Exploring the world of emotions

From 7 to 11 February 2025, I took part in the “Caring Connections” training course for youth workers in Croatia (Youth Worker Mobility action - Erasmus+), organised by the Youth in the European Union association. 

The course focused on emotional intelligence.

The activity took place in Šibenik, a small coastal town with a nostalgic winter charm: everything was closed and silent, as if waiting for new life.

Our group was very diverse, consisting of social workers and teachers from North Macedonia, Turkey, Lithuania, Spain and Italy. During the training, we took part in games and non-formal educational activities that helped us explore the vast world of emotions. These activities highlighted the importance of not only knowing emotions, but also accepting them, including negative ones. This is a crucial aspect of working with young people, who often experience emotions intensely and immediately without the coping mechanisms that adults tend to use to analyse and contain them.

Exchanging ideas with the other participants also enabled us to reflect on our own emotions and their influence on our work and lives.
The welcoming and non-judgemental environment was fundamental in facilitating open discussion on such a personal and complex topic. The proximity to the sea added an extra dimension, accompanying us during some exercises on stress and anxiety management, making them even more meaningful.

Despite our age differences, we formed a strong bond as a group. We also enjoyed informal, fun moments together, discovering aspects of each other's cultures through traditional food, music and dance.

This experience once again confirmed how valuable international training and exchanges are. Not only do they provide us with useful tools for our work, they also give us life experiences and relationships that leave a lasting impression.

Updated on Marți, 17/02/2026