How can youth workers support young people´s well-being while also taking care of their
own?

This question inspired YouthFlow2: Empowering Youth Workers in Mindful Practices, an
Erasmus+ training course organised by Na Slunci, z.s., in the Czech Republic.

From 19 to 26 November 2025, we brought together 30 participants from Czechia, Germany,
Poland, Spain and Armenia at Kaprálův Mlýn, surrounded by the beautiful nature of the
Moravian Karst.

Our aim was to create a space where youth workers could explore practical approaches to
mindfulness, emotional awareness, stress management and meaningful connections, and
discover how to integrate these experiences into their work with young people.

Learning Through Experience

 

Rather than focusing mainly on theory, YouthFlow2 invited participants to learn through their own experiences. 

 

Throughout the training, we explored conscious dance, functional breathing techniques inspired
by the Oxygen Advantage method, art journaling, reflection and nature-based activities.

Participants also exchanged their own practices through Open Space workshops, introducing
methods such as ecstatic singing, conscious relating, nature connection and creative role-
playing.

Daily reflection groups helped participants recognise their learning, understand their emotional
responses and consider how these experiences could influence their personal and professional
lives.

One of the most meaningful parts of the training was witnessing how a diverse group gradually
built trust, learned to communicate across cultural differences and supported each other through
unfamiliar experiences.

From Personal Experience to Youth Work

For us, an important question was how to bring these practices beyond the training itself.

Participants worked together to create the YouthFlow Guide, a practical resource bringing
together methods, experiences and ideas that youth workers can adapt to their own
communities.

After returning home, national teams organised local follow-up activities in all five participating
countries.

In Czechia, movement, breathing and art journaling activities were introduced to young people
and families. In Poland, participants organised a Dance Jam. In Germany, mindfulness and
connection were explored with university students. In Armenia, local activities included art
journaling, breathing and conscious dance. In Spain, the team facilitated a youth workshop
called Flow & Vibe.

These activities allowed participants to share their learning with others and experiment with
approaches suited to their local contexts.

The Impact Continues

Several months after the training, we contacted participants again to understand what had
stayed with them.

Their responses showed that YouthFlow2 continued to influence both their personal lives and
professional practices.

Some participants now use breathing exercises, conscious dance and journaling to manage
everyday stress and reconnect with themselves. Others have introduced reflection questions,
creative movement, art journaling and group singing into their work with young people.
The project also created lasting friendships, professional connections and opportunities for
further cooperation between participants and organisations.

We are especially happy to see YouthFlow methods continuing in activities at TeenAge Club
Rudka and in the work of Tvořivá dílna IRIDA, including its Erasmus+ and European Solidarity
Corps activities.

What We Learned as Organisers

YouthFlow2 was also an important learning experience for us at Na Slunci.

Participants appreciated the supportive atmosphere, experienced facilitators, practical methods
and opportunities for intercultural exchange. At the same time, their feedback reminded us how
important it is to balance an intensive learning programme with sufficient rest, personal space
and time to integrate experiences.

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These reflections will help us design future learning experiences that are both meaningful and
attentive to participants´ different needs.

Keeping the Flow Alive

We believe youth work is not only about supporting young people to develop new skills. It is also
about creating spaces where they feel heard, connected, accepted and free to explore
themselves.

YouthFlow2 reminded us that sometimes learning begins with something simple: noticing our
breath, moving our bodies, expressing an emotion or listening to another person.

We are grateful to all participants, trainers, facilitators and partner organisations who contributed
to this experience and continue bringing its learning into their communities.​​​​