In April of 2018, Edu2Grow embarked into a very unique and special training course

This training course explored the issues of sexual safety in youth work through anti discrimination activities, Wen-Do methodology and sexual education. The aim of this course was to create outlines for Sexual Safety Standards in youth work.

There were 24 participants from Poland, Romania, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Cyprus – youth workers, peer educators and all those working with young people.

It was held in Wójtowice, Góry Bystrzyckie, a rural, mountainous part of Poland.

The participants experienced, through workshop format, anti-discrimination arsenal of games and exercises and how they can be used with groups around issue-based work.

Participants had a chance to experience empowerment techniques from Wen-Do methodology and basics of comprehensive sexual education. They spent lots of time on reflection around topics of sexual safety and were asked to outline their ideas of sexual safety standards in youth work.

Edu2Grow selected the best team they could for the topic, sending over youth workers and activists that already work in this topic.

What they found was a heaven where like minded people gathered, shared and learned from each other, giving and receiving from the experience not only tools, but contacts to better understand and strive for a better future. The experience was deep, and empowering. The feeling of comradery only enhancing even more the sense of learning and the will to work more towards a more equal and equitable tomorrow.

There was room for learning new ways to teach and raise awareness, to share and connect, as well to grow together in a group that shared dreams and goals, and will want to do a lot more in the future.

In the end, our team left with an unforgettable experience, a reinforced focus and desire to do even more, even better, and also the tools to help these desires come true.

As soon as they returned, a small workshop was organised in Porto, where some tools from the training were used and showed to others, carrying the message they so well lived.

More workshops are to come, more work is to be done, more lives are to be touched and improved.

This training was more than just that, it was a forming of bonds, of a team, or a family even, and future projects, and future work will be done to make sure we can all be more SAFE!