INFO-PACK

YOUth Journey Design: Building LIFECOMP Skills Together

TRAINING COURSE on Designing Learning Experiences

13th to 20th of March, 2026 in Călărași, Romania (including travel days)

What if learning could be designed the way we design experiences – with intention, emotion, and impact?This 6-day Erasmus+ training course bridges the gap between what neuroscience tells us about how people learn and what actually happens in our youth programs. You'll move beyond gut feeling and good intentions, gaining access to research-backed frameworks and practical tools that help you design learning experiences young people will actually remember and use.

You'll discover:

How the brain actually processes and retains new information (and how to design with this in mind, not against it)
Why some learning experiences stick while others fade within days
The 5E Experience Design Model that guides learners through meaningful transformation
Vision Backcasting – a framework for designing backwards from your desired impact
How to recognize and support 6 different learner typologies, from life-long learners to those stuck in the status quo
Practical strategies from 6 major learning theories (Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, Social Learning, Humanism, Experiential Learning)
How cognitive biases shape (and sometimes distort) the learning process
Game-based learning principles that boost motivation and engagement

What makes this different:

We're bringing together insights that usually stay separated – neuroscience research on attention and memory, academic theories of adult learning, experience design principles from creative industries, and game-based learning strategies. But we won't just talk about them. You'll use these tools immediately to design and test a real learning experience with teenagers from a high school in Călărași.

By Day 5, you won't just have theoretical knowledge, you'll have a prototype you've designed and implemented with youngsters. You'll see what works, what doesn't, and why. You'll learn from both success and struggle. And you'll leave with a tested framework you can adapt and scale in your own programs.

What you'll take home:

A toolkit of research-backed frameworks and methods
A tested prototype ready to adapt for your context
A Personal Learning Plan for continued growth
A community of practice to support your journey
Confidence to design learning experiences that actually transform

This isn't about becoming perfect. It's about becoming intentional. Join us to learn how to design learning that sticks.

🗓️ TRAINING COURSE AGENDA:

Please take into consideration that this is a draft schedule and that it might suffer changes based on the participants' direct input, preferences, proposals or because of unexpected changes in the weather forecast during the mobility. Furthermore, except for the intercultural evenings which are mandatory to attend, the other evening activities are optional - any suggestion for what we can do together as a group during the evening time is more than welcomed!

🤝 Day 1: Connecting & Foundation Building

AM Session: Arrival & Alignment

Statements exchange & welcome
Body activation & ice melting activities
Name games & energy building
I DO ART Framework: Setting intentions, desired outcomes, agenda, roles & rules (including Lego exercise)

PM Session: Learning Foundations

Check-in
Learning Museum: Journey through past, present & future of learning
Group reflection & insights harvest

🧠 Day 2: Understanding Learners & Learning Theories

AM Session: Adult Learning Theories

Check-in
Mission Possible: 6 Learning Theories Intelligence Briefings
Cross-team reflection & application to youth work

PM Session: Learning Typologies & Needs

Introduction to 6 learner typologies
LARP Workshop: Stepping into different learner experiences
Mind-mapping: What each typology needs before, during, after learning
Grow conversations & check-out

🔮 Day 3: Vision Building & Strategic Design

AM Session: Introduction to High School Project & Vision Backcasting

Check-in: What worked yesterday? What should we do differently today?
Context setting: Meet the Călărași high school challenge
Call to Adventure: 5C Journey
Team formation & Golden Circle visioning

PM Session: Vision Backcasting (Divergence Phase)

Check-in
Vision Backcasting workshop
Day reflection & check-out

📈 Day 4: From Vision to Experience Design

AM Session: Vision Backcasting (Convergence Phase)

Check-in & team alignment
Curriculum building workshop

PM Session: The 5E Experience Design Model

Introduction to Experiential Learning & the 5E Model
Mapping personal learning experiences onto 5E framework
Applying 5E to your high school prototype
Building inspiration library: Examples for each E phase

✨ Day 5: Refining & Implementation

AM Session: Prototype Refinement

Check-in
Game-based learning integration
Final prototype refinements using 5E model
Dry run & peer feedback

PM Session: Live Implementation with High School Students

Travel to Călărași high school
Run learning experiences with teenagers
Immediate debrief & observation notes

💬 Day 6: Reflection, Iteration & Scaling

AM Session: Hot Debrief & Learning Harvest

Check-in
Teams share: What worked, what didn't, what we learned
Hot chair feedback session
Insights synthesis: From prototype to program

PM Session: Scaling & Commitment

Youthpass certificate
Evaluation
Final celebration & closing ritual

PARTICIPANTS' PROFILE (❗️3 active youth workers per country)

IMPORTANT: Each national team will consist of 3 youth workers.

Whether you’re a professional or a dedicated volunteer, if you’re actively working with young people and designing innovative non-formal education programs, this is your chance to amplify your impact. If you're actively shaping the future of young people through non-formal education and seeking fresh ideas, frameworks, and strategies, then this is your opportunity to level up!

👤 YOUTH WORKER PROFILE

Age: No upper age limit restriction (must be over 18)

Experience: Previous experience in youth work is required (experience may include working with youth organizations, NGOs, community groups, schools, or informal youth initiatives)

Language: Advanced level of English 🇬🇧 is required (participants must be able to actively engage in discussions, group work, and training activities)

Profile & Responsibilities:

Show strong motivation to improve their professional competencies
Be open to intercultural learning and non-formal education methods
Actively participate in all training sessions, workshops, and group activities
Share experiences, best practices, and challenges from their youth work context
Contribute to dissemination and follow-up activities after the training course
Support the transfer of acquired knowledge, tools, and methodologies to their organizations and local communities

IMPORTANT: All participants must be either nationals of their sending country or legally reside there with a valid residence permit.

ACOMMODATION - COMPLEX ALBATROS (PLAJA PODUL 4), CĂLĂRAȘI

📍Address: Albatros Complex, Șoseaua Chiciului 7, Călărași

🌐 Website: https://www.albatrospodul4.ro/

🏨 Accommodation conditions:

Participants will stay in double and triple rooms, in a hotel on the bank of the Danube river, with generous outdoor space and access to the beach. Each room has its own bathroom, a small fridge, a TV and air conditioner.❗️Please note that room layouts will vary, and there is a high chance you might need to share a large double bed with another participant of the same gender. Each double bed will have two single-person size blankets for individual comfort.

Smoking is forbidden 🚭 in the rooms and in the common spaces inside the buildings. Smokers can use the balconies, the terraces, and the spaces outside the buildings. Free Wi-Fi will be available in all individual rooms, as well as in the activity room and on the beach. The hotel also has a free gym and sauna.

🍽️ Food: We serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in the restaurant of the hotel. The menu will be based on each individual's dietary needs, as stated in the application form.

🧳 What to bring: Reusable water bottle so we can cut down as much as possible the plastic waste, cosmetics (shampoo, shower gel etc.), flip flops, beach towels, bathing suit (and anything else you might want to bring to the beach or sauna), mosquito repellent spray or lotion given the close proximity to the Danube river.

🛒 Supermarket: If you need anything beyond what is provided for breakfast, lunch, dinner and coffee breaks, we will organise occasional trips to the nearest big supermarket, which is a 9-minute drive away. These shopping trips will occur every 3 days, and each national group will select a member to join the project team on these trips. Please note that the shop is not within walking distance. If additional trips are necessary beyond the scheduled ones, you can of course use a taxi at your own expense (approximately 10-12 euro round trip). Please not these costs are not reimbursable.

TRAVEL AND REIMBURSEMENT RULES

✈️ We highly recommend flying into Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP), as it is the main international airport serving Bucharest and the closest and best-connected airport to Călărași City. Another airport serving bucharest is Băneasa Airport (BBU), but flights to this airport are very limited

💸 The maximal international transportation costs that can be reimbursed is up to:

🇹🇩 Romania - 26 EUR using green transportation such as car sharing, bus, train (distance band 10 - 99 km)

🇧🇬 Bulgaria - 255 EUR using green transportation such as car sharing, bus, train (distance band 100 - 499 km)

🇱🇹 Lithuania - 279 EUR (distance band 500 - 1999 km)

🇷🇸 Serbia - 279 EUR (distance band 500 - 1999 km)

🇮🇹 Italy - 279 EUR (distance band 500 - 1999 km)

🇨🇾 Cyprus - 279 EUR (distance band 500 - 1999 km)

🇵🇹 Portugal - 365 EUR (distance band 2000 - 2999 km)

🇪🇸 Spain - 365 EUR (distance band 2000 - 2999 km)

Calculated using the European Commission’s official Erasmus+ Distance Calculator, as required in the programme guidelines to determine the applicable travel distance band for grant support.

IMPORTANT: Please consider that we have minimized the standard international transportation grant by 30 euros❗️in order to cover the costs of the bus from the meeting point in Bucharest to the venue on the 13th of March, as well as the bus from the venue back to Henri Coandă Airport on the 20th of March.
The meeting point will be in Bucharest - Piața Constituției (the parking space in front of the Palace of Parliament) on 13th of March, 18:00, from where we will travel 1h30 min to the location in Calarași by bus. Please book the flight tickets taking into account this arrival hour and the fact that, from the airport to the pick-up spot in Piața Constituției, it can take you up to one hour by bus during rush hour!

IMPORTANT: Please take great care of your travel documents! In order for us to be able to reimburse you the whole amount that you are going to spend during your travel, we will need all your tickets, Boarding passes and invoices (the documents that show how much you have paid for your flights/train/bus - in PDF form) and fuel receipts in original if you come by car! We will collect all the physical documents you have in the first morning in Călărași and fill in together a Reimbursement Form.

TRANSPORTATION FROM AIRPORT TO THE PICK-UP POINT

📍Pick-up point: A private bus rented by Monomyths Association for the whole group will pick us up from Piața Constituției, Bucharest (Parking lot in front of Palace of Parliament) at 18:00. This bus will take us directly to Albatros Complex.

🚌 Day Bus: To reach the pick-up point, from Henri Coandă Airport you need to take bus 100 to Piața Unirii (the last station which is less than 10 minutes walking distance from our pick up point in Piața Constituției). You can follow the signs in the airport which will take you to the bus station. The bus station is right as you exist the airport - you don’t have to walk to get to it.

💸 How to pay for your trip:

Best option! You can buy your ticket from the machine located in the bus station using both cash and card. The cost of one trip is 3 RON (0.60 EUR). This price is the same regardless of how many stations you travel. This way, you will receive a receipt that will allow us to reimburse you the cost of your trip (as long as you do not throw the receipt away).
You can pay for the trip directly in the bus contactless by using Mastercard or Visa. Although this is the easiest option, the issue is that you will not receive a receipt, therefore we can not reimburse you the 0.60 EUR spent for the trip.

🔍 More info about transportation: http://stbsa.ro/eng/index

IMPORTANT: However you choose to pay for your trip, please make sure to buy your ticket because there are high chances for a control❗️

IMPORTANT: We do not cover taxi or private car (such as Uber or Bolt). Also, please keep in mind that we strongly recommend you to avoid cabs from airport.

IMPORTANT: For those who want to explore Bucharest or any other parts of Romania, please consider coming 2 days before the mobility or staying 2 days longer after, on your own expenses.

PREPARATION OF PARTICIPANTS & PRE-ASSIGNMENTS

✨ INTERCULTURAL EVENINGS

During the project, we will organize Intercultural (Traditional) Evenings, where you will have the opportunity to present and celebrate your country’s culture.

Please note that, unfortunately, we are not able to reimburse expenses for items you bring for these evenings, so we encourage you to be creative and have fun with what you prepare.

You are welcome to bring traditional costumes, decorations, leaflets, posters, flyers, food, sweets, or any other cultural items. You can also prepare videos, photos, songs, dances, or interactive activities that represent your country.

We are counting on your enthusiasm to make these evenings as engaging and memorable as possible, and we promise to support you in any way we can throughout the preparation and during the event.

✨ HEALTH INSURANCE

A valid health insurance is mandatory for the entire duration of the project. We strongly recommend obtaining the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

The EHIC can usually be requested free of charge through your national health insurance provider (online, by phone, or in person). It allows access to necessary public healthcare services during your stay abroad under the same conditions as residents of the host country.

If you are unsure how to obtain the EHIC or if it is not available in your country, please contact your sending organisation or Monomyths Association - we will be happy to support you and help you find a suitable solution!

ABOUT MONOMYTHS ASSOCIATION (HOST ORGANISATION)

Imagine that you could go back to school, but instead of geometry and spelling, you could learn valuable skills that transform your work and life - like how to handle difficult conversations, solve problems through playful creative methods or build brick by brick your life-project.
We guide young people and qualify youth workers both vocationally and personally, both independent and in cooperation with other experts and mentors, by developing their know-how and methodology on 4 main areas: positive intelligence, talent management, creativity and entrepreneurship education.
During the learning process, the youth workers and youngsters discover that there is more than one path, that with customized training they can gain strength to embrace changes and appreciate small things that make them happy. Ultimately, they become conscious, determined and positive about their journey, and make a positive impact in their community.
Check more info:
🌐 Our website: www.monomyths.ro
🌐 Our Instagram: www.instagram.com/monomyths
🌐 Monomyths Learning - our educational platform https://learning.monomyths.ro/

Starting June 2024, Asociația Monomyths is officially accredited under the Erasmus+ Programme Accreditation in Youth (KA150-YOU) – a milestone that marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for our organization, our partners, and the young people we serve.

This accreditation recognizes over a decade of dedicated work in empowering youth through joyful learning experiences, non-formal education, and lifelong learning. It is a vote of confidence from the European Commission and the Romanian National Agency in our mission to help young people and youth workers grow, connect, and lead with purpose.

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

The international NGOs making this learning journey possible are:

🇹🇩 Monomyths Association, Romania

🇨🇾 Youth Dynamics group, Cyprus

🇪🇸 La Víbria Intercultural, Spain

🇨🇿 Centar za kulturu i obrazovanje Sonta, Serbia 🇷🇸

🇮🇹 Associazione di promozione sociale Flow, Italy

🇵🇹 FAJUB - BRAGA’S FEDERATION OF YOUTH ASSOCIATIONS (PT), Portugal

🇧🇬 Foundation for Entrepreneurship, Culture and Education, Bulgaria

ERASMUS+ PROGRAMME

This project is coordinated by Monomyths Association, Romania, and co-funded through Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission.

✨ WHAT IS ERASMUS+?

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.

The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life. It supports priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, Digital Education Action Plan and the European Skills Agenda. The programme also:

supports the European Pillar of Social Rights
implements the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027
develops the European dimension in sport

The outcomes of Erasmus+ are available in reports and compendia of statistics, as well as through the Erasmus+ Projects Platform. This includes most of the initiatives funded by the programme and a selection of good practices and success stories. If you would like to know more about the Erasmus+ Programme, check out the following site.

YOUTHPASS CERTIFICATE

All youth workers participating in the training course are entitled to receive an international Youthpass certificate, which recognises and validates the competences, knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired or further developed during the mobility.

Youthpass is not only a certificate, but also a learning and self-reflection tool. Throughout the process, participants are encouraged to reflect on their personal and professional learning journey using the European Training Strategy (ETS) Competence Model for Youth Workers. This model focuses on key competence areas relevant to professional youth work practice, such as facilitating learning, programme design, communication, intercultural sensitivity, collaboration, and civic engagement.

This reflection process helps youth workers better understand, describe, and apply what they have learned, increasing the quality and impact of their work with young people and within their organisations.

To discover and learn more about the Youthpass competences for youth workers, click here.

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