be found in the infopack:
(The two infopack versions below are the same:)

Canva: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGwhmAs8r8/yBgrd8-Y_PpA7nEvZt6zVQ/edit?utm_content=DAGwhmAs8r8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton 

Google Drive (PDF): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O784FE9Y1c-FJLxQRQkZFac88FgPLpUa/view?usp=sharing