Building Resilient Communities: Key Outputs from the ConnectEd Belgrade Training

As part of the international ConnectEd project, a group of educators recently met in Belgrade for a training session on community building. The session was led jointly by partners from Slovenia (TiPovej!), Serbia (Libero), Spain (BACKSLASH) and Belgium (Connect International), and focused on practical tools for supporting young people’s social and emotional wellbeing.

ConnectEd works to help young people develop better learning skills, look after their mental health and build social connections that really matter. Much of this work relies on those involved in youth work: providing them with the frameworks and tools they need to support young people on their journey towards a more resilient future.

A strong community is not just a social bonus: it is a necessary condition for personal growth and emotional stability.

When those involved in youth work understand how community dynamics are built and sustained, they can create spaces where young people feel they belong, that they are supported and that they can trust others — the foundation for tackling challenges with greater confidence.

Three lessons to apply in everyday life

Three specific ideas emerged from the training session, which were identified as key to building group synergy and long-term resilience.

01 · Active youth participation

Young people must play an active part in building and shaping their own communities. When the social fabric is co-created by those who live within it, it gains greater significance and impact.

02 · The structural role of rituals

Defined by repetition and symbolism, rituals generate collective energy and provide a sense of security and predictability in times of change.

03 · Community agreements

A practical framework for ensuring inclusion, safety and active listening — a sort of social contract that helps to maintain a supportive environment.

These findings will be incorporated into the forthcoming ConnectEd implementation handbook, which is designed to support emotional and social wellbeing in day-to-day youth work.

Partners in this training programme

• TiPovej!, Slovenia
• Libero, Serbia
• BACKSLASH, Spain
• Connect International, Brussels

ConnectEd is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme. The views expressed in this text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.