From October 19th to October 26th, 2024, the Youth Individual Mentoring training course brought together 28 participants from Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Bulgaria, and Poland at the Lavender Beach Villa in Liepāja, Latvia. 

Organised by “Development platform YOU+”, this immersive program aimed to prepare specialists to provide individual mentoring to all kinds of young people, equipping participants with the tools and methods essential for impactful youth mentorship.

The primary objectives of the training were to offer practical mentoring techniques for working individually with young people and to share methods that could also be applied with colleagues, other specialists, and even for participants’ self-improvement.

Led by experienced trainers, the participants engaged in critical topics such as emotional intelligence, sexual education, burnout prevention, social skills, discipline, addiction awareness, and mental health support for young people. These sessions provided participants with essential knowledge and practical skills to better understand and address the needs and challenges faced by today’s youth. The training equipped them with a toolkit for creating supportive and impactful mentoring relationships that foster resilience and positive growth in young people.

Through engaging workshops, case studies, and practical activities, participants explored mentoring techniques, effective communication skills, and methods for building trust with mentees. 

As part of the program, participants also visited two local organisations in Liepāja to observe unique approaches to youth mentorship. Organisation “Workout Generation “ mentors young people through calisthenics, building resilience and self-confidence, while “Rave Team” operates an indoor skatepark where it serves as a bridge to mentorship. These visits underscored the value of physical activities in creating positive connections with youth. 

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants praising the training’s practical approach, structured environment, and invaluable international networking. “The training was well-organised, filled with useful resources, and I’m excited to apply these new skills with my mentees”, shared one of the participants.

The Training course “How to be a youth mentor?” was funded with support from the European Commission’s Erasmus+: Youth in Action programme. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Further details about the training can be found on  “Development Platform YOU+” website at www.youpluss.lv, as well as on their Facebook and Instagram pages.