European Training on Community Spaces, Youth Participation and Urban Resilience
About the project
Spaces of Resilience is an Erasmus+ funded program coordinated by proBiene (Germany) in
cooperation with ACTS. (Cairo, Egypt) and open to partner organizations across Europe. The project
brings together youth workers, educators, social innovators, and community leaders to explore how
young people can shape resilient urban futures.
This training is designed for professionals and young leaders who are engaged in youth work or the
participatory creation of spaces for young people.
Why Resilient Spaces?
Cities worldwide face increasing social and ecological challenges, but young people can be a driving
force for change. Our project focuses on creating and maintaining urban spaces of resilience — areas
where communities come together to build sustainability, solidarity, and social inclusion. These spaces
empower participants to take action, develop skills, and strengthen their capacity for active citizenship.
Who Can Apply?
We are looking for:
- Youth workers, educators, social workers, community organizers, and young professionals
involved in working with and/or creating spaces for young people. - People motivated to connect local practice with international perspectives, and to apply what
they learn with peers at home. - A diverse range of backgrounds and experiences (e.g. gender, nationality and professional
experience)
Eligibility:
- Age: generally 21+ (open also to graduate students engaged in youth-related work).
- Working language: English.
- Country of Residence: EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme
(i.e. EU or North Macedonia, Republic of Türkiye and Republic of Serbia) - Sending organisations: Applications need to suggest a sending organisation or can be
nominated by a proBiene partner organisation, if they are from Spain, Austria, Turkey or
Germany
Practical Information
The workshop takes place from 26.-31. August 2026 in Mannheim, with two day visits in
Heidelberg and a third day in another municipality. (The program starts at 12:00 on the first
day and ends at 14:00 on the last day of the workshop week)
Travel support, accommodation, two meals a day, and program costs are covered by
Erasmus+.
Travel costs for one of the program parts are reimbursed to up to 395 € (or your respective
travel rate according to EU distance calculator). After confirmation, your spot in the program
is reserved for 10 days, until the flight ticket to one of the venues is shown or an individual
agreement with your sending organization was found.
All participants will receive a Youthpass to recognize their learning outcomes as well as a
certificate by the partner organizations. You can be provided with certificates for your
employer as well as supported in applying for educational leave (e.g. “Bildungsurlaub”)
Program in Mannheim
In two preparatory online workshops we develop the program together, we count on your perspective
and insight! To gain some first impression here you find a sketch of how our days could look like.
Mannheim, 26.-31. August 2026
- Day 1: Arrival, introduction, icebreakers, framing of “Spaces of Resilience”
- Day 2: community visits, mapping local youth spaces, dialogue with practitioners(1 st workday
at Collegium Academicum Heidelberg) - Day 3: resilience case studies (e.g. visit of the City of Worms)
- Day 4: Co-creation labs (participants design interventions for resilient youth spaces, i.e. 2nd
workday at Collegium Academicum Heidelberg) - Day 5: Project-Development Workshop in Mannheim
- Day 6: Reflection and synthesis, Farewell
Learning objectives
By joining the Spaces of Resilience Mannheim training, participants will:
- Explore resilience together: understand how young people experience resilience in their
everyday spaces, and connect this to practical approaches in youth work. - Practice participatory tools:try out methods such as community mapping, dialogue circles, and
co-creation labs, and reflect on how these can be adapted for their own youth groups. - Exchange across cultures: work with peers from Europe and Egypt to share challenges and
solutions, and strengthen intercultural dialogue skills for inclusive youth work practice. - Shape concrete ideas for action: develop small-scale project concepts and practical steps that
can be transferred back home and implemented with young people in local communities.
Why Join?
- Gain new tools and skills for youth participation and urban resilience.
- Experience peer learning in a diverse international group.
- Build long-term partnerships between Stuttgart, Cairo and other regions.
- Contribute to a growing network of organizations committed to sustainable and inclusive
youth work.
Application window participants until 28.02.2025 (confirmation on a rolling basis).
The training focuses on city-to-city exchanges, hence at least two participants per city are expected.
About proBiene
proBiene – Freies Institut für ökologische Bienenhaltung is a Stuttgart-based non-profit organization
dedicated to ecological beekeeping, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable education. Over the
past decade, ProBiene has become an important actor in connecting ecological sustainability with
transformative education, engaging young people, educators, and local communities in meaningful
environmental initiatives.
Contact Us
Marco Elischer; Email: international@probiene.d
