Training on Fostering Critical Thinking in Youth through Youth Work The project was designed to respond to contemporary challenges faced by young people and youth workers, such as the growing need for critical thinking, social inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and meaningful participation in society. In an increasingly complex and divided world, young people require spaces where they can reflect critically, express themselves freely, and collaborate across differences. Through one Training Course and one Youth Exchange, the project aimed to strengthen competences, promote inclusion and diversity, and empower participants to engage actively with their communities through non-formal education. The Training Course “Fostering Critical Thinking in Youth through Youth Work” aimed to strengthen the capacities of youth workers and educators to promote critical thinking among young people. Its main objectives were to deepen participants’ understanding of critical thinking and its importance for youth development, to explore contemporary challenges such as misinformation, media influence, digital environments, and the impact of artificial intelligence on independent thinking, and to provide practical methods and tools for fostering critical reflection in formal and non-formal education. The training also aimed to develop participants’ facilitation skills, enabling them to lead constructive dialogue, address bias, encourage questioning of assumptions, and support young people in analyzing information and forming reasoned judgments. A further objective was to encourage the application of these tools in participants’ local contexts through follow-up activities and long-term engagement. Youth Aid - Youth Exchange The Youth Exchange “Youth Aid” focused on the themes of art, inclusion, diversity, and education, using artistic expression as a powerful tool for communication and social change. The main objective of the exchange was to create an inclusive and safe learning environment where young people from different European countries, including participants with disabilities, deaf and hard-of-hearing participants, and young people with fewer opportunities, could collaborate and express themselves through art. Through gestural theatre, music, and documentary filmmaking, participants explored identity, diversity, and inclusion while developing artistic, social, and communication skills. By creating a wordless theatrical performance supported by music and sounds, participants used body language as a universal and accessible form of communication. In parallel, they produced a documentary film documenting the creative process and promoting the values of inclusion and diversity. These artistic outputs were presented to the local community, raising awareness about inclusion, intercultural understanding, and the role of art in education and social cohesion. Both activities shared an overarching objective: to actively engage participants in meaningful non-formal learning processes that promote critical thinking, creativity, inclusion, and active citizenship. By combining capacity-building for youth workers with the empowerment of young people through artistic and participatory methods, the project contributed to personal development, intercultural dialogue, and stronger community engagement, in line with the core values and priorities of the Erasmus+ Programme.