“Expedition Skills For (Youth) Educators” – Erasmus+ Training Course 05/06/2026 – 13/06/2026
Ostrov (Tisá), Czech Republic
From 5th to 13th June 2026, a group of youth workers gathered in Ostrov (Tisá), Czechia, for the Erasmus+ training course Expedition Skills for Youth Educators. Set against the breathtaking landscape of Bohemian Switzerland and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, the training invited participants to leave their everyday routines behind and experience learning in a completely different environment.
Rather than spending the week in conference rooms, participants learned by being outdoors—walking through forests and sandstone formations, navigating unfamiliar terrain, working together, and discovering how nature itself can become a powerful educational space.
Learning Through the Outdoors
Outdoor education is about much more than hiking. It encourages people to step outside their comfort zones, solve problems together, and develop confidence through real experiences. Throughout the training, participants explored how these principles can be applied in youth work and how outdoor environments can inspire learning, participation, and personal development.
The programme combined guided hikes with practical workshops, reflection sessions, and group challenges. Every activity was designed to connect theory with practice, allowing participants to immediately test new skills in authentic situations.
Building Skills That Matter
During the training, participants strengthened a wide range of competences needed to organise and lead outdoor educational activities safely and confidently.
Some of the key topics included:
- planning and leading multi-day expeditions;
- risk assessment and safety management in outdoor settings;
- navigation using maps, compasses, and route-planning techniques;
- logistics and equipment preparation;
- first aid in outdoor environments;
- facilitating group processes while encouraging participation, trust, and inclusion.
A strong emphasis was also placed on sustainability, encouraging participants to think about how outdoor activities can be organised responsibly while respecting nature and minimising environmental impact.
The Expedition Experience
One of the highlights of the training was the final expedition. Participants took responsibility for planning routes, managing time, navigating the landscape, adapting to changing weather conditions, and supporting one another throughout the journey.
It was an opportunity to put everything they had learned into practice. Beyond the technical skills, the expedition challenged participants to communicate effectively, make decisions as a team, and remain flexible when things did not go exactly as planned.
These moments often became the most valuable learning experiences, demonstrating that leadership is built not only through knowledge, but also through trust, cooperation, and reflection.
Bringing Outdoor Learning Home
The training also focused on how these experiences can be transferred into everyday youth work. Participants explored ways to create inclusive outdoor learning opportunities that are accessible, engaging, and centred around young people’s needs.
Alongside practical skills, the group reflected on learning outcomes using the Youthpass framework and worked together to develop educational resources that can be shared with colleagues and organisations after the project. In this way, the impact of the training extends far beyond the nine days spent in the Czech outdoors.
Looking Ahead
Expedition Skills for Youth Educators showed that some of the most meaningful learning happens outside traditional learning spaces. By combining outdoor adventure with non-formal education, the training gave participants not only practical expedition skills, but also new confidence, stronger teamwork abilities, and fresh inspiration for their work with young people.
Sometimes, all it takes is stepping off the beaten path to discover new ways of learning, leading, and growing—both as youth workers and as individuals.
🌎 Erasmus+ Training Course “Expedition Skills For (Youth) Educators” is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme.
