UTOPIA Intercultural Dialogue Guide for youth workers

Aims of the tool

Equip youth workers with practical theory and activities to foster intercultural dialogue, empathy, and inclusion between local and refugee youth.

Description of the tool

The Intercultural Dialogue Guide for Youth Workers is a practical and structured resource developed within the UTOPIA project to support professionals working with young people from diverse cultural backgrounds, including displaced Ukrainian youth. Designed as a hands-on tool, the guide offers a combination of theoretical grounding and ready-to-use non-formal education activities focused on promoting mutual understanding, social inclusion, and intercultural awareness.

Recognising the increasing need for meaningful engagement between local and refugee youth, the guide equips youth workers with the tools to create safe, inclusive spaces where dialogue can flourish. It begins with a concise theoretical framework that introduces key concepts such as intercultural competence, empathy, trauma sensitivity, and group facilitation principles.

The core of the guide includes over 40 structured activities, each accompanied by clear objectives, group size, required materials, step-by-step instructions, and reflection prompts. Activities range from icebreakers and storytelling workshops to role-playing exercises and collaborative projects, all designed to be flexible and easily adapted to different age groups, settings, and levels of experience.

Additional sections provide:

Sample session plans for short-term and long-term programming

Facilitation tips for managing diverse and mixed-ability groups

Debriefing techniques to encourage critical reflection

A resource bank with further reading and support tools

All materials have been tested and refined through pilot activities conducted in partner countries, with direct input from youth workers and young participants, ensuring that the content is relevant, accessible, and impactful.

The guide is intended to serve as both an entry point for those new to intercultural work and a toolkit for experienced facilitators seeking new approaches. Through this resource, UTOPIA aims to foster deeper connections among young people and support their active participation in inclusive, resilient communities.