Growth Mindset: Building LIFECOMP Skills Together!

From July 19th to 27th, Bucharest became the meeting place for an Erasmus+ training course focused on growth mindset, learning agility, and how people learn. The Growth Mindset: Building LifeComp Skills Together project brought together 24 youth workers from seven partner organisations, all interested in better understanding how learning happens and how to support young people in becoming more resilient and adaptable. The aim of the week was straightforward: to connect research-based knowledge about learning with practical tools youth workers can use in everyday educational activities.

At the start, many participants were curious about how theories like growth mindset or the neuroscience of learning could be applied in non-formal education. Others wondered how these ideas fit within the LifeComp framework or how emotional literacy influences young people’s motivation. As the days went by, these ideas gradually came together. Through discussions, group activities, and reflection sessions, participants explored different learning theories, looked at learner types, and examined what motivates people to grow. Linking scientific concepts to real experiences was sometimes challenging.

Participants needed time to translate abstract ideas into practical tools, but the combination of non-formal methods, hands-on exercises, and a supportive atmosphere helped the group make steady progress. A key part of the training was working with the 5E model: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate. Using this structure, participants co-created four new educational methods that can be used in youth work. This collaborative process allowed everyone to test ideas, exchange perspectives, and create methods that are flexible and easy to adapt.

In the final days, the group focused on summarizing what they had learned and looking at how these new skills could be used back home. Participants shared their ideas for follow-up activities, discussed Erasmus+ opportunities, and reflected on how the training might influence their work with young people. By the end of the week, the project had achieved its main goals: supporting youth workers in developing a stronger understanding of growth mindset and learning agility, and helping the partner organisations strengthen their ability to design learner-centered programs. The training offered a clear and practical introduction to the LifeComp approach, while giving participants tools they can continue building on in the future.

Project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme and approved by the Romanian National Agency