PIA: Play, improvisation and art

Full Call for participants: https://tinyurl.com/CallPIA

Summary:

This two-phase training course invites youth workers to dive deeply into the pedagogical use of playfulness, spontaneity, and creative processes to empower young people — both as individuals (fostering personal and social skills) and within groups (peer support, inclusion, emotional safety).

We will explore Why and how to use play, improvisation, and creative expression in youth work. What these methods can awaken in young people, also vulnerable youth. How different art forms — visual arts, theatre, body-oriented practices — can be used to meet specific pedagogical goals.

You will not only experience these processes firsthand, but also reflect on their applications, impacts, and ethical considerations. A theoretical framework from different approaches (such as creative art therapy, play therapy, psycho-somatic theory, improvisation, theory of flow) will support the experiential learning.

Methodology:

We will work with a rich toolbox that includes:

Physical theater and improvisation (theater, movement, voice), contact improvisation, body-oriented and somatic practices, Visual arts (drawing, clay, painting), Play, Creative self-reflection (individual and group), Group awareness practices, Nature-based and sensory methods (grounding, inspiration, connection)

Experiential learning will be the base of our work, supported by personal reflection, theoretical input, group sharing, and moments of integration and stillness.

Additional aims of this project:

• Bridging theory and practice: from personal experience to practical tools for youth work.
• Strengthen participants ability to be present, spontaneous, and embodied. Support participants in reconnecting with their inner playfulness and creativity.
• Fostering self-awareness, emotional expression, and regulation through creative and somatic tools — and exploring how to apply these with youth.
• Deepening understanding of empowerment through creative processes, improvisation, and body-oriented approaches.
• Expanding awareness, raise knowledge and skills of how and why to use different creative methods and different medias (visual art, body movement, theater, somatic) with different groups and what they can foster
• Explore movement, dance and interaction as an instruments to explore and develop meaningful experiences - reaching from creativity and social awareness to innovation and health.
• Building participants' capacity to hold space for others, especially youth in vulnerable situations.
• Creating a safe and brave space for embodied learning, experimentation, and growth.

A Two-Phase Structure

This project consists of two interconnected training courses in Slovenia, with the same group of participants throughout.

1st Training Course - 23.9. – 1.10.2025 (excluding travel days), Slovenia,  

2nd Training Course 11.4.-19.4.2026 (excluding travel days), Slovenia. More info in the link on the top!

APPLICATION FORM: https://tinyurl.com/PIAapllication

IMPORTANT NOTE: AI generated applications are not excepted, since its hard to asses ther originality

Full Call for participants: https://tinyurl.com/CallPIA