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One week. Eight countries. 23 participants. Countless ideas, conversations, and shared experiences.
From 24–30 March, the ATA House in Cristuru Secuiesc became home to youth workers, youth center managers, and community builders from Hungary, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Albania, Italy, and Bulgaria. We came together with one simple goal: to learn how we can make our youth centers even better places for young people.
And what a week it was: From the very first day, it felt like we had known each other for much longer. The atmosphere was open, joyful, and supportive. Everyone arrived with different experiences, yet somehow we were all on the same wavelength. Every discussion, workshop, coffee break, and evening conversation brought new ideas, different perspectives, and practical solutions.
We explored the everyday realities of running youth centers, not only through theory, but by sharing our own stories. We brought real-life challenges from our organizations to the table, analysed individual cases together, and looked for solutions as a group. Sometimes the best answer came from someone working hundreds of kilometers away, facing surprisingly similar situations.
Throughout the week, we discussed everything from youth participation and burnout prevention to community engagement, conflict management, and cooperation with local stakeholders.
Beyond the workshops, something equally important happened. New partnerships started to grow, future Erasmus+ ideas were born, and many new friendships were made. Once again, we experienced what international youth work is really about: learning from one another, supporting each other, and building a network of people who genuinely care about creating better opportunities for young people.
As the seminar came to an end, everyone left with new inspiration, practical tools, fresh motivation, and, hopefully, the feeling that they are part of something much bigger than a single project.
Thank you to everyone who joined us, shared your knowledge, your stories, your questions, and your energy. See you again soon!