Over six intensive days, from 12 to 17 May, Zagreb hosted an international training for youth workers, bringing together professionals from Portugal, Croatia and Serbia. The initiative, supported by the Erasmus+ programme and coordinated by HUKI (Croatia), Agora Aveiro (Portugal), and INAT Centre (Serbia), aimed to empower changemakers to tackle the challenges of youth employability in the 21st century.

Held in the heart of the Croatian capital, the training took place at Oaza Joyful Kitchen and offered participants a hands-on and collaborative learning experience. Throughout the week, key topics were explored, including digital transformation, mental wellbeing, labour rights, social entrepreneurship, and the inclusion of young people in vulnerable situations.

Through interactive workshops, group dynamics and intercultural exchange, participants strengthened their skills in non-formal education and developed strategies to support young people in rural and marginalised areas, boosting their employability and active participation in society.

Alongside receiving a YouthPass certificate, participants also had the chance to build lasting international partnerships with a direct impact on their local communities. The training highlighted the value of lifelong learning, cross-border collaboration, and social innovation as pillars of a fairer and more inclusive future for European youth.

Portugal was represented by a group of dedicated and experienced professionals: Carolina Caspa, Bruno Reis, Camilo Esteban, Henrique Ferreira, Mariana Martins and Natasa Golosin. “It was an enriching experience, where I had the chance to share good practices and learn from peers with very different realities. I’m going home with new tools and a broader perspective on youth work,” said one of the Portuguese participants.

The training ended with a strong commitment from participants to share the knowledge gained within their organisations and communities. This experience reinforced the importance of networking and continuous learning as driving forces for social and professional change in the youth sector.

Earlier this year, as part of the same project, we created the Toolkit for the Jobs of the Future – full of practical tools and good practices to support young people’s employability. Curious? Take a look here, or download the full Toolkit here.

The project “Roadmap for Jobs of the Future” kicked off in 2023 with a clear mission: to improve youth employability – especially for those with fewer opportunities – by equipping youth workers with practical tools and knowledge to support them. We wanted to create something genuinely useful (not theoretical), grounded in real experiences. We also aimed to strengthen cooperation between organisations in Croatia, Serbia and Portugal – especially beyond the big urban centres.

This project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. It’s a small scale Erasmus+ strategic partnership led by INAT Centre in cooperation with Agora Aveiro and HUKI. It is also supported by the Municipality of Aveiro and IPDJ - Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude, I.P..