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🇮🇹 TC "Debate Lab - Youth Work Open Mic" / 19-27.05.2026 - Furnari (ME), Sicily, Italy

Updated: 2 days ago


🎤 TC "Debate Lab - Youth Work Open Mic" (DLYWOM)


📆 19.05 - 27.05.2026

📍 Furnari (ME), Sicily, Italy 🇮🇹

🔎 Main Objectives:

  • Empower youth workers with structured debate methodologies to foster constructive dialogue and democratic participation among young people.

  • Develop practical facilitation skills using different debate formats to manage sensitive topics safely.

  • Co-create "Debate-in-a-Box", an Open Educational Resource (OER) containing ready-to-use motions, role cards, and inclusive adaptations.

  • Build a transnational community of practice and support the creation of local debate clubs to combat polarization and misinformation.


👥 The Participant Profile (4 PPL x Country)

  • Youth workers, educators, and community facilitators active in non-formal education with youth.

  • At least 2 participants per country with fewer opportunities.

  • Aged 18+ (ideal range 20 - 45).

  • Actively involved in youth work and highly motivated to organize local debate events/follow-ups within 60 days of the mobility.

  • Able to work in English and committed to the full duration of the training, including online mentoring calls and dissemination activities.


🇪🇺 Partner Countries: Italy, Spain, Türkiye, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria

✈️ Travel Reimbursement: (Check the info pack)

💶 Food and Accommodation: 100% covered by the hosting organization

📧 Deadline for Selection: 25th of April 2026

ℹ️ Application Form: https://bit.ly/3Pup3Oc


🌍 Partners

🇮🇹 Be The Change

🇹🇷 Strong Future Association

🇲🇰 Civil Association Center for Regional Sustainable Development Negotino

🇵🇱 TA - Stowarzyszenie Warte Uwagi / Association Worth Attention

🇪🇸 Asociación Sociocultural y Musical A La Mua

🇷🇴 Asociatia Bradul, Muntele si Neagra (BMN)

🇧🇬 Opportunities Hub Bulgaria


📩 Please note that only selected participants will receive official communication regarding their selection for the Training Course. 🌟 Each Partner organisation may use as well another form for the selection and apply their organisational policies 👁️ Keep an eye on your inbox for this exciting news about joining us on this adventure in Italy! 🇮🇹


Follow us - Before Applying

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ℹ️ "Debate Lab - Youth Work Open Mic" Project Information Pack


Welcome to the "Debate Lab - Youth Work Open Mic" project! 🎤 This comprehensive guide is your go-to resource for everything you need to know about your upcoming Training Course in Furnari (Messina), Sicily, Italy. 🇮🇹 Here, you’ll find all the essential details, including the project overview, working methods, participant profile, venue and travel arrangements, reimbursement guidelines, project preparation, health & travel insurance, and contact information.


Table of Contents 📖


🌍 Project Overview

"Debate Lab - Youth Work Open Mic" aims to equip youth workers, educators, and community facilitators with the skills to inspire, engage, and empower young people through structured debate, constructive dialogue, and innovative non-formal education methods 🎤🌍.

In a world increasingly marked by polarization, misinformation, and digital echo chambers, this project provides participants with practical tools to create safe spaces for respectful disagreement, foster critical thinking, and promote democratic inclusion.

Through hands-on workshops, collaborative projects, and intercultural exchange, participants will refine their facilitation skills, learn different debate formats, and explore creative ways to address sensitive social issues. The training encourages the use of debate not as an elite competition, but as an accessible and inclusive tool for youth participation and community building across Europe.


💡 Working Methods

Our training course is designed using interactive, non-formal education techniques and a strong "learning-by-doing" approach 🎓✨. Expect a dynamic mix of:

🗣️ Debate Practice & Role Rotation - Learn and practice different debate formats by constantly rotating roles: Speaker, Moderator, Judge, and Timekeeper.

🧠 Critical Thinking & Facilitation Sessions - Develop active listening, constructive feedback, and conflict management skills through practical exercises and logical fallacy games.

🤝 Collaborative Co-Creation - Work in multicultural teams to design and finalize "Debate-in-a-Box", an Open Educational Resource (OER) featuring motion banks, role cards, and inclusive adaptations.

🌍 Intercultural Evenings - The Training Course lives in a multicultural context and we are not gonna miss the change to share and celebrate traditions, music, and cuisine from your country in self-organized cultural nights. 🍽️🎶 📢 Local Action Planning - Prepare concrete strategies and "Local Plans" to organize debate clubs or open mic nights in your local communities right after the training.


👥 Participant Profile

🌍 International Group: 28 participants from Italy, Spain, Türkiye, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria (4 Youth Workers per Country).

🤝 Inclusive Mix: The course welcomes youth workers, educators, trainers, and socio-cultural facilitators. Importantly, at least 2 participants per national team must be individuals facing fewer opportunities (geographical, economic, or social barriers).

🎯 Experience & Motivation: Participants should be actively involved in youth work and highly motivated to develop facilitation and dialogue skills, ready to bring structured debate into their everyday non-formal education activities.

📅 Age Range: Aged 18+ (ideal range 20-45 years old), with a strong openness to multicultural and diverse backgrounds.

🗣️ Language: The working language is English - perfect fluency is not required, but participants must be able to communicate, express ideas, and work in an international group.

📢 Commitment: Full participation in all sessions, intercultural evenings, and mandatory follow-up activities, specifically organizing at least 1-2 local debate events within 60 days of returning home, is expected.

🏖️ The Location & Travel Arrangements


 🏨 Accommodation

The project's venue is Tindari Village Camping (https://www.tindarivillage.com/), located in the charming village of Bazia/Furnari on the north coast of Messina 🌊🌞.

  • Rooms & Capacity:The rooms are designed to host around 3-4 people (mixed by nationality and divided by sex), depending on venue availability. 🛏️🌍

  • Meals & Refreshments: 3 meals a day, Italian breakfast, lunch, and dinner 🍽️, along with coffee breaks ☕, all provided on-site.

    Meals will follow the traditional Italian way of eating:

    • First course (primo): often pasta with different sauces.

    • Second course (secondo): either vegetarian or meat-based.

    • Some evenings will feature pizza dinners or typical Sicilian street food.

    Please note: if a participant has no flexibility to adapt to this culinary style, it is better to skip this opportunity and consider a project in a country with a food culture more similar to their own.

  • Kitchen Facilities: Each apartment features an equipped kitchen in the balconies, perfect for preparing your own snacks or meals during intercultural evenings. 🍳🥗

  • Amenities Provided: At Tindari Village, you will be provided with blankets and towels 🛌. Please note that personal care items such as a hair dryer, soap, shower gel, and shampoo are not supplied 🚫🧴.

  • Laundry Facilities: For those traveling light, there is a coin-operated washing machine available on-site (4€ per coin). If you choose to travel with just a backpack 🎒, we will cover the cost of one coin to help you wash your clothes.

  • Convenience: The accommodation is conveniently located just a 2-minute walk from the nearest supermarket 🛒, perfect for picking up any additional essentials you might need.


 📍 How to reach the venue


 🗺️ Project Location / Destination (Tindari Village Camping):


OPTION 1 - Travel from Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa


  1. From the CT Airport to Messina (Train/Bus): Upon landing at Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa, take a train or bus to Messina Central Station. You can check the schedule at https://www.trenitalia.com/ (Train) or https://www.saisautolinee.it/ (Bus). *The airport train station is about 600 metres from the Catania airport terminal. The shuttle is free and runs every 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can also reach the station on foot, following the pedestrian path. Otherwise, the bus station is outside the arrivals.

  2. From Messina Centrale to Novara-Montalbano-Furnari (Train): From Messina Central Station, board a train to Novara-Montalbano-Furnari Station. (Check schedules at www.trenitalia.com.) *The last train to Novara-Montalbano-Furnari Station is at 21.00.

  3. Pickup from Train Station to Tindari Village (Car): Once you arrive at Novara-Montalbano-Furnari Station, we are gonna pick you up by car asap. (It's crucial you communicate your travel information to the Project Coordinator in order we can arrange a smooth logistics experience.

    *Check-in at Tindari Village is scheduled after 3:00 PM. For instance, if you catch a train that departs from Messina Centrale around 2:37 PM and arrives at Novara-Montalbano-Furnari around 3:45 PM, you will be perfectly timed. If you arrive earlier, please plan to wait for the scheduled pickup by the city or you may reach the venue by walking, but it's around 3KM.


OPTION 2 - Travel from Palermo Aeroporto / Punta Raisi Station


  1. From the Airport Punta Raisi Train Station to Novara-Montalbano-Furnari (Train): Upon landing at Palermo Aeroporto, proceed to the nearby Punta Raisi Station. This station is conveniently located adjacent to the arrivals area. Board a train from Punta Raisi Station to Novara-Montalbano-Furnari Station. It will be not a direct train and most likely it will involves 2 changes (The first one at Termini Imerese and the second one at Patti-S. Piero Patti). (Check schedules at www.trenitalia.com.) *The last train from Airport to Novara-Montalbano-Furnari Station is at 17.40.

  2. Pickup from Train Station to Tindari Village (Car): (See above)


⚠️ IMPORTANT ‼️

✈️ OPTION 1 (ARRIVAL FROM CATANIA): When you plan your flights, consider your arrival flight must arrive at Catania Airport by MAX 6.00 PM ⏳ (We suggest earlier), while the return flight must depart from Catania no earlier than 11.30 AM ⏰ (We suggest later).

🚆 The last train from Messina Centrale to Novara-Montalbano Furnari is at 21.00

🚆 The first train from Novara-Montalbano Furnari to Messina Centrale is at 5.13 AM


✈️ OPTION 2 (ARRIVAL FROM PALERMO): When you plan your flights, consider your arrival flight must arrive at Palermo Airport by MAX 4.00 PM ⏳ (We suggest earlier), while the return flight must depart from Palermo no earlier than 12.00 PM ⏰ (We suggest later).

🚆 The last train from Palermo Centrale to Novara-Montalbano Furnari is at 18.33

🚆 The first train from Novara-Montalbano Furnari to Palermo is at 6.34 AM


🕒 This scheduling provides sufficient time to travel from the hotel to the airport using public transportation. We will collect all your arrival and departure info in advance and prepare the best pick-up plan 🚖 that fits the group.

💡 If you want to stay longer in Sicily, you can travel for a maximum of 2 days before and 2 days after the project. In this case, you need to cover your accommodation and expenses.


📌 This applies if there are no easier, safer, and cheaper options to reach the venue.


🛬 You can also travel from other airports like Reggio Calabria or arrive 1-2 days before directly from Catania Centrale or Palermo Centrale 🚆. The information is the same, and the travel plan has to be arranged according to the train schedule.


⚠️ YOUR TRAVEL PLAN MUST BE AGREED UPON WITH THE HOSTING ORGANIZATION 🏠, OTHERWISE, THE REFUND WILL NOT BE ADMISSIBLE ❌

💰 YOU HAVE TO PICK THE MOST ECONOMIC WAY TO REACH THE PROJECT LOCATION.

🚇 Please note that only public transport is subject to reimbursement. If you travel by airplane ✈️, only economy class is covered. Taxi 🚕 is NOT covered.

⛔ YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO LEAVE THE PROJECT ONE DAY EARLY TO CATCH YOUR FLIGHT OR BUS.

📅 BUY YOUR TICKETS ACCORDING TO THE PROJECT'S DATE.

💰Reimbursement & Travel Guidelines


What are the dates and what does the reimbursement cover?


The arrival date is the 19th of May 2026

The departure date is the 27th of May 2026


If you want to stay more in Sicily you can travel for a maximum of 2 days before and 2 after the project, in this case, you need to cover your accommodation and expenses*

*This applies if there are no easier, safer and cheaper options to reach the venue.


⚠️ IMPORTANT ‼️

📌 You need to collect and keep all your physical and digital 🎟️ tickets. You will receive the reimbursement 💰 for all the routes related to reaching the venue of the project and going back home 🏠 (not for tourist purposes 🏖️).


Having proof of travel (boarding passes 🛫, tickets 🎫, etc.), and of cost (invoices 🧾 and receipts 📄) is a requirement to get the reimbursement according to Erasmus+ rules.

⏳ The reimbursement process usually takes 60 days after the end of the project but depends on participants or national agency duties.


📢 Another requirement for reimbursement is to take part actively in the DISSEMINATION of the results 📢 and the FOLLOW-UP activities.


❌ TRAVEL AGENCY AND OTHER EXTRA AMENITY COSTS WILL NOT BE REFUNDED ACCORDING TO ERASMUS+ RULES. ❌

🧳 PLEASE AVOID LARGE LUGGAGE, SUCH AS BIG CHECKED BAGS. They can complicate your trip by causing delays, missed connections , and difficulties during pickups 🚖 at the train station. We are confident that the priority luggage and small item on board 🎒 will be sufficient for the duration of the project.


🙏 WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION IN ENSURING A SMOOTH AND EFFICIENT TRIP. 🚀🌍


📝 Budget and Documentation 💶

Country

Travel Budget* (max/person)

Italy

25€

Turkiye

309€

N.Macedonia

309€

Poland

309€

Romania

309€

Bulgaria

309€

Spain / Canary Islands

309€ / 580€

The cost given is a limit in total PER PERSON, for both ways.

TRAVEL WILL BE REIMBURSED ACCORDING TO THE REAL COST YOU SPENT, up to the amount given above per country (See the table above), but not more than that (which means that if you spend less, you will be reimbursed the money you spent or if you spend more, you will get up to limit)

EVERYTHING THAT WILL BE MORE THAN THE LIMIT WILL BE YOUR OWN COST.


🚗 Extra Cost*

In the calculation of the total trip cost, you should foresee 15€ which will cover, the organisation of the pick up from/to the train station. This extra cost (part of the journey) will sum to the total you already spent for the rest of the transportation tickets.


✨ Good Reasons to Travel Light

Quick and Efficient: Avoid the wait for baggage check-ins and collections, helping you catch flights and trains on time. 🛄⏱️

Easy Movement: Navigate new cities with ease and less baggage to carry. 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️🧳

Minimize Loss Risk: Keep all belongings with you, reducing the chance of losing them during transit. 🔒🎒

Budget and Eco-friendly: Lighter travel often aligns with more sustainable and cost-effective transport options like budget airlines. 💚💰✈️


🎫 Where to buy the tickets?

You can check the following links for cheap flights:

You can use Flight Search Engines as https://www.skyscanner.net/ to find your route, but we highly suggest finally booking your tickets directly from the Airline Company to not have intermediaries.

🛠️ Project Preparation

🌍 Intercultural Evenings

Share Your Culture: 🍲 Bring along some traditional snacks, drinks 🍹, and music 🎶 to share during our relaxed, self-organized cultural nights.

Keep it Interactive: 🎲 Instead of formal presentations, think about a quick game, a traditional dance, or a short activity that brings your culture to life in a fun, informal way! 🌟


⚡ Activities & Energizers

Keep the Energy High! 🏃‍♂️💃 We’d love for each national team to prepare a few short morning or afternoon energizers. These quick, engaging activities are essential to break the ice and keep our focus sharp before diving into our sessions!


🎤 Debate Preparation

Bring Local Topics: 📝 Before arriving, brainstorm 1 or 2 social issues or "debate motions" that are currently highly relevant to the young people in your local community.

Think About Inclusion: 🤝 Reflect on a specific challenge you face when facilitating discussions (e.g., keeping the dialogue respectful, or engaging shy participants). We will use these real-world examples to co-create our "Debate-in-a-Box" toolkit! 📦


📩 Please note: More detailed instructions, including specific preparation tasks and access to our shared online workspace, will be provided directly to the selected participants once the selection process is completed.

🎒 What to Bring?

Essentials: Passport or ID 🛂, comfortable clothes 👕👖 for activities.

Multimedia Work: Bring laptops 💻, digital cameras 📷 and tablets if you can. We have some cool multimedia activities planned! 📱🎥

Beach Ready: Flip-flops and Swimming suit 🩳 (We are in front of the beach 🏖️🏊‍♂️ nearby for the informal time).

Provided by Hotel: Towels (not for beach), bed sheets, small hairdryer, and personal care items 🧴.

For Intercultural Nights: Bring your favourite foods and beverages to share 🍽️🍾 (optional but fun!).

Other Must-Haves: Toothpaste, medicines 💊, and a positive attitude 😊.


🏥 Health & Travel Insurance 🏥

Ensure you have a valid European Health Insurance Card or private travel insurance. 🛡️

Health Alerts: Please inform us of any health risks, required medications, or special dietary needs 🍏🍞💊.

📞 Contact Information

Project Coordinator: 🌟  Emanuel Caristi

Phone: 📱 +393894768663 (Also on WhatsApp)

Should you need any assistance, our project coordinator is just a message away.


🖨️ Remember to save this info pack as a PDF! Just hit the print button to have a copy for easy reference throughout your journey. It's a great way to keep all this valuable information at your fingertips!

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