TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
http://trainers.salto-youth.net/MirelaPai.7162/
Mirela Pašić
I’m Mirela, a pedagogue, trainer and facilitator who likes learning spaces where people discuss, share and grow together. I work mostly with youth workers and young people, using non-formal methods, with (self-)reflection at the end. I try to understand the group and adapt to it as much as possible. I like structure, but also leaving space to change things when the group needs something different. I’m also a DJ, so mixing things that don’t obviously go together feels pretty natural to me.
Mirela Pašić has 3 references for past work as a trainer.
Contact details
Trainer connections
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Petra Papierníková -
petar dukic -
Clara Montalbano -
Marco Marinelli -
Ilias Giannopoulos -
Fabio Meazza -
Linda Ulane -
Anita Silva -
Salvi Greco -
suncana kusturin -
Snežana Bačlija Knoch
Current occupation
Self-employed trainer and facilitator in non-formal education and youth work, working through my own small business, Štošta. I design and deliver workshops, trainings and learning programmes for young people, youth workers and educators, and work as a freelance trainer and facilitator on national and international projects.
Work experience
In recent years, I have been working as an external trainer and facilitator for the Croatian National Agency for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, designing and delivering national and international trainings for youth workers, educators, volunteers and young people. My work focuses mainly on creative ways of learning and learning to learn, participation and active citizenship, inclusion and diversity, non-formal learning, volunteering, (self-)reflection and group processes.
My professional background also includes experience in local government, where I worked in the field of youth policy development and EU projects, as well as several years in civil society organisations, where I designed and delivered educational and preventive programmes with and for young people. These different perspectives still strongly influence the way I understand youth work and approach training today.
I have facilitated international seminars and training activities, including Inclusion in Education in Slovenia and the international Life Competence training for youth workers in Greece. I was also part of the trainer team for Boosting Up Youth Work, a four-day training designed for organisations with little or no experience in KA1 mobility projects for youth workers.
I also regularly work on ESC On-Arrival and Mid-Term trainings, DiscoverEU activities, trainings for accredited organisations, and workshops for teachers, students and youth workers.
Through my own business, Štošta, I continue to develop and deliver participatory and creative learning programmes, adapting methods and formats to the needs of each group. I also connect pedagogy and music through DJ-ing workshops for children and young people, using learning by doing, creativity and reflection as the main approach.
Educational pathway
I hold a Master’s degree in Pedagogy, which gave me a strong foundation in learning processes, group dynamics, education and working with children and young people. At the same time, a large part of how I work as a trainer today comes from my own experience as a participant in non-formal learning.
Over the years, I have taken part in many national and international trainings and learning programmes. Some of the most important for my development were the international Training of Trainers (ToT) programme (2023-2024), Youth in Contemporary Society at the University of Rijeka (2020-2021), and training in volunteer management.
The ToT programme was especially important because it helped me look more consciously at how I design learning processes, facilitate groups, reflect on my own role as a trainer and support learning without trying to control every part of it. My education in pedagogy gives me structure and theory, while non-formal education keeps reminding me how much learning can happen through experience, participation, reflection, creativity and exchange with others.
I continue to learn through the trainings I attend, the groups I work with and the colleagues I meet. For me, being a trainer also means staying a learner.
Fields of training expertise
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Animation -
Bullying & Harassment
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Campaigning & Awareness Raising
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Change Management
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Citizenship Education -
Coaching & Mentoring
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Communication Skills -
Conflict Management & Mediation
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Creativity & Art
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Crisis Management
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Diversity & Anti-Racism
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Drama & Theatre -
Education through Sports
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Environment & Ecology
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Entrepreneurship (Social)
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Equal Opportunities
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Evaluation & Assessment
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Event Management
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Financial Management
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Fundraising
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Gender Awareness & Mainstreaming
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Global Education
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Group Dynamics & Motivation
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Health & Prevention
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Human Rights
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Intercultural Learning
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International Youth Work
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Labour Rights & Employment
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Leadership Development
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Lobbying & Advocacy
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New Information Technologies
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Open Space Technology
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Organizational Management
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Outdoor & Experiential Training
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Peace Education
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People Management & Cooperation
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Personal Development & Empowerment
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Project Management
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Public Relations & Marketing
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Public Speaking
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Recognition of NFLearning
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Social Inclusion & Exclusion
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Social Media
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Storytelling & Humour
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Time Management
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Training of Trainers
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Valorisation of Projects (DEOR)
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Volunteer Programmes
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Youth Exchanges
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Youth Information Work
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Youth Participation & Initiatives
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Youth Policy
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Youth Violence & Criminality
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Youth Worker Training
Knowledge about institutions and programmes
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Erasmus+ (KA1) Youth Exchanges
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Erasmus+ (KA1) Training & Networking
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Erasmus+ (KA2) Transnational Youth Initiatives
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Erasmus+ (KA2) Strategic Partnerships
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Erasmus+ (KA2) Capacity Building (other countries in the World)
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Erasmus+ (KA3) Youth Policy Meetings
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European Solidarity Corps Volunteering
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Erasmus+ (lifelong learning, non-youth)
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European Youth Centres (CoE)
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European Youth Foundation (CoE)
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Solidarity Fund for Youth Mobility (CoE)
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European Institutions
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Youth Partnership CoE-COM
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International Youth Structures
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Private Foundations
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United Nations
Working with specific target groups
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Children
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Families
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Gay, Lesbian, Bi & Transgender work
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Intercultural Teams
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Marginalized & Excluded Youth
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Men's Issues & Groups
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Minorities
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Religious Youth Groups
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Women's Issues & Groups
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Young People with a Mental Disability
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Young People with a Physical Disability
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Young People with a Sensory Disability
Experience with specific geographical regions
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Eastern Europe and Caucasus
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Euro-Mediterranean Co-operation
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European Cooperation
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Global Cooperation
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North-South Co-operation
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South East Europe
Other skills
I use visual (graphic) facilitation, creative methods, reflection tools and a lot of adapting to the group in front of me. I also have experience in moderation, volunteer coordination and event work. Music and DJ-ing are part of my practice too, especially when I want to bring in creativity, expression and learning by doing.
Language Skills
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Croatian -
English
Trainer references
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On-Arrival Training for European Solidarity Corps Volunteers
Validated (2026-09-16)Reference person
Lidija Sokolić
(Organiser)If you want to contact reference persons, you have to be signed in. -
Embrace Inclusion & Diversity in Your Erasmus+ Projects – Erasmus+ Inclusion Support Measures
Validated (2026-09-18)Reference person
Dorina Sraka
(Co-organiser)If you want to contact reference persons, you have to be signed in. -
Inclusion in education: development of Erasmus+ projects led by inclusive values
Validated (2026-09-18)Reference person
Ivana Majcen
(Organiser)If you want to contact reference persons, you have to be signed in.
This profile was last modified on 2026-09-12