Toolbox — For Training and Youth Work
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Manual
A practical manual for youth workers facilitating autobiographical writing workshops with young people aged 16–20. Includes workshop structure, individual mentoring, ethical safeguards and quality monitoring tools.
To support youth workers and facilitators in planning and delivering autobiographical writing workshops with young people aged 16–20.
To develop creative writing and self-expression through lived experience, autobiographical storytelling and narrative distancing.
To promote youth participation and social inclusion through group activities and individual mentoring.
To guide facilitators in applying ethical safeguards and monitoring workshop quality.
To support the development of stories for a collective book and audiobook, while recognising that creative writing does not replace professional psychological or therapeutic support.
Developed within the Erasmus+ NARRADRAMA project, this manual by Domingo Ferrandis guides youth workers and facilitators through a cycle of local autobiographical writing workshops for young people aged 16–20.
The methodology combines autobiography, autofiction, narrative distancing, collective writing, accompanied reading and dramatization. Group activities are supported by individual mentoring, with attention to participants' emotional needs and respect for their authorship.
The workshop follows six phases: opening and framing; evocative writing; narrative structuring; dramatization and reading aloud; rewriting and refining; closing and evaluation.
The manual includes a step-by-step writing guide, guidance for local coordinators, a final reporting template and quality monitoring sheets covering consent, privacy, care, authorship and participant reflection.
Expected learning outcomes for young people include stronger narrative skills, greater expressive autonomy, and the ability to structure, revise and share an autobiographical or autofictional text. Facilitators can develop their skills in workshop planning, individual mentoring, ethical practice and qualitative evaluation.
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http://toolbox.salto-youth.net/6153
This tool is for
Youth workers, facilitators, educators and mentors supporting creative writing with young people aged 16–20. The manual was originally designed for 12 NARRADRAMA participants, organised in local groups of four in Spain, Italy and Belgium, following an introductory autobiographical writing workshop in Valencia.
and addresses
Social Inclusion, Intercultural Learning, Peer education, Youth Participation
Materials needed:
The implementation manual and its quality monitoring sheets; paper and pens or digital devices for writing and editing; short literary or poetry extracts for inspiration; participant consent forms and evaluation sheets; a suitable space for group writing, reading aloud and individual mentoring.
Duration:
A cycle of six sessions of similar duration, complemented by individual mentoring and writing between sessions. The manual does not prescribe a fixed number of hours; facilitators define the timetable according to the local context and participants' needs.
1. Opening, orientation and inspiration.
2. Evocative writing based on significant memories.
3. Narrative structuring and development.
4. Reading aloud and dramatization to explore narrative distance.
5. Rewriting, editing and refinement.
6. Sharing, collective reflection and final evaluation.
The process can combine in-person and online activities.
The tool was created by
Domingo Ferrandis – Asociación European Social Art (ESA)
in the context of
Erasmus+ KA210-YOU project NARRADRAMA – The Power of Storytelling for Youth (2025-1-IT03-KA210-YOU-000352512), Activity 3: Local Writing Workshops.
The tool has been experimented in
Local autobiographical writing workshops with young people aged 16–20 within the NARRADRAMA project.
The tool was published to the Toolbox by
Ana Maria Solis (on 2 November 2026)
and last modified
2 November 2026
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