LTTA in Slovakia: Learning, Nature, and Well-being

One of the most important moments of the Mindful Scouts project was the Learning, Teaching and Training Activity (LTTA) that took place in Slovakia. This international training brought together participants from the partner organisations in Slovakia, Spain, and Greece, creating a shared space for learning, exchange, reflection, and practical experience.

More than just a training event, the training activity became a meaningful encounter between people, methods, and values that shaped the project in a very concrete way.

 

The LTTA was designed as a hands-on experience focused on the use of the Scout Method and nature-based learning to support the mental health and well-being of young people. Over several days, participants explored activities related to trust, teamwork, resilience, emotional awareness, personal development, and connection with nature. The programme combined non-formal education, outdoor learning, reflection, group work, and intercultural exchange, creating an environment where participants could both learn and experience the project’s methodology directly.

A central value of the LTTA was that it allowed participants to move from theory to practice. Youth workers and young people did not only hear about the project tools — they actively used them. Through team-building activities, reflection exercises, nature-based sessions, and guided discussions, they explored how scouting values can be translated into educational methods that support well-being, personal growth, and social connection. This direct experience made the learning more meaningful and helped participants better understand the educational logic behind the project.
The natural setting of the LTTA played a very important role. Nature was not only the background of the activity, but an active part of the learning process. Outdoor experiences created space for calm, observation, movement, cooperation, and reflection. For many participants, this contributed to a stronger sense of presence and emotional balance. Spending time in nature also helped reinforce one of the project’s core ideas: that connection with the natural environment can support mental well-being and offer young people a meaningful space for reflection and growth.
Another important aspect of the LTTA was the interaction between youth workers and young people. The activity brought together both groups, allowing them to learn from each other in a dynamic and participatory way. Youth workers could test methods and observe their educational impact directly, while young participants could actively engage in the activities and reflect on their personal experiences. This created a strong learning atmosphere and increased the practical relevance of the project results.

The LTTA also served as an important testing phase for the project outputs. Activities that were later included in the Mindful Scouts Toolkit were explored in practice, while My Diary supported participants in recording emotions, insights, and learning moments. This allowed the partnership to gather valuable feedback and improve the final materials, ensuring that the project resources were shaped not only by planning, but also by lived experience.

Beyond the educational dimension, the LTTA strengthened the partnership itself. Bringing participants together in one place created opportunities for trust-building, intercultural understanding, and deeper cooperation. The shared experience of learning, reflecting, and spending time in nature helped strengthen the project community and reinforced the common commitment of the partners to creating more human, inclusive, and well-being-oriented youth work practices.

The LTTA in Slovakia showed that when young people and youth workers come together in a meaningful educational environment, supported by values, reflection, and nature, the result is much more than a training course. It becomes a space for connection, confidence, inspiration, and personal development. In this sense, the LTTA was not only a project activity, but one of the clearest expressions of what Mindful Scouts stands for.