Inspiration & Empowerment of Youth and Youth Workers by Coaching, Media, Music & Cultural Training

<< Background >>The InsPower project was developed in response to the urgent challenges faced by disadvantaged young people, particularly those displaced by wars, natural disasters, or economic crises. Studies from Germany, Italy, and Turkey reveal rising levels of hopelessness, stress, and pessimism among youth, who face barriers to education, employment, and participation in society. These conditions increase risks of marginalization, poverty, and isolation, highlighting a clear need for inclusive support. Youth workers, though central to empowering young people, often lack sufficient training in coaching, mentoring, media literacy, and creative tools such as art and music. Recognizing these gaps, three partner organizations joined forces to combine and strengthen their expertise: ToL Akademie in digital media, Sides in coaching and mentoring, and Gürkey Perküsyon in art and music. Together we designed InsPower to build youth workers’ capacities, inspire disadvantaged youth, and create opportunities for resilience, motivation, and active citizenship.<< Objectives >>The InsPower project sought to empower youth workers and disadvantaged young people by building skills, motivation, and inclusive opportunities. Specifically, the objectives were to: encourage youth workers engaging with displaced or marginalized youth to acquire coaching and mentoring skills; foster hope, vision, and motivation among young people from disadvantaged backgrounds; promote the quality, innovation, and recognition of youth work initiatives; and strengthen international cooperation and collaboration among partners. By focusing on these goals, the project aimed to create supportive environments where youth workers are better equipped to guide young people, and where disadvantaged youth can develop clear goals, self-confidence, and resilience. The project placed strong emphasis on inclusion, innovation, and cross-sector cooperation, aligning with European youth priorities while ensuring that both youth workers and young participants gained new competencies, perspectives, and opportunities for active engagement in their communities<< Implementation >>A1: Coaching, Mentoring & Media Literacy TrainingAn accredited coaching training led by a PCC ICF Coach from SIDES APS covered Coaching Competencies and Holistic Life Coaching (80h), focusing on ethics, listening, goal setting, SWOT, and life balance. A 20h mentoring program was created, and ToL Akademie held two media literacy sessions on responsible social media use. 13 youth workers joined and later applied their skills with 24 youth.A2: Podcasts, Webinars & BroadcastsToL coordinated 7 podcasts, 2 webinars, and 2 live broadcasts with partner input on resilience, empowerment, coaching, and creativity, featuring youth and professionals. Outputs are available on www.youtube.com/@InsPowerProject-dk2zp.A3: Transnational Meetings & ManualMeetings in Germany, Turkey, and Italy ensured coordination and produced a practical open-access manual on inclusion, mentoring, and engagement.A4: Youth Mobility A 5-day Istanbul program united 15 youth and 6 workers through meditation, workshops, plenaries, and cultural visits, fostering confidence and intercultural learning.A5: Multiplier Events“Power of Inspiration” events shared the results across partner countries, boosting collaboration and visibility, with an extra event after TPM-1.<< Results >>A total of 80 hours of accredited coaching and 20 hours of mentoring training were completed, supported by 2 practicum workshops and 2 media literacy sessions. 13 youth workers (5 ToL, 4 SIDES, 4 Gürkey) strengthened their skills and applied them with 24 disadvantaged youth. The project also produced 7 multilingual podcasts, 2 webinars, and 2 live broadcasts, shared via YouTube and social media, offering accessible inspiration and practical insights for youth workers and young people alike.Through 3 TPMs, the partnership co-created a comprehensive Manual for Youth Workers, offering practical tools and methods for creating inclusive environments. Additionally, 4 structured training modules were developed, designed for youth workers, youth associations and organizations.The Youth Mobility activity in Turkey brought together 15 participants, resulting in strengthened intercultural understanding, motivation, and self-confidence. The Power of Inspiration: What Inspiration? events across all partner countries united youth workers, project staff, and communities to share results through creative sessions. An additional event after TPM-1 in Germany further promoted the project.