Last November, we were implementing one of the phases of the Re-group project. This project has the objective of training youth as agents of change, promoting their social involvement, self-reflection and the prevention of violence (male violence and all kinds of violence) among young people.

The implementation phase of the methodological guide (YGM – Youth Group Methodology) took place in an intensive weekend from the 26th to the 28th of November 2021. We had the collaboration of the YMCA, who allowed us to develop the activities in their facilities in Zaragoza. The workshops were conducted with the aim to disseminate the project, and multiply its results by equipping youth workers with the youth group methodology, which they can afterwards use in their communities. There were dozens of participantswho spent the weekend with us, doing activities on conflict resolution, role playing, debates and teambuilding.

The three workshops were conducted by a project officer and a youth worker from Mundus. These sessions were conducted during three consecutive mornings with the same group of participants. The program was the following: 

• Day 1: Presentation of the Re-group project to the participants, its objectives, partners and activities.
• Day 2: Presentation of the Youth Group Methodology to both the youth workers and young participants. Revision of the YGM and brainstorm of ways to improve/expand it.
• Day 3: Group dynamics with the young people, conducted with the collaboration of the youth workers, about gender dynamics in adolescents and how these could possibly lead to gender violence in the future.

This small part of the project has been such a success. We shared moments of joint reflection, with emotionally difficult topics but also moments of laughter, food and fun. Some of them we carry out as a group and others we divide into two groups of 10-12 people. All this while respecting health recommendations at all times.

There is still a lot of room for improvement of the Youth Group Methodology and thanks to the participating boys and girls, we have been able to add modifications so that many more young people in Europe can use, enjoy and implement the guide that will be the final result of the project.

Thus we put an end to the implementation phase of this project, having been put on the ground in two other very different geographical points at national level: Barcelona and Asturias; and as many others at international level: CENTRS MARTA (Latvia), SDRUZHENIE BADESHTETO SEGA (Bulgaria) and Asociația Centrul Român pentru Inovație în Dezvoltare Locală (Romania).

In January 2022, we will meet all the participating countries to pool the learnings we have acquired so far to improve the Youth Group Methodology. Thanks once again to all the young people who participated around the world and to the entities involved, without you it would not have been possible!