🇩🇪 Erasmus+ Training Course in Germany 🌲 Nature Based Learning for Eco Friendly Youth Work 🍃

Description

The training supports youth workers in integrating nature-based learning and eco-friendly practices into their everyday work, strengthening competences in facilitation, activity design, reflection, and translating insights into practice.

About the project

Many young people spend increasing amounts of time indoors and online, while nature can be a vital source of connection, well-being and resilience. This training helps youth workers experience nature as an active part of the learning process, not just a backdrop. Participants slow down, observe, and explore their own relationship with nature — then critically reflect on what place nature holds in their youth work now, and could hold in the future.

Aim & objectives

The training supports youth workers in integrating nature-based learning and eco-friendly practices into their everyday work, strengthening competences in facilitation, activity design, reflection, and translating insights into practice. It follows five steps: Connect (building a safe foundation with self, others and nature), Experience (exploring nature-based methods for well-being and resilience), Critically explore (examining personal nature values and their role in practice), Design (creating activities using a practical template), and Take action (developing a concrete plan for their own work and organisation).

Learning approach

The training is based on Nature-Based Learning (NBL): learning in, from and about nature, spending as much time outdoors as possible. Through experiential learning — slowing down, observing, and harvesting insights — participants connect experience to practice and move toward concrete action. Central to the approach is a reciprocal relationship with nature: learning from it while exploring how this connection inspires care and responsibility.

Activity details

Activity type

Training Course

Activity dates

11-17 January 2027

Location

Weimar, Germany

Application deadline

11 October 2026

Selection date

18 October 2026

Participants

24

Recommended for

Youth workers, Trainers, Youth leaders, Youth project managers, Volunteering mentors, Youth coaches

Working language

English

Organiser

Costs

Participation fee

We are aware of the difficult financial situation of many people active in the field. Nevertheless, we see the offered events as a quality experience concerning venues, tools and activities and therefore as a unique opportunity for personal learning, professional development & networking which should be, beyond the received funding from European taxpayers not “for free”. Further, as providers of civic education, focusing as well on topics as (global) social justice, we decided to disrupt the vicious system of underpayment of people active in the field of (international) youth work & education, who dedicate their lifetime & energy for creating quality learning experiences by offering fair payment for their work (e.g. as free-lance trainers, facilitators or support staff). Therefore, a financial contribution from each participant is required upon individual situation & decision for participation in the overall project: - You are e.g. student, unemployed person or a volunteer without own income (reduced fee): 50,00 EUR - You are e.g. freelanced youth worker / trainer / educator with own income (regular fee): 75,00 EUR - You are e.g. a person in stable job/employment (solidarity fee): 100,00 EUR In case you are not able to afford the fee, please contact us for individual solutions.

Accommodation and food

Accommodation in shared rooms, full board & activities will take place at the Stiftung Europäische Jugendbildungs- und Jugendbegegnungsstätte Weimar (Foundation “European Youth Education and Meeting Centre in Weimar, EJBW): http://www.ejbweimar.de/

Travel reimbursement

We will reimburse the travel costs on the basis of the cheapest possibilities, e.g. second class railway tickets, economy class flights etc., within the provided limit, from place of residency to the venue of the activity and return, based on the rates of the “distance calculator” of the European Commission https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/de/node/2626 and related regulations as follows: - 10-99 km: 28,00 EUR / Green travel: 56,00 EUR - 100-499 km: 211,00 EUR / Green travel: 285,00 EUR - 500-1999 km: 309,00 EUR / Green travel: 417,00 EUR - 2000-2999 km: 395,00 EUR / Green travel: 535,00 EUR - 3000-3999 km: 580,00 EUR / Green travel: 785,00 EUR

Looking for participants from

34 countries can apply. The activity takes place in Weimar, Germany.