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Grounded: Staying Steady in a Shaky World

2026-1-LT02-KA152-YOU-0003899312026Mobility of young peopleongoing
Countries: LT|IT|BG|AL · Grant: €34,820
Physical and mental health, well-beingInclusion of marginalised young peoplePromotion of alternative forms of participation

Objectives

From a youth work practice perspective, this project aims to strengthen how young people cope with instability and how youth work responds to it in a grounded and meaningful way. The project supports teenagers aged 14–17 in understanding their emotional reactions to uncertainty. Through non-formal youth work methods, participants learn to recognise stress, fear and overload as normal responses to the world around them. Youth work provides a supportive space where these emotions can be explored without pressure or judgement, and with no the expectation to 'fix' anything. A key objective is to create safe and trusted learning environments. From a youth work perspective, this means offering clear structure, predictable group processes, respectful communication. Young people experience forms of listening and acceptance that are often missing in their everyday lives. This supports participation and openness, especially for those who rarely feel heard. The project places strong value on peer-based learning. By living and working together with peers from other countries, young people discover that instability is not only local, but shared across Europe. This helps reduce isolation and self-blame. Youth work here uses shared experience as a learning tool, allowing solidarity to grow naturally through everyday interaction. Another objective is to use and test non-formal learning methods that support emotional grounding. Creative activities, outdoor learning, guided reflection are used to help young people slow down and notice what supports their wellbeing. These methods are simple and low-threshold, so they can be repeated in local youth work without extra resources. The project also encourages active participation and ownership. Young people are involved in shaping activities and reflecting on learning. They are encouraged to share outcomes in ways that feel safe and appropriate for them. From a youth work point of view, this strengthens agency and confidence without placing pressure on performance. Finally, the project strengthens everyday youth work practice across different contexts. Partner organisations exchange experience, test approaches together, also reflect on how youth work can respond to uncertainty in realistic ways. The cooperation supports future work based on trust and shared learning, including practical methods. Overall, the project supports responsive and inclusive youth work that is rooted in real life. It helps young people stay steady while navigating uncertainty in their everyday lives and strengthens the role of youth work in supporting them.

Project partners (4)