From 28–29 September and 1 October 2025, the Online Youth Academy Training Course gathered 175 young people and educators from Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro, together with mentors and trainers from Slovakia and Poland. Organized under the Erasmus+ Capacity Building project PlaNET Social Enterprise 4 (SOEN4), the training focused on leadership, teamwork, civic engagement, and self-awareness — key competences for building a new generation of active youth leaders.
The three-day international training was implemented by the SOEN4 consortium, led by the Agency for Development of the Gemer Region (Slovakia), with trainers Monika Štesková, Agnieszka Tercz, and Martina Mareková facilitating the sessions. Designed as the Engaging Phase of the Youth Academy, the course combined theory with highly interactive, team-based learning.
Exceptional Participation and Measurable Results
The event exceeded expectations with 175 participants (52 from Albania, 61 from Kosovo, 62 from Montenegro) and 159 feedback forms collected. Participants created 157 Personal Development Plans, supported by six trained mentors, and 153 certificates were issued. Compared with planned indicators, all targets were fully achieved or surpassed — participation reached 117 %, and completed PDPs exceeded 262 % of the target.
The impact assessment showed an average +21 % improvement across all core competencies, confirming strong learning outcomes:
- Public speaking confidence: +27.8 %
- Leadership confidence: +26.4 %
- Teamwork and collaboration: +21.4 %
- Motivation for civic engagement: +19.7 %
These results demonstrate that the online format effectively fostered both leadership skills and community-oriented values.
Voices and Impressions from Participants
Open feedback highlighted teamwork as the most meaningful part of the training (65 %), followed by leadership challenges such as the Zero-Budget Hackathon and Press-Conference Simulation.
Participants described the group atmosphere as “very positive and inclusive”, with 90 % praising trainers for clear guidance and friendly facilitation. Worksheets and materials were rated as practical and easy to follow by 88 % of respondents.
The average satisfaction score across all eleven sessions reached 4.30 / 5, with top-rated modules including Leadership World Map (4.34 / 5), Situational Leadership (4.33 / 5), and SOEN International Project Overview (4.31 / 5).
In creative reflections, more than 70 % of youth said they now feel “ready to be a leader,” while others emphasized improved teamwork, communication, and initiative.
Their ideas for using a symbolic €100 budget showed strong social responsibility — from organizing school workshops to local clean-up actions and community charity drives.
Quick feedback confirmed exceptional engagement:
- “I feel like I’ve woken up” — 92 % HELL YES!
- “I realized I can lead, not just follow” — 95 % HELL YES!
- “I would recommend the Youth Academy to others” — 100 % HELL YES!
Building a Culture of Active Youth Leadership
The Online Youth Academy proved that digital learning can be equally personal, motivating, and transformative. Participants left the training energized, confident, and eager to take initiative in their schools and communities. Trainers reported visible growth in self-expression, empathy, and peer collaboration.
As project manager Monika Štesková summarized:
“Watching students from three countries work together as one team showed that leadership and responsibility have no borders.”
The next step for SOEN4 will be the International Youth Academy in Albania (October 2025), where participants will continue their learning journey offline, turning ideas into real community projects.
The SOEN4 – PlaNET Social Enterprise 4 project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union
