LEAD TRAINER
Dr. Nena Močnik
Youth worker and scholar working with collective trauma, forced displacement and gender-based violence. She designs international learning programmes for people working with affected communities.
OPEN CALL · TRAINING OF TRAINERS
When words are
not enough.
Explore the body and the arts as resources for safer, more inclusive youth work.
18+ · No upper age limit · English working language
8days of shared learning
30youth workers
7partner countries
WORKING AROUND TRAUMA WITH EMBODIED RESOURCES
A different way
to connect.
WATER strengthens youth work with young people whose lives have been shaped by displacement, violence, discrimination or exclusion.
Some experiences are difficult to put into words. Movement, breath, voice, visual arts and symbolic expression can offer other ways to connect, participate and express oneself. WATER explores how to use these resources with care, choice and cultural awareness.
The approach builds on the work of Dr. Nena Močnik, Hana Alhadi and APIS Institute.
From sensing to expression
Sensory perception
Notice the senses, the space and what is happening in the present moment.
Embodied regulation
Explore grounding, breath and body awareness as resources for steadiness and choice.
Artistic articulation
Make space for creative expression through movement, images, voice and symbols.
Learning that travels home
An international training, local follow-up activities and a digital WATER handbook connect practical learning with everyday youth work. Participants share adaptations and build a community of practice across seven countries.
THE INTERNATIONAL TRAINING
Eight days.
Practice, reflect, pass it on.
An experiential training for youth workers, trainers, facilitators and people working directly with young people. Learn practical methods, try them in a supportive group and adapt them to your own context.
- Training
- 29 November–6 December 2026
- Arrival
- 28 November 2026
- Departure
- 7 December 2026
- Working language
- English, with agreed peer and intercultural language support
Supported participation
No participation fee. Training, shared accommodation and provided meals are covered. Reasonable travel costs are supported within the approved arrangements; agree your route and costs with APIS before booking.
EXPLORE THE PROGRAMME
Indicative programme. Selected participants receive the detailed timetable before the training.
29 NOVCreate a safe learning space
Meet the group, explore the ethical framework and co-create agreements. Begin with orientation, grounding, trust and trauma-informed check-ins.
30 NOVUnderstand trauma in youth work
Explore bodily, emotional and behavioural responses through short inputs, experiential learning and cases from partner organisations.
1 DECThe body as a resource
Practise grounding, orientation, breath and body awareness. Explore culturally sensitive approaches, boundaries and no-touch alternatives.
2 DECCreative expression lab
Experiment with visual, creative and symbolic methods. Learn through making and reflect on how non-verbal approaches can support participation.
3 DECRespond to challenging situations
Recognise triggers and group dynamics. Practise calming, de-escalation and embodied regulation through cases, simulations and reflection.
4 DECCare for the youth worker
Explore secondary trauma, burnout and resilience. Develop personal and organisational self-care strategies and peer support.
5 DECTurn learning into action
Adapt methods to different cultural and organisational settings. Develop local action plans together and exchange peer feedback.
6 DECReflect and carry it forward
Review learning, take part in evaluation and Youthpass reflection, and plan follow-up cooperation.
CHOICE IS PART OF THE METHOD
Your boundaries
belong to you.
This is professional training, not therapy. No one is asked to share personal traumatic experiences.
- You choose your level of involvement and can pause or step out without explanation.
- Embodied exercises use no-touch approaches, alternatives and cultural sensitivity.
- A quiet space, learning buddies and intercultural mediators support the learning process.
- Photos, video and quotations require informed consent.
Bring the learning to your community
After the training, run a workshop with at least five young people or present the methods to at least ten youth workers. Practice examples will help shape the WATER digital handbook.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND WATER
Experience, care
and shared practice.
TRAINER
Hana Alhadi
Embodied movement facilitator specialising in creative movement, body awareness and psychosocial wellbeing. She brings over twelve years of arts-based work with migrant and refugee communities.
PROJECT COORDINATOR · APIS INSTITUTE
Romana Zajec
Co-founder of APIS Institute, programme director, producer and trainer. She coordinates WATER, bringing experience in international cooperation, socially engaged arts and inclusive non-formal education.
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR · ASANTE
Elena Karagianni
Art educator whose work connects arts education, multicultural learning and refugee communities. Her contribution explores how living environments affect embodied experience and wellbeing.
Pavlos Fysakis · Onassis FoundationPartner organisations also share practices from their own communities.
SEVEN COUNTRIES · ONE LEARNING COMMUNITY
Rooted locally.
Connected across borders.
Coordinated by APIS Institute in Ljubljana, WATER brings together organisations working in creative education, inclusion, refugee support and intercultural dialogue.
Coordinating organisation
Slovenia · LjubljanaAPIS Institute / Zavod APIS
Coordinating organisation
APIS uses film, photography, storytelling and movement to support social inclusion and intercultural dialogue. Founded in 2012, it coordinates WATER and hosts the training.
Spain · MálagaAsociación EuroMuévete
Partner organisation
Non-formal learning, mentoring and international mobility for young people with fewer opportunities.
France · StrasbourgAMSED
Partner organisation
Social, educational and professional inclusion through mentoring, volunteering, youth mobility and intercultural learning.
Greece · AthensASANTE
Partner organisation
Grassroots work for human rights, social inclusion and the participation of migrant and refugee communities.
Latvia · RigaEducation, Culture and Sports Department of Riga Municipality
Partner organisation
Municipal youth work, inclusive education and support for young people's participation and development.
Morocco · TangierCoconut Morocco
Partner organisation
Intercultural exchange, non-formal learning and youth participation through local and international cooperation.
Jordan · AmmanEast & West Center for Sustainable Development / WE Center
Partner organisation
Youth empowerment, intercultural learning and sustainable community development.
THE OPEN CALL
Bring your experience.
Discover new possibilities.
Applications are open to people aged 18 and over, with no upper age limit, who work directly with young people and want to develop embodied and arts-based practice.
Application deadline
Slovenia
25 October 2026All other partner countries
18 October 2026This training is for you if…
- You work with young people affected by trauma, displacement, violence or barriers to inclusion.
- You are curious about embodied and creative methods and can participate in English with agreed support.
- You can attend the full training and put the learning into practice with support from your organisation.
Choose the application for the country where you legally reside, rather than your nationality.
Partner organisations coordinate applications and selection in their own countries. Applications submitted through this form will also be forwarded to the relevant partner organisation. Participation is subject to selection and available places.
Everything you need to prepare
Read about the programme, accommodation, support, travel arrangements and follow-up in the participant infopack.
A few practical questions
Do I need to be a therapist?
No. WATER is professional learning for youth work. It develops safe, ethical practice within your role and does not train participants to provide clinical care.
Do I need an arts or movement background?
You do not need to be an artist or dancer. Curiosity, willingness to reflect and a commitment to applying the learning matter.
What about accommodation and food?
Participants stay at Mekinje Monastery in shared rooms. Meals are mainly plant-based. Tell your sending organisation about dietary, religious, allergy-related or other support needs before travelling.
Can activities be adapted to my needs?
Discuss support needs or adaptations with your sending organisation and APIS before the training. No personal trauma disclosure is required. You can request a private conversation.
Should I book travel now?
Wait until you are selected and APIS has approved your complete route and costs in writing. Do not buy tickets before that approval.
Will I receive learning recognition?
Learning reflection and Youthpass recognition form part of the training.
LET'S TALK
Questions before
you apply?
Write to the WATER team about applications, participation or support needs.
water@zavodapis.siProject coordinator: Romana Zajec · APIS Institute