On Tuesday 16th March took place an online seminar organized by SALTO-YOUTH Resource Centres and dedicated to Youth Workers and people that work in the sector of non-formal education.

The seminar, called Youth Work and Trainers Bazaar – Bursting the Bubble!, invited the participants to think outside the "bubble".
For this reason the workshops were held by experts from outside the sector : "the more we are subject to thoughts from outside our respective sectors, the more we are motivated to explore other answers or possibilities".
The seminar was organized this way: there was a general introduction and then different zoom meetings dedicated to workshops. There were nine different workshops held by experts that developed several themes:

1. Children and Young People: The effects of early adversity on human development.
2. Positive Psychology: Resilience - The new panacea!
3. Digital – No turning back!
4. Entrepreneur – Room for everyone!
5. Thinking outside the Erasmus+ Box: A fresh look at funding opportunities for non-formal educators.
6. Mind your own business – sustainability in an unstable world.
7. Values – We are our Values!
8. Identity – being all things to everyone!
9. Ecological Warfare – Joining All the Dots.

The staff of the Municipality of Cinisello Balsamo participated in the workshop about the digital (Digital Team - No turning back!) in which the expert Nenja Wolbers, Project Manager at Digital Opportunities Fundation (SDC), explained that in the next years technology will be present in every part of our lives. In the future technology will be perfectly integrated in our habits and we will use digital tools in the same way we now use electricity. Nenja pointed out that, even though a lot of people have basic digital skills, most of them lack advanced digital skills that are essentials in the world of work and not only. Some tips on how to learn using digital tools were given and, in particular, the expert suggested that we don’t have to be afraid of technology, and we should try to use them through the "learning by doing" approach that allows us to learn in a positive atmosphere and having fun.

The second part of the workshop was called "The Internal Market: Ideas for Change" and even this time there were different training courses:

1. Leave no-one behind – Empowerment for All: Gaia’s Municipal Plan for All Youth(s).
2. It takes a village to raise a community: Family Volunteering.
3. Hélice: A reaction force for good.
4. The Colours of feelings and needs: what colour are you feeling?
5. Community Hubs: Creating Safe Spaces for Empowerment.
6. Radio YNP: Using the airwaves to broadcast peace among young people.
7. Stepping outside "the Bubble": Youth Work goes International.

This second meeting, called "Community Hubs: Creating Safe Spaces for Empowerment", was held by Nathan Hamer, a British Youth Leader and Project Administrator. The central topic of this training course was the creation of a local community and the expansion of this at an international level.

The inhabitans of a city or a district know better than anyone else what needs improving their area. It is fundamental to engage local people and create a sense of community and at the same time connect them to an international network, in order to create positive social change on a massive scale. The expert that held the meeting suggests that in every new hub there should be specialised people such as project managers, HR officers, accountants, youth and community workers and a social networking team. In particular, social networks are fundamental to share and make other people know the ongoing projects and initiatives.

Once the meeting finished, all the participants connected to the plenary session for the final feedbacks and the coordinator talked about the future meetings that hopefully will take place in presence.