Osallistujat tutustumassa Chalkidin leirikeskuksen seikkailupuistoon Kreikassa.

The third workshop of the Building Bridges for Inclusion project brought youth work professionals together in Greece

February 2, 2026
Anita Kirvesniemi

Approximately 30 youth workers and volunteers from YMCA organisations in Finland, Greece, Lebanon, and Romania participated in the Erasmus+ partnership project workshop held in Greece from 4 to 10 December 2025. The workshop took place at the historic YMCA camp centre in Chalkidiki and in Thessaloniki.

The aim of the Building Bridges for Inclusion project is to strengthen youth workers’ skills and develop methods for meeting and supporting vulnerable young people. In the workshops, partners share their operating models and exercises, which will be compiled into a joint material bank in the final year of the project as a tool for more inclusive youth work.

A safe atmosphere laid the basis for learning

The workshop week began at the camp centre with introductions, the creation of shared rules, and various team-building exercises. Getting to know each other and building trust were reinforced through a range of methods that fostered an open, relaxed, and safe environment for discussion and sharing experiences.

During the week, participants explored themes including participation, inclusion, intercultural understanding, and the role of youth work in strengthening communities. The programme comprised small-group tasks, joint discussions, and reflection rounds.

Many participants described the workshop as an experience that comfortably took them outside their comfort zone and offered them the opportunity to learn from others. The feedback particularly praised the atmosphere, in which everyone was met and heard without fear of rejection.

Lessons learned through activity

Experiential learning played a central role at the camp. Team tasks carried out in the camp centre’s environment helped participants develop their cooperation and interaction skills within a culturally diverse group. The programme combined goal-oriented work with more informal socialising. Daily siesta breaks and the camp centre’s physical activities, such as the adventure park, various playing fields, and the surrounding nature, supported participants’ well-being during the intensive week and deepened their relationships, helping them to be vulnerable and open in group work situations.

At the end of the camp week, the group moved to Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, to learn about the local YMCA’s activities and historical sights.

The workshop offered both professional and personal growth

In the feedback collected after the camp, participants described the workshop as an inspiring, communal, and meaningful experience that provided both concrete methods for participants’ own work and new insights into their role in youth work.

”The whole experience was more than I could have hoped for. Experiences like this really build bridges between people.”

”The atmosphere made me feel like I was in a second home I didn’t know about before.”

”The experience gave me lots of new ideas for my own work, but above all, it strengthened my confidence in myself and in the fact that I am doing the right things.”

The project continues into its final year

The Building Bridges for Inclusion project will continue until November 2026. Through workshops and co-development, YMCA actors are strengthening their cooperation and advancing their shared goal: to build more inclusive, equal, and participatory youth work across borders.

The project is funded by the European Union. The European Union or the European Education Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is not responsible for the content of this publication.