Leveling Up Our Youth Work Practice at PRISMA EU10 in Spain
From 25–30 April, we were honoured to participate in the PRISMA EU10 – Level Up Your Youth Work seminar in Benalmádena, Spain. This international event brought together 34 youth work professionals from 14 NGOs across Europe to collaborate, share, and innovate in the green, social, and digital fields. The seminar aligned with the goals of the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education, placing a strong emphasis on quality standards, innovation, and future cooperation.
Over the course of four dynamic days, we explored cutting-edge youth work approaches, engaged in interactive learning, and contributed to shaping a more connected and effective European youth work community. Here's a brief look at our experience:
Day 1: Connection and Collaboration
We began the seminar with warm welcomes, team-building activities, and space to share our fears, expectations, and contributions. Participants included youth workers, trainers, and representatives from the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, whose experiences enriched our understanding of transnational collaboration and entrepreneurship. We shared our own experiences and learned valuable insights from our peers.
Day 2: Innovation Through Play
One of the highlights of the week was Causeland, a board game designed to simulate the real-world challenges NGOs face. From delayed grant payments to internal team conflicts and policy shifts, we tackled problems creatively while strengthening our collaborative spirit. The activity sparked important discussions on resilience, adaptability, and organisational change management.
Later, we explored funding opportunities, platforms for cooperation, and listened to partner organisations present their success stories.
Day 3: Local Inspiration, Global Vision
Despite a surprise power outage across the region, we spent the day immersed in local innovation. We visited La Noria in Málaga, meeting organisations like Almijara, which works to restore biodiversity and deliver environmental education.
In the afternoon, we visited Innova, a dynamic youth centre in Benalmádena that supports young entrepreneurs and hosts 15 start-ups. With spaces for mentoring, training, urban sports, and creative workshops, Innova fosters personal and professional growth for young people in the region.
That evening, we reflected on the shared needs of our organisations and imagined what the next 10 years of youth work might look like - from greener practices to digital youth empowerment.
Day 4: Looking Ahead
Our final day was dedicated to sharing good practices from our organisations and developing follow-up plans. We left inspired, connected, and committed to deeper cooperation. We also hope to formally join the PRISMA network in the coming months to continue building on the momentum of this seminar.
We are deeply grateful to Euromuevete for their hospitality and to GEYC for organising such a meaningful event.
To learn more about the outcomes and insights from PRISMA EU10, read the full report below.