Nature as a Youth Worker – Erasmus+ Training Course
Between 13 and 22nd of October 2025, we had the honor to host an unforgettable Erasmus+ Training Course in the heart of the Rhodope mountains, at the School in Nature in Gudevica village.
This project was part of our Erasmus+ accreditation, which allows us to consistently create meaningful learning experiences for youth workers and educators across Europe.
The course, called “Nature as a Youth Worker”, gathered passionate youth workers, trainers, and educators from different countries, who joined us on a unique journey of personal and professional growth.
Over these days we:
Stepped into wild nature through outdoor adventures, hiking, and solo reflection time in the forest.
Explored creativity and art as powerful methods for self-expression, connection, and communication — weaving wool into colorful forms, drawing with chalk on stones and paths, using natural materials to create ephemeral art.
Worked with wool, embodying stories and emotions through color, texture, and touch.
Used costumes, movement, and ritual to bring symbolic experiences to life, integrating the body and imagination into our learning.
Practiced indigenous and healing traditions, discovering how ancient wisdom can serve modern youth work.
Experienced mindfulness and meditation, learning tools for balance and emotional resilience.
Lived together as a community, sharing meals, responsibilities, and authentic conversations.
Embraced silence and reflection, resting in the mystery of being.
The Rhodope mountains became not just our backdrop, but our co-trainer — a mirror to our inner landscapes. Like Bill Plotkin reminds us, the wild world is not outside of us, but within us. In listening to the rivers, the winds, and the silence of the forest, participants discovered reflections of their own inner journeys, calling them toward wholeness and deeper service.
The School in Nature provided a warm, eco-friendly environment, where participants enjoyed vegetarian organic food, creative workshops, and the spirit of living in harmony with the land.
This Erasmus+ experience was more than a training course — it was a transformative adventure, a threshold experience, reminding us that by walking with nature and art, we can empower youth and nurture resilient, soul-rooted communities.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who took part, co-created, and brought their spirit of curiosity, openness, and courage. The journey may have ended in October, but the learning and connections continue to grow.
Център за развитие на човешките ресурси (ЦРЧР)
Partners:
Asociatia Tinerilor cu Initiativa Civica – ATIC
@Nomadways
