TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Edyta Gawlak
The Study Visit “Cultural Institutions in Europe” aimed to strengthen cooperation between cultural and youth organisations across Europe and to inspire innovative, inclusive ways of engaging young people in culture. The main objective was to explore how local cultural institutions can apply non-formal education principles and youth participation models in their daily work.
The activity addressed the need for creating bridges between the cultural and youth sectors, supporting professionals who work at this intersection. It focused on inclusion, creativity, and the use of design thinking as a tool for audience development and community engagement.
The Study Visit was organised by the Polish National Agency of the Erasmus+ Programme and the European Solidarity Corps (FRSE) and aligned with its strategic goal of strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation, promoting peer learning and sharing good practices among professionals from different European contexts.
The Study Visit brought together 26 participants representing cultural institutions, NGOs and grassroots youth organisations from across Europe and neighbouring partner countries. The group included participants from Poland, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Armenia, Germany, Spain, Ukraine and Georgia, offering a wide diversity of professional experiences and cultural perspectives.
The international trainers’ team consisted of Edyta Gawlak (Poland) and Diana Kovačić (Croatia). Both trainers jointly designed and facilitated the full 5-day learning process. The event was coordinated and hosted by the Polish National Agency (FRSE), which ensured a structured framework for intercultural dialogue and professional exchange.
The methodology of the Study Visit was built on non-formal education, experiential learning and intercultural dialogue. Each session was designed to ensure active engagement, creativity and meaningful reflection, helping participants connect what they saw in cultural institutions with their own professional realities.
The trainers used a balanced mix of interactive, analytical and reflective tools, including:
• My Cultural Roadmap – a self-paced networking activity with creative intercultural “stations” (symbolising, associating, storytelling and experiencing culture);
• Poncho Exercise – a visual identity tool to present one’s organisation and motivation;
• Speed Dating – structured conversations for professional networking;
• Multiple Uses of an Object – a divergent thinking exercise to stimulate creativity;
• Hidden Roles Observation – a simulation method for experiencing inclusion through different perspectives;
• Street Art Intervention – short creative action using simple materials (chalk, post-its, googly eyes) to engage with public space;
• Junk Journals, Letters to a Colleague and Symbol Cards – daily reflection tools combining artistic and emotional processing;
• Inspiration Gallery of Good Practices – interactive peer-to-peer exhibition;
• World Café – collaborative discussion format to generate new ideas and partnerships;
• Pizza Reflection – visual and participatory evaluation method.
Visual facilitation, Padlet boards and open dialogue were used throughout the week to document learning, while creative reflection transformed participants’ experiences into insights and concrete follow-up ideas.
The Study Visit resulted in tangible and intangible outcomes. Participants gained new insights into participatory and inclusive approaches in cultural institutions, developed professional networks and identified opportunities for future Erasmus+ and ESC cooperation projects. Several participants planned joint follow-up initiatives in youth inclusion and creative education.
Evaluation data (average 4.8/5 satisfaction rate) confirmed that the learning design, facilitation and atmosphere were highly appreciated. The final report and documentation were submitted to the Polish National Agency (FRSE) and serve as a reference for future capacity-building activities in the cultural and youth sectors.
The activity also contributed to long-term outcomes such as increased intercultural awareness, confidence in applying design thinking and non-formal learning tools, and stronger collaboration between the youth and culture fields.
I worked as a full-time international trainer and facilitator throughout the entire Study Visit. Together with my co-trainer, I co-created the learning design, prepared the facilitation methods, and coordinated daily sessions. My specific responsibilities included designing creative reflection formats, leading group dynamics and intercultural integration activities, conducting empathy-based exercises, and developing evaluation tools and documentation.
I was also responsible for supporting participants’ learning reflections, summarising key insights from each day, and co-authoring the final report submitted to the Polish National Agency. Throughout the process, I ensured that learning remained inclusive, engaging and participant-centred, while maintaining close cooperation with the hosting team and programme coordinators from FRSE.
Edyta demonstrated strong teamwork skills, intercultural sensitivity and methodological expertise, successfully guiding a diverse group of professionals from across Europe. Her facilitation style was dynamic, structured and participant-centred.
I fully recommend Edyta Gawlak as a skilled international trainer with deep expertise in non-formal learning, creative methodologies and design thinking in youth and cultural education.