🔑 Key Information
Activity ⭐️ Title
Beyond the Frame: Collage for Youth Mental Wellbeing and Civic Action
🇪🇺 What is Erasmus+? Erasmus+ is the EU's programme for education, training, youth and sport, with a €26.2 billion budget for 2021–2027. It funds study abroad, internships, youth exchanges, training courses and youth worker mobility. This overview covers who is eligible, every activity type and what's funded. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/erasmusplus
Activity 🔶 Type | 📆 Dates | 📍Location
Training Course
4-9 October 2026 | Giardini Naxos, Italy
❗️What Is This Training About?
Learn practical, low-barrier collage methods to support young people's mental health and civic voice. A 5-day residential training for youth workers in Giardini Naxos, Sicily, blending art therapy, social psychology and non-formal facilitation.
✅ Who can apply for Erasmus+ and ESC? Eligibility depends on activity: ages 13–30 for most Erasmus+ youth activities and 18–30 for ESC volunteering (up to 35 for humanitarian aid), plus country and residence rules. This guide covers roles, inclusion support, language needs and the profile coordinators look for. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/whocanapply
ℹ️ Description About The Opportunity
About the training
This training equips youth workers with practical, creative methods to support the mental wellbeing, inclusion and civic participation of the young people they work with. Over five days in Giardini Naxos, participants will learn to use collage art - a low-barrier, low-cost, non-verbal creative practice - as a tool in their everyday youth work. The training is delivered by the partnership behind Beyond the Frame, an Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership in Youth (KA220-YOU) bringing together the Macedonian Association for Applied Psychology (North Macedonia), Idee in Movimento (Italy) and ArtéTeka (Ireland). It combines insights from art therapy, social psychology and non-formal education into a hands-on, practitioner-led experience.
Who this is training for
This offer is aimed specifically at people working in the field of non-formal learning and youth work: youth workers, educators, NGO staff, facilitators and volunteers who work directly with young people aged roughly 18-30. It is especially relevant to those supporting young people with fewer opportunities - including migrants, refugees, NEETs, and young people facing social or health-related barriers.
No prior artistic or mental health training is required. Priority is given to participants who work with young people but have not had formal training in mental health, and who are looking for accessible, creative tools they can apply immediately in a non-formal setting.
What you will learn
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
- Facilitate collage-based sessions that help young people express emotion, manage stress and build resilience
- Create safe, inclusive spaces using non-verbal methods that work across language and literacy barriers
- Guide young people from personal reflection toward civic dialogue and collective action
- Recognise and respond appropriately to emotional distress, and understand the boundary between youth work and therapy
- Apply and adapt the Beyond the Frame Toolkit in their own local context
Methodology
The training uses non-formal, experiential and participatory methods: learning by doing, peer exchange, hands-on collage practice, reflective circles and co-creation. Participants will also help test and refine the Beyond the Frame Toolkit, ensuring it is practical and grounded in real practice. The programme forms the in-person part of a blended learning pathway that includes online mentoring sessions before and after the mobility.
Practical information
Venue: Giardini Naxos, Sicily, Italy
Duration: 5 training days (plus travel days)
Working language: English
Costs: Travel, accommodation and meals are covered in line with Erasmus+ rules. Inclusion support is available for participants with fewer opportunities.
Please note: if selected, you will need to take part in 1 online pre-departure session to introduce you to the project topics. We would also request you to deliver at least one collage art session with a small group of young people to test your learnings.
📘 What is Erasmus+? (in-depth) Erasmus+ has run since 1987 and has had over 13 million participants, funding four main activities for young people. This pillar guide covers its history, funding, research-backed benefits, the full application process and an FAQ. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/what-is-erasmus-plus
Training overview
This Training Course is
for 21 participants
from Erasmus+ Youth Programme countries 
and recommended for
Youth workers, Trainers, Youth project managers, Youth policy makers, Volunteering mentors, Youth coaches, Youth researchers
Working language(s):
English
Organiser:
Artéteka ltd (Others)
ArtéTeka is a Cork-based social enterprise dedicated to supporting young people with experiences of marginalisation and/or multiple needs to take the lead in creating social change. Our mission is to ensure young people are empowered to realise their full potential, develop a strong sense of self, and, most importantly, find their place as active and engaged members of their communities.
Co-organiser(s):
- Idee in Movimento (Youth NGO)
- Macedonian Association of Applied Psychology (Others)
💡 How do you prepare a strong Erasmus+ or ESC application? Read the call carefully, write specific motivation, show skills with examples, and state clear learning goals. This guide gives 10 practical tips plus the common mistakes that lead to rejection. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/erasmus-application-tips
📥 Contact
Contact for questions:
Leonardo Magnani
E-Mail:
Phone: +353 87 399 3280
💶 Costs
Participation fee
There is no participation fee for this training.
Accommodation and food
Costs for accommodation and food are covered thanks to the Erasmus+ programme. We will organise accommodation and main meals for the full mobility. If you have specific needs or require assistance for travelling or during the mobility, do let us know in the application form.
Travel reimbursement
We will reimburse your travel costs up to €300 for flights/non-green travel, and up to €320 for green travel.
Green travel includes
- Train, coach/bus, bicycle, car-sharing/car-pooling
- Mixed journeys, as long as the low-emission portion covers over half the total distance (outward and return combined).
📜 Certificate
Participants are entitled to receive a Youthpass certificate from the organiser, for recognition of their competence development during the activity. Read more about Youthpass:
https://youthworkshub.org/what-is-youthpass
⚠️ Important Dates
Application deadline (24h UTC): 15 September 2026
Date of selection: 17 September 2026
🎓 What is an Erasmus+ Training Course? A Training Course is a short funded course (5–10 days) for youth workers, educators and NGO staff to build skills through non-formal education. This guide explains who can join, what's covered and how it differs from a Youth Exchange. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/trainingcourse
🔗 Official Link
⚖️ What's the difference between ESC and Erasmus+? The ESC is for volunteering and solidarity, while Erasmus+ is broad learning mobility (study, training, youth exchanges). This guide compares age, funding, duration and application route, and includes a "choose this if…" decision guide. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/esc-vs-erasmus
🎂 What are the age limits for Erasmus+ and ESC? Youth Exchanges are 13–30, ESC volunteering is 18–30 (35 for humanitarian aid), and training, youth worker mobility and study/traineeships have no upper age limit. This guide breaks down every activity and how age is counted (at the start date). 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/erasmus-age-limits
💶 What costs does Erasmus+ cover? For youth activities (KA152–154) it covers travel by distance band, individual support, organisational support, preparation, inclusion support up to 100% and exceptional costs. This 2026 guide details each item and what Erasmus+ does not cover. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/what-erasmus-covers
