Between 22 and 29 March 2026, Ludus Magnus (EIMBG) took part in the Erasmus+ KA1 training course “Mapping the Living Journey: Balancing between Iinner and outer realities”, held in Durău, Romania and organised by Gamma Institute.
Ludus Magnus was represented by Miriam Herrero, together with three youth collaborators: Celia Díez, Zezo Cantalapiedra, and Sandra Muñoz, who joined youth workers from different European countries for an intensive week of experiential learning, reflection, and creative exploration.
The main thread of the training course was improvisation and self expression through the arts, combining a wide range of artistic and non formal education methodologies. Throughout the programme, participants worked with theatre, mime, puppetry, dance, music, and body expression, alongside disinhibition exercises, team building activities, games, and energisers. These methods were used as tools to explore presence, group dynamics, communication, and co creation in youth work contexts.
The course was facilitated by Diana Laura Ciubotaru, psychologist and systemic psychotherapist from Gamma Institute (Romania), the hosting organisation, and Nuno Preto, actor and expert in artistic expression from Colectivo Espaço Invisível (Portugal). Their complementary approaches created a powerful balance between emotional awareness, artistic exploration, and practical application.
The training brought together participants from a diverse group of European organisations, including Essevesse (France), IAiRS (Poland), Hellenic Youth Participation (Greece), Associação Check in (Portugal) and Rosto Solidário (Portugal), as well as Elebo (Spain) and Ludus Magnus. This multicultural environment enriched the learning experience and fostered meaningful exchange between different youth work realities across Europe.
During the final days of the training course, participants presented a series of four group performances under the shared theme “In the Mountain”, each exploring a different artistic language and expressing the emotional journey experienced throughout the week. The first performance was a theatrical dance piece that blended movement, rhythm, and symbolic gestures while actively engaging the audience, dissolving the boundaries between performers and observers. The second performance took place in nature and unfolded as a theatrical representation with humorous elements, using the outdoor environment as a living stage to create a playful and immersive experience.
The third performance adopted the format of a Living Museum, portraying the fears of humanity across history: from ancient terror of beasts and the gods of nature, to the fear of war and invasions driven by human greed, the persecution of “witches” rooted in the fear of losing control over women, and finally the modern anxiety of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) shaped by social media. The last performance was a musical expression, a small concert crafted entirely with voices and body‑produced sounds, presented with the audience facing away, invited to listen without seeing. This sensory approach evoked strong emotions, guiding participants through a flow of surprise, vulnerability, and deep expectation. Together, the four performances formed a powerful artistic synthesis of the group process, blending creativity, reflection, and emotional resonance.
For Ludus Magnus , participation in Mapping the Living Journey represents an important step in strengthening its commitment to innovative, human‑centred, and experiential youth work practices. The methodologies explored during the training will be transferred to future activities with university students, primary school pupils, and parents, as well as to our ongoing Erasmus+ projects and educational initiatives developed by the organisation.
At EIMBG, we strongly believe that creativity, play, and expression are essential tools for building connection, reflection, and personal growth. Experiences like this reaffirm our conviction that non‑formal education can be transformative, not only for young people, but also for those who work with them.
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