Youth Workers as Mental Health Supporters is an Erasmus+ Training Course for 28 youth workers aged 18-45 in Sakarya, Türkiye, from 27 November to 6 December 2026. It is open to people living in Türkiye, Portugal, Poland and Slovakia. Accommodation and meals are covered, and travel is reimbursed up to the Erasmus+ distance-band ceiling after the project. Apply as soon as possible through the Google Form. At Youth Works Hub, we read the application form and the full infopack, and this guide brings every detail together. If this format is new to you, our guide explains what an Erasmus+ Training Course is.
What Is the Youth Workers as Mental Health Supporters Training Course?
The course is hosted by Sakarya Family and Social Services Provincial Directorate (Sakarya ASHİM) together with a partner from Portugal, Federação Regional Das Associações Juvenis Do Alentejo. It brings together 28 youth workers to strengthen their competences in emotional intelligence, resilience, stress management, empathy, active listening, communication and creating safe and inclusive spaces for young people, all through non-formal education.
Project Aims
The project aims to empower youth workers from Slovakia, Poland, Portugal and Türkiye with essential competences in mental health literacy, cultural inclusion and digital empowerment. By providing targeted training, it strengthens the capacity of youth workers to support young people facing psychological challenges, social exclusion or misinformation in their daily lives. Participants learn practical techniques for promoting resilience, applying psychosocial support, fostering intercultural understanding and using digital tools for awareness-raising and knowledge dissemination. The project also helps to prevent burnout and builds stronger networks across Europe, so youth workers return to their communities as more confident, inclusive and resourceful professionals.
Project Objectives
🧠 Mental health literacy: youth workers are trained to counter misinformation and promote psychological well-being among young people
🧭 Reliable support: participants gain practical skills to guide young people toward reliable support systems and to reduce stigma in their communities
🤝 Cross-country collaboration: participants exchange experiences and develop inclusive approaches to youth work
💻 Digital competences and resilience: the project strengthens digital skills, resilience and the capacity to address mental health challenges effectively
🌐 A lasting network: a sustainable network of youth workers is created to advocate for mental health awareness and support across Europe
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What You Will Learn
🩺 Recognising psychological distress: spotting signs of psychological strain in young people, without needing a clinical background
💞 Basic psychosocial support: simple techniques you can apply in everyday youth work
🗣️ Active listening and communication: building empathy and trust with young people
🧘 Stress management and resilience: tools for young people and for your own wellbeing
🛡️ Safe and inclusive spaces: creating environments where young people feel respected
📱 Digital awareness-raising: using digital channels to spread accurate mental health information
🌈 Intercultural understanding: inclusive approaches built through work with peers from four countries
🔥 Burnout prevention: managing your own resilience in a demanding role
How the Course Works
The training is built around non-formal learning, which is shaped by what each participant brings and by how they take part in the group. The organisers ask applicants to keep this in mind before applying. Expect group discussions, role-play, peer-led energisers and collaborative problem-solving rather than formal lectures. Because the topic can be emotionally demanding, the programme leaves space for debriefing and peer support, so nobody has to process everything alone. For more on getting ready, see our Erasmus+ and ESC preparation guide.
Participants and Who Can Apply
👥 Group size: 28 participants from 4 countries
🎂 Age: 18-45
🌍 Countries: participants must reside in Türkiye, Portugal, Poland or Slovakia
🧑🤝🧑 Profile: youth workers, or people who are active in youth work or motivated to step into it
🎓 Background: no clinical psychology background is needed, the training is designed for non-specialists
⭐ Priority: people with economic disadvantages, and youth workers motivated to develop skills in mental health, cultural understanding and digital empowerment
⚖️ Selection: gender balance is taken into account when choosing participants
Dates, Location and Arrival
🗓️ Dates: 27 November - 6 December 2026
📍 Location: Sakarya, Türkiye
🍽️ Arrival day: dinner only is provided
☕ Departure day: breakfast only is provided
Detailed information about transport from the airport or bus station to the hotel will be shared with participants in the coming days.
Sakarya: A Student-Friendly City Near Istanbul
Sakarya is a lively, student-friendly city surrounded by nature, with several universities, cafés and social spaces where young people spend time together. It is close to Istanbul, which makes it easy to visit the city during free time. One of the most beautiful places nearby is Sapanca, with its lake, forests and outdoor activities. The city offers a good balance between student life, nature and easy access to bigger cities.
What Is Covered
🏨 Accommodation: covered by the Erasmus+ programme
🍲 Meals: 3 meals a day plus coffee-break snacks between sessions
🚌 Local transportation: covered, according to the project rules
✈️ Travel: reimbursed according to Erasmus+ distance-band rules
🩹 Health insurance: not provided, see the insurance section below
Our guide to what Erasmus+ pays for in a youth project explains the general rules behind these costs.
Travel Reimbursement Rules
The maximum travel grant depends on the distance between your place of residence and Sakarya. Actual ticket costs are reimbursed up to that ceiling, and refunds are processed after the project.
🚫 No tickets without approval: do not buy any ticket without written confirmation from the contact people named in the infopack. Tickets bought without confirmation will not be reimbursed
🚕 Excluded: taxi and private car travel are not covered
📄 Documents: keep all tickets, boarding passes and invoices as PDF files, screenshots are not accepted
📊 Expenses: upload your tickets to the shared folder and list your expenses in an Excel file within one week after the project ends. The folder and Excel links will be shared with participants
⏳ Timing: refunds are processed after all teams have completed their tasks
✅ Condition: you must take part in all activities to receive a refund
Health Insurance Is Mandatory and Not Covered
Health insurance is not provided and there is no refund from the project grant. All participants must buy private travel insurance and cover the cost themselves. The insurance must be valid for the whole programme and meet these criteria:
🏥 Comprehensive coverage: medical emergencies, accidents and illnesses that may occur during the programme
🛬 Repatriation cover: in case you must be sent back to your home country for medical intervention
🚑 Emergency help
📋 Pre-existing conditions are covered
Your Commitments as a Participant
✅ Full attendance: attendance is mandatory for the whole programme
🎤 Active participation: in workshops, cultural nights and group activities
🔎 Preparation: each participant does some research on Erasmus+ and the project topic and is ready to present ideas, lead energizers and contribute to the project
📝 Evaluation: complete evaluation surveys after the project
📣 Dissemination: after the project, prepare a dissemination letter explaining how the project went and what you did, share it on your organisation's accounts and website, and send the link to the organisers
Cultural Nights and What to Bring
Cultural nights are planned for each country to introduce different cultures. Each participant should be ready for their country's presentation and bring food, drinks and small souvenirs to share.
🥤 Your special cup: the organisers ask everyone to bring a reusable cup
🧴 Personal belongings: towel, shampoo and other toiletries
Youthpass Certificate
All participants receive a Youthpass certificate that recognises their learning achievements. To see how it works and how to use it, read what Youthpass is.
How to Apply
Apply through the online Google Form. It asks for your name, contact details, age, gender and current country of residence, your role in youth work, your motivation and expectations, a description of a 90-minute non-formal session, your level of English (Basic, Good or Fluent), your Erasmus+ experience, any comments, and GDPR consent. A clear motivation letter helps, and our guide on how to write a motivation letter for Erasmus+ projects shows what to include.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for the Youth Workers as Mental Health Supporters training course?
Youth workers, and people active in or motivated to enter youth work, aged 18-45 who reside in Türkiye, Portugal, Poland or Slovakia. Priority is given to people with economic disadvantages and to youth workers motivated to develop skills in mental health, cultural understanding and digital empowerment.
Do I need a psychology background?
No. No clinical psychology background is required. The training is designed for non-specialists who want to recognise signs of psychological strain, reduce stigma and guide young people toward reliable support.
How does travel reimbursement work?
Actual ticket costs are reimbursed up to the maximum grant for your distance band, after the project. You need written confirmation before buying tickets, and you must keep tickets, boarding passes and invoices as PDF files and upload them within one week after the project ends.
Is health insurance included?
No. Health insurance is not provided and is not refunded. Every participant must buy private travel insurance with comprehensive medical, repatriation, emergency and pre-existing-condition cover.
What meals are provided?
Dinner only on the arrival day, breakfast only on the departure day, and 3 meals a day plus coffee-break snacks on programme days.
Is attendance mandatory for the whole programme?
Yes. Full attendance is mandatory, including workshops, cultural nights and group activities. You must take part in all activities to receive a refund.
Project Snapshot
📌 Type: Erasmus+ Training Course
📍 Location: Sakarya, Türkiye
🗓️ Activity Dates: 27 November 2026 - 6 December 2026
🌍 Countries: Türkiye, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia
🎂 Age: 18-45
Deadline
⏳ As soon as possible!
Links
📝 Application form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeLn5kq0G8ooXlV5e-LUSB6CFQEtaMuFeRqSIv50AMWb65zMw/viewform
📄 Infopack: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UvjYiDsDSXU8LWSwswvCoJh2QbgyFSKt/view
✉️ Contact (Sakarya ASHİM): Sakaryaashim54@gmail.com
