They are preparing for a major project of European youth work collaboration:​  From the 25th to the 30th of May, youth group leaders from 45 organisations from 17 European countries take part in a training event in Hattingen, in North Rhine-Westphalia. This summer and autumn, they will organise a total of 15 international youth workcamps in eleven European countries. The workcamp leader training is part of the support and qualification programme of the funding programmes ewoca³ and ewoca³(+).

How can we actively shape group processes? How does intercultural learning work? What types of leadership styles are there? What is good conflict management? For five days these and many other questions are on the mind of future work camp leaders at the DGB youth education centre in Hattingen. Using roleplays and with a lot of recourse to practice, but also in theoretical session, the youth work professionals will learn how to use methods, which will simplify their everyday tasks in international youth work.

“This training is doubly useful”, says Katharina Teiting, who coordinates the funding programmes ewoca³ and ewoca³(+) for the International Association for Education and Exchange (IBB e.V.). “First of all, this is the foundation for the success of our youth encounters this summer. But secondly, we are committed to international exchange between the international youth work professionals. There are many international conferences of scientists. But if we want a united Europe, we also have to build networks between those who are building the base of this Europe. We are very happy to contribute to the professionalisation of youth work on the European level in this way, and now for the eight year. And we are also working on making such events accessible for even more youth work institutions in Europe.”

ewoca³ and ewoca³(+) are funding programmes of IBB e.V. for youth work institution, in order to support and enable international youth encounters. The concept is based on the idea of invitation and counter-invitation: Youths from three countries realise three international workcamps over the span of three years – one in each country. In each case they make a sustainable project at the location a reality. This year the workcamps will take place in the following countries: Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Russia. The support programme consists of the workcamp leader training, consultation and support for the participating organisations, a project planning congress, networking meetings and additional events to strengthen and support international youth work.

Fit for international workcamps: Youth group leaders prepare for the summer