IMPORTANT – please consult the Nature for all – Call for participants
Nature for all is an international training for youth workers who want to learn how to use nature and nature-based practices and activities, for contributing to an authentic human development.
The training course will bring together 28 persons from: Romania, France, Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, Ireland, Latvia and Hungary.
Context, aim and objectives.
Nature, our home, the place of restoration, healing, empowerment, and visions. Rilke once said: “If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence, we could rise up rooted, like trees.”
“Nature for all” is an invitation to get in touch with the earth’s intelligence, that we find within and without ourselves.
Crafted with deep passion, integrity, and professionalism, “Nature for all” is an international training course, under the Erasmus+ Programme, dedicated to youth workers who want to learn how to use nature as a (re)source for holistic human development.
During the project, the participants will discover and experiment a collection of concepts, ideas, tools, practices, activities, ways of being, that aim at holistic human development. The learning process is planned for stimulating and developing the four human dimensions: the physical, the mental, the emotional and the spiritual.
This project is built in the frame of youth work and the reality of youth development that exists in the present times at European level. The developmental approach is created to improve the youth field and the situation of young people, especially those who are disadvantaged and face various obstacles.
In the challenging times that we are going through, it is more important than ever to rise up rooted like trees.
Through this project we intend the followings:
- To create a space of deep transformation and learning, in which the participants can evolve at personal and professional level.
- To develop the knowledge of those involved in the areas of holistic human development.
- To engage the participants in the process of skills development in the themes of the project.
- To inspire and motivate the participants to become agents of cultural evolution.
- To support the participants become multipliers of nature based human development.
Topics and training methodology
The approach we are following combines elements of psychology, experiential learning, outdoor education, nature connection, indigenous wisdom and principles observed in nature. All these elements aim at developing authentic, free, responsible, empowered, and visionary human beings.
The themes and topics
We will be working with a bundle of topics and themes, such as:
- Nature based psychological models and tools: understanding the human psyche, our behaviors, and how we function at deep level.
- Self-exploration: connecting with the inner world, our talents, gifts, passions, dreams, and personal mission.
- Mentoring: learning how to support and empower others, by deep listening, asking questions, mirroring, tracking, and offering unconditional support.
- Storytelling: working with folktales, wisdom stories, myths, and personal stories.
- Nature connection: experiencing practices and activities for deep nature connection and learning from the natural world.
- Artistic ways of expression (drawing, land art, poetry, music etc.): getting in touch with our inner artist and exploring artistic ways for authentic self-expression.
- Movement and embodiment: getting in touch with the intelligence of our bodies, exploring ways of self-expression and authenticity through movement.
These topics will be addressed by a wide variety of practices and activities, such as:
Nature explorations, solo time in nature, presentations, facilitated discussions, reflection groups, land-art, working in pairs, journaling, symbolic art, music making, storytelling, interactive games, mindfulness practices, meditation, cooperation games, the way of council, dance, embodiment, poetry, workshops facilitate by participants, nature connection activities etc.
Profile of participants
This project is for professional youth workers who are active in the youth field (youth workers, trainers, educators, NGO leaders and mentors) who are willing to explore and develop themselves and after that to resourcefully inspire and empower young people, in nurturing and life enhancing ways.
The participants must be over 18 years, actively participate in the youth field, and have a good level of English.
Participants can apply to this training if they have legal residency in Romania, France, Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, Ireland, Latvia, and Hungary.
The program will take place in a beautiful and wild area, in the Carpathian Mountains, near the village Măguri Răcătău. A village located at an altitude of 800 m, 45 km from Cluj-Napoca. We will be accommodated in several wooden cottages. The participants will share rooms of 3 persons or more and the bathrooms are common.
Location and accommodation
The program will take place in a beautiful and wild area, in the Carpathian Mountains, near the village Măguri Răcătău. A village located at an altitude of 800 m, 45 km from Cluj-Napoca. We will be accommodated in several wooden cottages. The participants will share rooms of 3 persons or more and the bathrooms are common.
The trainers
Bogdan Romanică – from Romania
Bogdan is a human development guide, trainer, and mentor, from Romania. In his work, he is intuitively combining elements of psychology, nature connection, experiential learning, outdoor education, storytelling, and art. He loves exploring nature and the human soul. He feels in his element when inspiring and empowering people to become the best versions of themselves. He has worked locally and internationally in the field of human development since 2010. He graduated the Wild Mind Program within Animas Valley Institute from USA.
Sandra Horea – from Romania
Sandra is a human development guide and mentor who creatively and heart-fully invites people to be in intimate and meaningful conversations with their Soul. She calls humans to fall in love with nature, metaphor, symbol, feeling and therefore with themselves and live their bigger lives delivering their gift to the hungry world. As a guide, she creates purposeful spaces of self-discovery incorporating in her work her experience regarding depth psychology and soul-based practices, eco-centric development, embodiment, storytelling, poetry and deep imagination. She has a wide experience of 10 years in working with youth and adults in facilitating spaces of personal and community transformation. At the moment she is studying within Animas Valley Institute from USA and graduated the Wild Mind Program.
Practical aspects (travelling, costs, preparation)
The arrival day in Cluj-Napoca is 17th of August (no later than 16.00) and the departure day is 25th of August (after 12.00 from Cluj-Napoca). There are 7 full days of training. The training location is one hour away from Cluj-Napoca.
Nature for all is a project financed by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, thus all the activities, accommodation and food are 100% covered by the EU grant. The travel costs will be reimbursed to the participants after the course in the amount limit presented in the table below.
| Nr. | Country | Nr. of participants/country | Travelling budget/person |
| 1 | Romania | 4 | Covered from Cluj-Napoca to the location |
| 2 | France | 3 | 275 Euros |
| 3 | Spain | 3 | 360 Euros |
| 4 | Bulgaria | 3 | 180 Euros |
| 5 | Cyprus | 2 | 275 Euros |
| 6 | Poland | 3 | 180 Euros |
| 7 | Ireland | 2 | 360 Euros |
| 8 | Latvia | 2 | 275 Euros |
| 9 | Hungary | 3 | 180 Euros |
| A total of 25 participants from 9 countries. | |||
Each participant must have a comprehensive travel and medical insurance, covering both the travel and the stay from the first until the last day of the way back home. The insurance should be covered by the participants.
COVID related aspects: The participants must arrive at the location in a COVID free situation. If testing is required, the testing costs can be covered from the travelling budget, within the limit presented in the table.
If you plan to arrive earlier or leave later your expenses for accommodation out of the days of the training will not be covered by the project.
The participation in this training requires a preparation phase.
Those who will be accepted in the training should follow an online learning process (reading different materials, articles, watching videos) related to the topic of the training.
The participants will receive several suggestions for personal work before coming to the program (e.g. journaling on certain questions, self-time in nature and several other invitations). Applying to this program requires also the commitment to follow the preparation process.
Application procedure and deadline
If you want to participate in this training course you have to fill in the application form available at this link:
https://forms.gle/29qJBTNAhKUmx3mV7
The deadline for applications submission is 3rd of July 2021 (included).
The selections results will be published within three days from the deadline.
Contact
Bogdan Romanică (Romania) – project coordinator and trainer
romanica.bogdan@gmail.com +40745585415
“You enter life a ship laden with meaning, purpose and gifts.
sent to be delivered to a hungry world.
And as much as the world needs your cargo,
you need to give it away.
Everything depends on this.”
Cargo – Greg Kimura