Toolbox — For Training and Youth Work
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Simulation Exercise, Exercise, Manual, Group Building Activity
Cultivating Change: A Practical Guide for Inclusive and Innovative Youth Work
A guide created by youth workers during an Erasmus+ training course. It offers tools, activities and methods to support inclusive youth work, promote diversity, encourage participation and help facilitators create safe and engaging learning environments.
Aims of the tool
Aim(s)
The main aim of this guide is to support youth workers, trainers and youth organisations with practical, easy-to-use tools for planning and facilitating inclusive and innovative youth work activities.
The guide aims to:
- strengthen youth workers’ competences to include young people with fewer opportunities and to remove barriers to participation;
- promote diversity, intercultural understanding and respectful dialogue in youth groups;
- support meaningful youth participation and active involvement of young people in decision-making and community life;
- provide ready-to-use non-formal education activities that can be adapted to different contexts, group sizes and needs;
- encourage reflective practice and peer learning among youth workers, linking learning outcomes to everyday youth work;
- inspire the creation of safe spaces where sensitive topics can be explored in a supportive and empowering way.
The guide was created collaboratively by participants of an Erasmus+ training course and is designed for direct use in local youth projects, workshops, trainings and international activities.
Description of the tool
Description
“Cultivating Change: A Practical Guide for Inclusive and Innovative Youth Work” is a learning resource created by youth workers during the Erasmus+ training course “Cultivating Change: Powering Youth Work for Inclusion and Respect”. The guide was developed collaboratively by participants who shared their experiences, methods and reflections related to inclusive youth work and non-formal education.
The guide provides practical activities, facilitation tips and methodological explanations that can help youth workers create inclusive, participatory and engaging learning environments for young people. It focuses on key themes such as diversity, social inclusion, intercultural dialogue, youth participation and supporting young people with fewer opportunities.
The activities presented in this guide are based on non-formal education principles and experiential learning. They are designed to encourage reflection, dialogue and active participation. Youth workers can use these tools in workshops, youth exchanges, local youth projects, trainings or educational programmes with diverse groups of young people.
The guide includes practical exercises such as identity mapping, stereotype awareness activities, empathy circles, intercultural storytelling and participation labs. Each activity includes clear objectives, step-by-step instructions, reflection questions and facilitation tips that help youth workers adapt the methods to different groups and contexts.
Through these activities, participants can develop important competences including:
• stronger understanding of diversity and inclusion
• increased empathy and intercultural awareness
• improved communication and teamwork skills
• critical thinking about stereotypes, discrimination and social inequalities
• greater confidence in expressing opinions and participating in discussions
• stronger sense of belonging and respect within diverse groups
For youth workers and facilitators, the guide supports the development of facilitation skills, inclusive project design and reflective youth work practice. It also encourages youth workers to adapt learning methods to different groups and create safe spaces where young people feel comfortable sharing their perspectives.
The guide can be used as a practical toolkit for youth workers who want to strengthen inclusive youth work practices and empower young people to participate actively in their communities.
Available downloads:
Disclaimer
SALTO cannot be held responsible for the inappropriate use of these training tools. Always adapt training tools to your aims, context, target group and to your own skills! These tools have been used in a variety of formats and situations. Please notify SALTO should you know about the origin of or copyright on this tool.
Tool overview
http://toolbox.salto-youth.net/5498
This tool is for
Target group This guide is primarily designed for youth workers, youth leaders, trainers and facilitators who work with young people in non-formal education settings. It can also be useful for: • youth organisations and NGOs working with young people • educators and trainers involved in youth development programmes • volunteers and community workers supporting youth initiatives • facilitators organising workshops, youth exchanges or international training activities The activities in this guide are suitable for young people aged approximately 15–30, especially in diverse groups that include participants from different cultural, social or educational backgrounds. Many of the tools are particularly relevant when working with young people with fewer opportunities or those facing barriers to participation. The guide can be used in local youth projects, youth centres, community programmes, international youth exchanges, training courses and other learning environments that focus on participation, inclusion and intercultural dialogue.
and addresses
Social Inclusion, Group Dynamics, Intercultural Learning, Personal Development, Youth Participation
It is recommended for use in:
Training and Networking
Materials needed:
Needed materials
Most activities in this guide require simple and easily accessible materials commonly used in youth work settings. These include:
• Flipchart paper or large sheets of paper
• Markers and pens
• Sticky notes or small cards
• Printed handouts (optional depending on the activity)
• Chairs and open space for group activities and movement exercises
Some activities may also benefit from additional materials such as:
• Coloured paper or creative materials for visual exercises
• Tape or pins for displaying group work
• A projector or screen for presentations (optional)
• Internet access and digital tools when activities are implemented online or in hybrid formats
The guide was designed so that most activities can be implemented with minimal resources and can easily be adapted depending on the available materials and the context of the youth activity.
Duration:
Duration and training process
This guide is a flexible educational resource rather than a single activity. The duration depends on which activities are selected and how they are combined within a learning programme.
Individual activities included in the guide typically last between 30 and 90 minutes. Some short reflection or discussion activities may take around 20–30 minutes, while more interactive workshops or group exercises can last up to 90 minutes.
The tools can be used independently as single sessions or combined to create longer workshops, half-day trainings or full learning programmes focused on inclusive youth work and youth participation.
A possible training process using this guide may include:
• Introduction and group building (30–60 minutes)
• Activities exploring identity, diversity and stereotypes (60–90 minutes)
• Experiential learning activities focused on empathy and inclusion (60–90 minutes)
• Youth participation and project design exercises (60–90 minutes)
• Reflection and learning evaluation sessions (30–45 minutes)
Depending on the needs of the group, the tools from this guide can support short workshops of 2–3 hours, full-day training sessions or multi-day youth work training programmes.
Behind the tool
The tool was created by
TDM Portugal
in the context of
Context the tool was created in This guide was created during the Erasmus+ training course “Cultivating Change: Powering Youth Work for Inclusion and Respect”, implemented within the Erasmus+ Programme (Key Action 1 – Learning Mobility of Individuals).
The tool has been experimented in
Tool experimented in Training Course The activities and methods included in this guide were developed and tested during the Erasmus+ training course “Cultivating Change: Powering Youth Work for Inclusion and Respect”. Participants experienced the tools
The tool was published to the Toolbox by
Kateryna Shepeliuk (on 7 March 2026)
and last modified
5 March 2026
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