🧭 Summary
Soft Skills Solid Start was an EU-funded Erasmus+ training course dedicated to youth workers, aimed at strengthening their soft skills, leadership, and capacity for non-formal education.
Implemented by a consortium of five European partner organizations from Cyprus, Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Spain, the project contributed to the professional development of youth workers, promoting youth empowerment, lifelong learning, and social inclusion across Europe.
Through interactive workshops, peer learning, and experiential education, 25 participants enhanced their competences in communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, organizational skills, and conflict management — all essential for improving youth employability, intercultural understanding, and community engagement.
This Erasmus+ initiative also fostered transnational cooperation, capacity building for NGOs, and the exchange of good practices in youth education and social innovation.
🎯 Objectives
Over 10 months, the Soft Skills Solid Start project achieved several objectives aligned with Erasmus+ priorities in education, training, and inclusion:
- Improved Understanding of Soft Skills:
25 youth workers deepened their understanding of leadership, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, organizational skills, and conflict management as key elements for youth development and employability. - Enhanced Non-Formal Education Competences:
Participants expanded their toolbox of non-formal education methods, discovering 10 innovative practices for developing soft skills among disadvantaged youth, supporting equal opportunities and inclusive education. - Empowered Youth Leaders and Facilitators:
By the end of the project, participants adopted a more proactive approach to youth work, creating 25% more workshops on soft skills and personal development within their home organizations. - Capacity Building and International Cooperation:
The 5 partner NGOs strengthened their organizational capacity through knowledge exchange, digital tools for youth work, and cross-border collaboration, ensuring sustainable development and long-term impact.
🏖 Implementation
The project took place in Paphos, Cyprus, from 23 to 28 October 2023, hosted by Agecare (Materia Group) at the Queen’s Bay Hotel.
It brought together 25 youth workers, 2 trainers, and 1 project manager from across Europe.
Participants were selected based on shared Erasmus+ eligibility criteria — motivation to improve youth work quality, engagement with young people facing social challenges, interest in soft skills education, and limited previous participation in Erasmus+ mobility projects.
Training highlights included:
- Team-building, intercultural learning, and group dynamics sessions
- Workshops on leadership, teamwork, communication, and conflict management
- Exploration of non-formal education and youth inclusion methods
- Reflection, evaluation, and certification through Erasmus+ Youthpass
This training course combined non-formal education, intercultural dialogue, and community-based learning, strengthening cooperation among youth organizations and supporting lifelong learning pathways.
🤝 Partners
| Partner Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| Agecare (Materia Group) | 🇨🇾 Cyprus (Coordinator) |
| Stowarzyszenie Young Wave | 🇵🇱 Poland |
| ASK Yourself | 🇷🇴 Romania |
| 21 Nap – Fiatalok a Tudatosabb Életért Egyesület | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
| Aktive Kosmos | 🇪🇸 Spain |
Together, these European NGOs collaborated to promote youth empowerment, intercultural cooperation, and soft skills education through Erasmus+ strategic partnerships.
📦 Outputs & Results
- 1 international Erasmus+ training course implemented in Cyprus
- 25 youth workers trained in non-formal education methods
- 10 new tools for soft skills development created and shared
- 5 toolboxes for capacity building in youth work
- Strengthened European cooperation network for inclusive education and social innovation
The project’s outputs continue to support youth workers, rehabilitation educators, and community-based learning initiatives, bridging the gap between education, health, and social inclusion — key priorities of the Materia Group Nursing Care and Rehabilitation Clinic.
📸 Project Gallery
