Shaping Tomorrow’s Trainers: First Residential of the ERYICAdemy 2025–2026 Cycle
2025
Shaping Tomorrow’s Trainers: First Residential of the ERYICAdemy 2025–2026 Cycle
From 2 to 5 December, ERYICA organised the first residential of the ERYICAdemy Training of Trainers (ToT) 2025–2026 cycle—a key milestone in our long-term effort to strengthen training excellence across the European youth information field. Hosted in collaboration with the Institut Valencià de la Joventut (IVAJ) and implemented within ERYICA’s Erasmus+ KA1 accreditation, the four-day gathering brought together 20 youth information professionals from 11 countries, guided by a team of ERYICA-certified trainers and an ERYICA training coordinator.
This residential marks the second phase of the current ToT cycle, following the autumn eLearning programme. Over four intensive days in Alicante, participants dived into the foundations of high-quality youth information training: understanding the ERYICA Training System, strengthening facilitation and pedagogical skills, and designing microteaching sessions for both e-learning and face-to-face formats.
It was not only a training—it was a moment of community, practice-sharing, and confidence-building, laying the groundwork for the trainers who will soon support capacity-building efforts across the ERYICA network.
Inside the First Residential: Four Days of Growth
The Alicante residential was designed to connect theory, practice, and experience. Participants explored:
1. The ERYICA Training System
Understanding how ERYICA’s training pathways are structured, how quality is ensured, and what is expected from certified trainers.
2. Facilitation Skills for Youth Information Training
How to support learning, manage group dynamics, create safe learning environments, and guide reflection—key competencies for any educator.
3. Preparation for Designing Microteaching Sessions
Participants learned about managing content on the ERYICA’s DOYIT eLearning platform, explored the principles of microteaching session design, and started preparing for their microteaching delivery.
4. Team Building & Trainer Development
Peer learning, learning-buddy systems, and reflective practices strengthened a sense of community and mutual support.
5. Understanding Youth Information Realities
Participants exchanged the challenges and trends shaping youth information work across Europe, grounding the ToT in real needs and contexts.
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The ERYICAdemy – Training of Trainers is one of the strategic pillars of ERYICA’s capacity-building work. It aims to develop certified trainers capable of delivering ERYICA’s core courses across Europe, contributing to consistent, high-quality youth information services.
The Training of Trainers cycle prepares participants to confidently deliver:
…in all delivery modes, from residential courses to cutting-edge e-learning.
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The Alicante residential was Phase 2 in the 2025–2026 ERYICAdemy cycle. The journey continues with a 2nd eLearning Phase (January–March 2026) and 2nd Residential (16–20 March 2026, Luxembourg City).
By the end of the cycle, participants will be certified to deliver core ERYICA courses. They will receive ERYICA trainer certification alongside a Youthpass certificate, recognising their competences within European frameworks.
Once they “graduate,” these future trainers will join the network of professionals who support ERYICA members in delivering high-quality youth information training across Europe.
With the ERYICAdemy, ERYICA continues to invest in the professionalisation of youth information and counselling. Each new cohort of trainers contributes to a stronger, more connected, and more innovative field—one that can respond to young people’s evolving information needs with confidence and quality.
