Movement, community and nature for the empowerment of youth

During the training we will learn key competencies and work methods that increase young people's own ability to achieve mental health and well-being and build capacity. At the same time we will experience the methods on us – so the aim of the training is also to support the well-being and build capacity of us, youth workers/trainers. In addition to the protective factor of me and my abilities/skills (my social and emotional skills, knowledge, self-awareness, mindfulness, self-regulation skills, etc.), we will also delve deeper into how we can encourage support to each other and community support (friends, family, school, etc.) and how nature affects the well-being and holistic development of young people and us.

Methodology:

Our main methods of learning is experiential exercises and learning, that also applies to theory, self-reflection and contenplation. We will learn this through the approach of experiential learning art/creative media and experiential pedagogy in nature and embodiment practices as a tool. The training is process-oriented, so we follow what emerges and support what is awakening. Be ready to go deep, go out of your and challenge yourself.

Through body movement techniques and somatic approaches we will strengthen our psychological - physical dimension of functioning and consequently strengthen greater stability in the individual's daily functioning. Through them we will:

- Explore psychological content through somatic and movement experience. - Get to know your own physical and movement vocabulary, strengthening trust and understanding of body sensations, impulses and tendencies. - Supports the establishment of a balance that connects the inner world with the outer world. - And above all, learning new methods that can serve us and the youth we work with on a daily basis when searching for and strengthening contact with ourselves and others.

Through symbolic, physical and pictorial theater, we will raise awareness of how we enter relationships empowered. We will delve deeper into community support, as an important safety net, and how we can care for an empathetic and supportive community (and peer support).

The third focus of the training will be teaching methods of learning in nature, experiential pedagogy and how we can use the elements of nature in youth work. Mainly for the holistic development of us and young people (promoting also emotional, physical, social intelligence, mindfulness) and how nature can act as a positive factor to support mental health. We also want to tune to stillness, contemplation and reflection in nature, to come back to the present moment, to authenticity and to rediscover our own rhythm by listening and observing what is around us and inside us. We will learn through the connection of nature.

About the trainers: 

NAYELI – ŠPELA PETERLIN is a psychologist, therapist, non-formal education facilitator and passionate movement explorer. Her work is inspired by many fields of practices she is involved in (gestalt experiential psychotherapy, somatic practices, contact improvisation, youthwork, etc.). Her main exploration and research involve finding bridges between psychology and movement, between inner and outer personal relationships, between nature and human etc. Her intention is to bring embodiment practices into youth work, helping people be more aware and sensitive to their bodies while working with other people. In contact improvisation, she finds a meaningful place to expand, explore, deepen her knowledge and simple be playful! She is currently working as a psychologist in health center and offering psychotherapy in her private practice.

PRIJA BARBARA BALAN is a social pedagogue and nature lover. She has extensive knowledge of group dynamics and group process management, various informal methods of working with young people and adults, experience in counseling and mentoring for young people. She has pedagogical experience of social inclusion snf empowerment using different creative media to strengthen the power and well-being of different groups. She has a lot of experience in community work, sustainable targeted practices and mentoring individuals. She has led various longer social and experiential pedagogical camps for young people and children in nature and permacultural farms. She was educated in the non-violent communication method, Dragon 's dreaming method, Hero's journey, teaching permaculture, community building. At this moment she is building up her own social, educational and permacultural farm – since she strongly believes in experience learning through nature and creative media.

KRISTINA DEBENJAK is a social and circus pedagogue, active in the field of non-governmental youth sector, program designer and president of the Cirkokrog Association. She has 15 years of experience with the creative media of theater and circus pedagogy. Through workshops, youth exchanges and (including pilot) projects, she co-creates social and community spaces based on interconnection, acceptance of diversity, building a supportive community and reflecting on our social roles and positions. An important experience of the power of community theater and theater of the oppressed was her 7-year involvement in the theater group Kraljev Ulice, OdPisani, which included homeless people, people with homelessness and people without experience who are interested in theater. It explores the themes of community work, expression and action through physical and motor activities, inclusion and creation of mixed communities. She is currently researching the topic of theater of the oppressed as a method for joint research into the psychosocial contacts of young people and the role of their supportive communities.

Here is also a link to the call, with the same informations as above (just more pictures)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZiNxPg2lvT6qpmCFbjCRhZ75N96CYil-/view?usp=sharing