TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Michaela Gelnarova
“The Confident Youth Worker: The Assertive Approach” is an Erasmus+ Training Course focused on strengthening assertive communication in youth work. The training supported youth workers, trainers, facilitators and youth leaders in developing the confidence, awareness and practical tools needed to communicate clearly, set healthy boundaries, give and receive feedback, and manage conflict in a constructive way.
During the training, participants explored assertiveness as a key competence for effective communication, professional well-being and inclusive youth work. Through non-formal education methods, coaching, embodiment, theatre-based approaches and experiential learning, participants reflected on their own communication patterns and practised ways to express their needs and boundaries while maintaining empathy and respect for others.
The main objectives of the training were to:
✅ Strengthen assertive communication skills in youth work.
✅ Support youth workers in setting healthy boundaries and expressing needs clearly.
✅ Develop constructive feedback and conflict management skills.
✅ Enhance participants’ self-confidence, emotional awareness and resilience.
✅ Empower participants to create respectful, inclusive and empowering learning environments for young people.
✅ Support participants in transferring the learning to their organisations and local youth work realities.
The target group of the training consisted of youth workers, trainers, facilitators of non-formal learning, youth leaders, NGO staff and people actively working with young people who wished to improve their assertive communication and conflict management competences.
The participants:
✅ Were actively involved in youth work, non-formal education or youth organisations.
✅ Were motivated to develop their communication, boundary-setting and feedback skills.
✅ Were interested in applying assertiveness tools in their daily work with young people.
✅ Were committed to participating in the full duration of the programme.
✅ Had sufficient command of the English language.
✅ Were at least 18 years old.
The training brought together participants from different European countries, including Greece, Lithuania, France, Germany, Latvia, Spain, Slovakia, Italy, Czechia and Slovenia. This created a diverse intercultural learning environment where participants could exchange realities, challenges and practices from different youth work contexts.
The trainers’ team consisted of Ilias Giannopoulos, Raminta Rusovičiūtė and Michaela Gelnarová, all experienced trainers in non-formal education and alumni of SALTO’s Training of Trainers 2023/2024.
The training was based on non-formal education, experiential learning and learning by doing. Participants were actively involved throughout the process and were invited to connect the learning with their own youth work realities, communication habits and professional challenges.
The methodology included:
✅ Coaching and reflection practices.
✅ Embodiment and body-awareness exercises.
✅ Theatre and art-based methods.
✅ Experiential learning activities and simulations.
✅ Peer learning and group work.
✅ Individual reflection and self-assessment.
✅ Practical workshop design and facilitation.
The training included sessions on assertive communication, non-verbal communication, setting boundaries, saying no, conflict management, emotions in conflict, giving and receiving feedback, and practical application of the tools. Participants also worked on developing educational activities that could be tested with local young people and later adapted to their own communities.
A strong emphasis was placed on creating a safe and supportive learning environment where participants could experiment, make mistakes, receive feedback and reflect on their personal development.
Development of assertive communication and conflict management competences - Participants practised expressing thoughts, feelings, needs and boundaries clearly, while exploring how to respond to conflict in a more respectful and constructive way.
• Strengthened feedback and boundary-setting skills - Participants practised saying no, setting limits, and giving and receiving constructive feedback in a way that supports trust, growth and cooperation.
• Increased self-confidence and emotional awareness - Participants became more aware of their own communication patterns, emotional reactions and behaviours in challenging situations.
• Practical application with local young people - As part of the training, participants designed and delivered their own workshops during a local event in Thessaloniki, engaging around 30 local participants and testing their methods in a real educational setting.
• Strengthened international cooperation - Participants connected with youth workers from different countries, exchanged practices and explored possibilities for future collaboration.
Within the trainers' team, I served as a co-trainer responsible for designing and facilitating participant-centered learning activities. I was in charge of shaping the group dynamics from the start by leading the team-building process and facilitating daily reflection sessions to support the participants' ongoing learning journey.
My specific thematic focus included preparing and delivering sessions on communication theory, assertive communication, setting boundaries, conflict management, and providing and receiving constructive feedback. Throughout the program, I focused on on-the-spot facilitation, adapting our methods dynamically to respond to the group's real-time needs.
Additionally, I contributed to the overall community-building and evening program by hosting the "Guess My Passion" night, helping to foster a creative, inclusive, and engaging environment for everyone involved.
Absolute pleasure to work with Misha. Her humorous approach always gives great energy to the group and the team members.