EKO is happy to announce that one more amazing training course has been completed successfully. The project “Listen & Connect” united participants from Croatia, Italy, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, France, Slovakia, Portugal, Greece and Poland. It was organised by the Polish organisation “KobieTY”, and took place in Zakrzewo, Poland , from 12 to 23 May 2026. 

Aims & Objectives of the project

The project aimed to strengthen youth workers’ personal and professional competences by promoting deeper listening, self-awareness, empathy and meaningful connection with people, communities and the natural environment. Through experiential learning and reflective practices, the training encouraged participants to develop tools for more conscious, inclusive and impactful youth work.

Specifically, the project sought to:

• Support participants in developing greater self-awareness by exploring their personal values, emotions, strengths, motivations and aspirations, fostering personal growth and emotional resilience.

• • Strengthen participants’ interpersonal competences through active listening, empathy, emotional awareness and communication approaches that support more meaningful relationships with young people and peers.
  • Equip youth workers with practical tools and methodologies, including coaching practices, reflective learning and Non-Violent Communication, to enhance their work in youth settings.
  • Encourage participants to better understand and respond to community needs by engaging with local initiatives, changemakers and collaborative problem-solving approaches such as Design Thinking.
  • Foster a stronger connection with nature and sustainability by introducing participants to environmental practices, outdoor learning and holistic approaches that can be integrated into youth work activities.

Workshops & Activities of the project 

The training course was based on non-formal education methods and included interactive workshops, reflective exercises, experiential learning and outdoor activities designed to deepen participants’ capacity to listen, connect and engage more consciously with themselves, others and the world around them.

Throughout the programme, participants explored self-reflection practices focused on emotions, values, personal strengths and aspirations, gaining a deeper understanding of their own inner processes and motivations. Through group activities, active listening exercises and peer-learning sessions, participants strengthened their empathy, emotional intelligence and communication skills, while also practicing coaching methods and Non-Violent Communication approaches relevant to youth work.

Participants also had the opportunity to engage with local changemakers and community initiatives, exploring real social challenges and collaboratively developing ideas through Design Thinking methodologies. A key aspect of the programme focused on reconnecting with nature through outdoor experiences, hands-on activities and learning related to sustainability and permaculture principles, encouraging participants to reflect on how environmental awareness can be meaningfully integrated into their youth work practices.

The training contributed to participants’ personal and professional development while encouraging future collaboration, active engagement and the creation of meaningful local actions benefiting both young people and youth workers.

It is an amazing opportunity and a great experience for EKO’s team.

Natalia & Nikos were the amazing Greek team members whom we want to thank for all their contributions and collaboration throughout the project!

As EKO, we are very grateful for that amazing opportunity given to the Greek team. We thank our Polish partner, KobieTY, and the members of the hosting organisation for all their hard work and for creating such an impactful project!

Thank you – Ευχαριστούμε – Dziękuję !