PROJECT AIM The activities aim to contribute to capacity building for quality youth work in non-profit organisations across Europe, by empowering youth workers to become more aware, skilled, and value-driven leaders in hybrid contexts. 50 youth workers are empowered to foster transformative experiences of value-driven activism, adaptive leadership, and sustainable engagement for the youth they support, while navigating the complexities of hybrid (digital and in-person) leadership. PROJECT OBJECTIVES The project seeks to positively impact young people through: - strengthening youth workers by developing competencies in hybrid leadership, value-driven decision-making, adaptive leadership, conflict resolution, group dynamics management, and virtual teamwork - empowering participants as peer facilitators and multipliers through a 'learning by teaching' methodology, strengthening their roles as leaders, innovators, and shapers of best practices - creating opportunities for networking, co-creation of knowledge, and collaborative exchange among European youth workers, while bridging connections with local Berlin youth work practitioners - developing more innovative, dynamic, responsive, and resilient organisations that can effectively navigate hybrid working contexts and enhance the spread of values related to civil engagement and activism among youth in Europe, in line with the EU Youth Goals - increasing leadership quality through participant-driven learning and peer facilitation, inspiring growth and renewing motivation in partner organisations - raising awareness of empowered youth workers as leaders and changemakers who foster inclusive, accessible, and value-driven youth work in both digital and physical spaces THE VALUE-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP FORUM The Forum brings together 50 youth workers from 13 YFU partner organisations for an intensive, participant-driven learning experience in Berlin over three full days and two half days. It begins with a Welcome Evening, followed by a closed Leadership Lab (2 days), a public Leadership Symposium (1 day), and concludes with a Closing Day dedicated to consolidating learning, action planning, and establishing follow-up structures including an alumni network. Participants become co-creators and peer facilitators. FIRST PREPARATORY MEETING The project begins with a 2.5-day Preparatory Meeting in Berlin, bringing together the organizing team from 5 countries. This meeting establishes the content framework, harmonizes the non-formal learning approach, ensures quality standards and accessibility measures, and prepares the team to support participants as peer facilitators—essential groundwork for effective 'learning by teaching' during the Forum. SECOND PREPARATORY MEETING A second 2.5-day meeting bridges knowledge from VOLUNLEAD! (2025) and VOLUNLEAD 2.0 (2026) into the Forum. Six participants convene: two current coordinators, two trainers from each previous course. This meeting captures past lessons and methods, co-creates a shared educational framework, and establishes concrete agreements to ensure the Forum builds upon its predecessors. THE LEADERSHIP LAB (Days 0-2) The Lab provides an intensive, participant-driven learning environment where participants explore their leadership contexts, identify shared challenges, and engage through participant-led parallel tracks. Through cross-track exchanges, Open Space sessions where participants facilitate their own discussions, and daily reflection groups, they develop concrete tools and strategies. Participants also prepare to facilitate workshops for the public Symposium, embodying the 'learning by teaching' approach that deepens understanding while building facilitation skills. THE LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM (Day 3) The public Symposium opens the learning space to local Berlin youth work practitioners and other professionals, creating dynamic exchange between Lab participants and newcomers. Lab participants facilitate workshops sharing their insights while learning from diverse Symposium attendees. This positions participants as experts and multipliers, creates connections beyond the YFU network, and reinforces learning through teaching. The Symposium culminates in collaborative dialogue on the future of value-driven leadership.. IMPACT ON YOUTH WORK PRACTICE This project's structure ensures participants return to their organisations as empowered peer facilitators and multipliers, equipped with new competencies and the experience of successfully facilitating learning for others. The combination of intensive peer learning and immediate practice through Symposium facilitation creates profound and lasting impact. Participants strengthen their leadership in hybrid contexts, enhance their ability to lead with values in complex situations, and build sustainable networks for ongoing peer support, ultimately improving the quality and impact of youth work across their organisations and beyond.