Digital Pathways – Day 1: Where the Journey Begins

Every meaningful journey starts with people coming together.

On the first day of the Digital Pathways: Innovating Facilitation for Youth Empowerment and Active Citizenship training course, youth workers and youth leaders from different countries arrived in Kalamata with curiosity, ideas, and a shared desire to learn, exchange, and grow.

Day 1 was not about tools or theory yet. It was about connection.

Through interactive icebreakers and team-building activities, participants began getting to know one another, sharing stories, backgrounds, and experiences from their work with young people. Step by step, a learning community started to take shape — built on trust, openness, and respect for diversity.

The group worked together to set the foundations for the days ahead:How do we want to work together?What do we need in order to feel safe, heard, and included?What does meaningful learning look like for us?

Taking advantage of the beautiful February weather, part of the programme unfolded outdoors, with the marina of Kalamata becoming an open learning space. Conversations flowed more freely, energy shifted, and the environment itself became part of the learning process — a reminder of how powerful space and atmosphere can be in non-formal education.

The day closed with the first reflection moment of the training. Participants shared their expectations, fears, motivations, and learning goals, offering a first glimpse into the themes that will guide the week ahead: youth empowerment, inclusion, creativity, and digital transformation in youth work.

The Path Ahead

Digital Pathways is a journey into innovative facilitation. Over the coming days, participants will explore:

• non-formal learning and youth work principles

• the ETS Competence Model for Youth Workers

• digital facilitation tools and platforms

• creative and art-based methods (theatre, arts, music, movement, storytelling)

• gamification, participation, and inclusive practices

• reflection, peer learning, and practical application

Day 1 reminded us of something essential: before innovating methods, we need to build relationships. Before designing learning experiences, we need to listen. And before walking new digital pathways, we need to walk them together.

This was only the beginning.

Follow the story as the Digital Pathways journey continues — one day, one experience, one reflection at a time.

The project is coordinated and hosted by Culti Multi Social Cooperative (Greece), and is implemented in collaboration with:

• Toplumsal Gelişim Akademisi Derneği (Türkiye)

• Youth Association Info Front – Prilep (North Macedonia)

• Fiatalok Tere Egyesület (Hungary)

• Ayuntamiento de Purchena (Spain)

• Move2Europe APS (Italy)

• Asociatia de Turism si Ecologie pentru Tineret Zimbrul Carpatin (Romania)

• IKReON (Slovakia)

• Valmieras Attīstības aģentūra (Latvia)

• Udruženje građana Sofinatass (Serbia)

Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.