Embodied Inclusion: practical tools for inclusive youth work

Erasmus+ training course · Drusti, Latvia · 6–16 September 2026 – KALM International Trainings
35 youth workers · 4 countries · Inclusion, Nonviolent Communication and embodied methods

The challenge

Most youth workers want their groups to be inclusive. The hard part comes in the moment: a young person is left out, someone says something hurtful, a conflict starts, or a participant can’t join an activity the way it was planned. In those moments, good intentions are not enough. You need tools you can use right there, in the room.

Embodied Inclusion was built around that need: helping youth workers leave with practical skills they can use the next day, alongside new ideas about inclusion.

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What we did

For ten days in Drusti, Latvia, youth workers from Latvia, Poland, Italy and Greece explored inclusion through the body as well as the mind. The programme combined three approaches:

  • Nonviolent Communication (NVC): naming harm, feelings, needs and limits without blame.
  • Embodied and movement-based methods: safe ways to use the body in group work, with care for consent and boundaries.
  • Power and participation: noticing who takes up space in a group, who is left out, and why.

Some of the sessions I led:

  • Mapping diversity and power: participants worked with profiles of different young people, found the barriers each one might face in an activity, and created practical strategies around space, instructions, language, timing and roles.
  • NVC in practice: role-plays with real-life scenarios of growing intensity, with feedback based on observations, feelings, needs and requests.
  • Facilitation practice: participants designed and led their own short sessions and received feedback from the group.
  • Youthpass and learning reflection based on the European Training Strategy competences for youth workers.

My role

I was one of three trainers, together with embodiment trainer Tomek Jimmy and CNVC trainer Magda Sendor. I ran the facilitation part of the training, contributing to the NVC part of Magda’s.

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Bring this to your team

Do you work with groups where some people are left out, or where conflict keeps coming back? I run trainings on inclusion, Nonviolent Communication and conflict for youth organisations, schools and teams.


🇪🇺 Embodied Inclusion was supported by the Erasmus+ Programme and organised by KALM International Trainings.