At the turn of June and July, I participated in an Erasmus+ project in Snina, Slovakia, alongside two other participants from the Czech Republic. The project, titled “Leadership in Youth Work 101,” brought together about 30 young people and focused on developing leadership skills within the NGO sector and youth work.
During intensive workshops, we learned what the role of a leader entails, how to communicate effectively within a team, and how to create our own initiatives. The outcome of the entire week was our final task: we had to design a realistic and manageable project that the organizers could potentially adopt and implement in the future under the Erasmus+ program.
The absolute highlight of the program was a two-day hike into the surrounding nature, during which we covered 25–30 kilometers. It wasn’t just about hiking, though; it was about leadership in practice. The entire group of thirty had assigned roles that we gradually rotated, so everyone could experience a different level of responsibility. We tried being the “pacemaker,” leading the whole expedition, cooking for others, preparing the fire, or logistically ensuring the safe setting up of tents. Naturally, complications arose in such a large group, but thanks to the clear division of roles and teamwork, we managed to resolve everything.
The project gave me not only an excellent theoretical foundation for leading people and writing projects but, most importantly, the opportunity to immediately test everything in the field. It was a great experience that pushed my personal development another big step forward.
Jan Marek
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