Between 27 September and 4 October 2026, the European Institute for Modern Board Games (EIMBG) sent four youth workers (Elisa González, Dunia Villafañe, Sandra Muñoz, and Zezo Cantalapiedra, the Youth Work Coordinator) to participate in the training course “The Brave Presence” in Durău, Romania, organised by Gamma Institute.
The main objectives of the course were to develop non-verbal communication skills; foster courage, flexibility, creativity, and trust in dynamic and unpredictable contexts; strengthen youth workers’ competences in participation and adaptation through non-formal, experiential, and mindfulness-based learning; and cultivate presence, self-awareness, and emotional steadiness through meditation and breathwork.
Throughout the training, each day began with outdoor breathwork and guided meditation. We practised a breathing technique involving inhaling for four seconds, holding our breath for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and holding again for four seconds. Afterwards, we participated in a grounding exercise, walking around and connecting with nature.
The subsequent activities varied from day to day. The first focused on presence and becoming sufficiently aware of ourselves and others to move together. The second explored courage, encouraging us to step outside our comfort zones and face vulnerability, uncertainty, and risk with greater confidence, supported by the trust we had built within the group and in ourselves. The third focused on improving our non-verbal communication and adaptability skills. Finally, we designed workshops to implement in our home countries.
At the end of each day, we also participated in a guided meditation focused on self-trust and acceptance, lying on our backs and facing the sky. This was followed by reflection groups, where we discussed how we felt and shared our personal achievements throughout the day. Finally, we gathered in a circle to exchange our learning experiences, insights, and feelings about the activities, bringing each day to a meaningful close.
The training brought together participants from a diverse group of European organisations, including Hellenic Youth Participation (Greece), Gençler için Gençlerle (Turkey), Associação Check-In (Portugal), IAiRS (Poland), and Agrafka (Poland), as well as Gamma Institute (Romania) and Ludus Magnus (Spain). This multicultural environment enriched the learning experience and fostered meaningful exchanges between youth workers from different European countries.
