Strengthening Resilience and Building Community: A Journey through Activate Your Strengths in Berlin

Last year 2023, Berlin became again the vibrant hub for an inspiring and transformative project titled Activate Your Strengths, Strengthen Your Resilience. This nine-day training course brought together youth workers and educators from various backgrounds to learn, grow, and connect. The program aimed to enhance participants' mental health and resilience while equipping them with innovative non-formal education techniques to better support children and young people in their communities. This blog captures the essence of the project, highlighting the positive outcomes and profound learnings experienced by the participants.

Background and Objectives

The project aimed to connect youth workers from different European countries to foster professional development, build new skills and competencies, and boost self-confidence. The focus was particularly on mental health and resilience. Three primary goals were set:

1. Enable youth workers to discover and activate their strengths using creative methods.
2. Increase awareness of mental health and confidence in working with groups.
3. Build partnerships and friendships among youth workers across Europe for mutual support in professional and personal development.

Additionally, the project aimed to address the rising mental health challenges among young people, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. By integrating positive psychology into youth work, the project sought to improve mental well-being and work engagement among youth workers. The innovative approach involved interactive, creative, and outdoor educational methods to develop self-confidence and new skills.

The main activity was a week-long training session in Berlin, involving 40 youth workers from Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovakia, Ireland, and Germany. The participants, aged 18 and above, included professional youth workers, trainees, social educators, social workers, trainers, and adventure educators.

The Heart of the Project

The training course, organized in a collaborative and inclusive environment, offered a diverse array of activities designed to promote mental well-being and resilience. The agenda included different sessions on mental health, positive psychology, self-confidence, and various experiential education methods,  all aimed at fostering a sense of community and personal growth.

One participant shared, "I had a fantastic time participating in all of the activities, and they enabled me to explore new facets of my personality. Additionally, engaging in these activities helped me to enhance my mental well-being."

The used Training Activities:

• Check In:
  • Awareness and Connection: sharing of the mental and emotional state and connect with others in the group. This can foster a sense of belonging and mutual support.
  • Normalization of Emotions: Sharing experiences and emotions to normalize feelings and reduce stigma surrounding mental health issues.

• Mental Health Morning Sessions:
  • Introspection: A silent walk & creative writing to formulating an personal goal on your own folded butterfly
  • Psychogeography: Exploring the impact of geographical environments on participants' emotions and mental states.
  • Yoga & Meditation: Daily sessions to promote mindfulness, relaxation, and mental clarity.
  • Forest Bathing: Immersive nature experiences to enhance mental well-being and reduce stress.
  • Trustbuilding: various trust building activities to create a positive and collaborative atmosphere, improve their mood and making them more comfortably and productive

• Workshops on Mental Health and Resilience:
  • Stress Management: Techniques and strategies to manage stress effectively and to train your stress resilience
  • Resilience Factors: Understanding and building resilience to cope with challenges,  working with the „beetle model“ for resilience and creative think task for self-reflection
  • Positive Psychology: Utilizing personal character strengths such as courage, honesty, leadership, and perseverance to enhance well-being and work engagement.
  • Personality Types (Meyers and Briggs): Identifying personality types to improve self-awareness and interpersonal relationships.
  • Self-confidence & self-assurence: Exercises on body language as „Power poses“, SMART goals and recources
  • Menthal Health at work: interactive changing discussions about work-life balance, design of the working environment, imagination and reality

• Creative Methods:
  • Graffiti Course: Using graffiti as a form of self-expression and to explore creativity.
  • Drama & Improvisational Theater: Techniques to boost confidence, creativity, and group dynamics.
  • Clowning: Engaging in playful and humorous activities to break down barriers, build trust and find an easy way to deal with mistakes better

• Experiential Education Challenges:
  • Low Rope Parkour: Team-building activities as a metapher and a coaching method – What makes you feel insecure & what do you need?
  • Intuitive Archery: Developing focus, patience, and precision through archery exercises.

• Developing Workshops and Moderation Skills:
  • Creating Workshops: Participants developed and led their own workshops with professional support.
  • Instruction and Moderation: Practicing the facilitation of tasks and workshops, including art therapy and brain-stimulation exercises

• Use of Digital Media:
  • Real-Time Voting and Anonymous Evaluations: Tools for interactive and inclusive participation.
  • Creating and Holding Presentations: Enhancing digital skills for effective communication.

• Community Building and Networking:
  • Activities designed to build a supportive network among participants, fostering long-term partnerships and friendships.

Building Resilience Through Experiential Learning

A significant highlight of the project was the emphasis on experiential learning. This approach allowed participants to learn by doing, which proved to be both effective and enjoyable. The graffiti workshop, for example, provided a creative outlet for self-expression and reflection. "I enjoyed the most clowning session, graffiti, archery, beetle and test, 16 traits personality test, self-care exercise from the Bulgarian team, surprise workshop from Roman, acting, and art therapy workshops," noted one enthusiastic participant.

The inclusion of psychogeography and slackline exercises also stood out. These activities challenged participants to step out of their comfort zones and engage in mindful practices. As one attendee put it, "International evenings - getting to know a different culture is always an experience you would be glad to remember. From all of the exercises, the main one probably the psychogeography. People need to get lost more often, it's refreshing and it gives you an energized start on whatever you need to focus on when you get back."

Embracing Diversity and Building Connections

The project was as much about building connections as it was about personal development. Participants from different cultural backgrounds came together, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose. The international evenings were particularly memorable, allowing everyone to share their culture through food, dance, and stories. "I will always remember the people I met along the way. Deep talks with some people till 5 AM or when walking around the city," recalled one participant.

Team-building activities and trust workshops played a crucial role in creating a supportive and collaborative atmosphere. "What mattered most to me were the sessions in which we interacted with each other and worked as a team. For me, non-verbal and body contact was very important and I was very happy when we used this," highlighted another attendee.

Learning and Personal Growth

The project's structured yet flexible schedule allowed for both guided learning and personal exploration. Workshops on facilitation techniques, stress resilience exercises, and methods for youth work equipped participants with practical skills they could apply in their professional lives. "All the sessions and the time outside them gave me the opportunity to understand my strengths, weaknesses and learn to communicate with people even better. I enjoyed the task of creating my session. It gave an opportunity to show leadership skills, creativity, and learn something new together," shared a participant.

A notable aspect of the program was the focus on self-reflection and personal growth. The morning sessions dedicated to individual reflection provided a calm start to the day and set a positive tone. "I really liked morning sessions when I was just with myself. Thinking about everything that was going on. I am trying to keep this manner also after Erasmus," mentioned one participant.

Lasting Impact

The impact of "Activate Your Strengths, Strengthen Your Resilience" extended beyond the nine-day course. Participants left with a renewed sense of purpose, equipped with new skills and insights to apply in their work and personal lives. The connections made and the experiences shared fostered a strong sense of community that participants will carry with them.

In conclusion, the project was a resounding success, offering a unique blend of experiential learning, personal development, and community building. It provided a space for youth workers and educators to recharge, reflect, and reconnect with their passion for supporting young people. As one participant eloquently summed up, "It was a personal challenge. I looked at myself from a different angle and definitely became stronger. The people around me and the tasks highlighted my strengths and weaknesses, which I can now work with."

Results and Impact

The project reported high satisfaction among participants, with significant positive effects on their personal and professional lives. The feedback from participants highlighted the discovery of new personality facets, improved mental well-being, and enhanced job prospects through understanding their strengths.

Participants mentioned practical knowledge and action concepts applicable in self-care and future work contexts.

• “Now I know my personality traits that I can find a job better in the future.”
• “They explained to me how I can get used to a new job in new countries, they told me my strengths and what I can do. It was really important.”
• New skills in using acting tools, psychogeography, contact improvisation, archery, graffiti, and improvisation.
• Enhanced group work and brainstorming techniques, with sufficient time for activities.

Participants were empowered with new perspectives, tools, and methods to apply in their work. They developed strong bonds, forming a supportive community with ongoing contacts and new friendships. Organizational partnerships were strengthened, leading to new project ideas and collaborations.

Systemic Impact:

• Improved youth work within organizations through enhanced personal and professional development.
• Integration of self-sufficiency discussions and sustainable project ideas.
• Future collaborations planned with partners for further youth development projects.

Overall, the project successfully empowered youth workers, fostering professional growth, mental well-being, and international collaboration. The innovative methods and supportive community created lasting impacts, setting in motion various processes for continued improvement in youth work.

Berlin 2023 was not just a training course; it was a transformative journey that will continue to inspire and impact those who were fortunate enough to be a part of it. Participants appreciated the opportunity to learn, connect, and grow in such a supportive environment. One participant noted, "The experience was incredibly colorful and vibrant. It was a feast for the senses, and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the rich and lively atmosphere."