Our time in Gijón for the MOVICAL project was a transformative experience focused on strengthening our leadership and connection within the youth work field. From February 23rd to 28th, 2026, we joined colleagues from the Netherlands, Romania, Greece, and Spain to tackle modern challenges like social exclusion and digital misinformation through innovative, gamified methodologies. Staying at La Casona de Antón, just outside the city center, allowed us to balance intensive learning with reflections in a peaceful garden setting.

The heart of the program was built around experiential learning, where we stepped into roles within a fictional community to analyze youth needs and develop intervention strategies. We explored complex topics through a Social Escape Room focused on inclusion and mediation, and used Forum Theatre to debate better ways to communicate with the young people we serve. These workshops, combined with sessions on digital tools for social impact campaigns, provided us with practical skills to act as multipliers once we returned home.

Beyond the classroom, the cultural immersion in Asturias added a profound layer to our professional growth. We explored Gijón’s Roman roots and the historic Cimadevilla old town, experiencing firsthand the local traditions and gastronomy that define the region. Sharing our own cultures during the intercultural night and presenting our organizations at the NGO market reinforced a sense of European solidarity. We left Gijón with our Youthpass certificates and a renewed proactive spirit, ready to apply these creative methodologies to support the diverse groups of adolescents and families we work with every day.