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TRUST

Trauma, Resilience and Understanding for Supporting Transformation

The TRUST project strengthens the capacity of three partner youth organizations by equipping their staff members and youth leaders with tools and approaches for trauma-sensitive and trauma-transformative work with young people. Through non-formal learning, the project supports youth practitioners and peer leaders in recognizing trauma, responding to it appropriately, and fostering resilience.

A co-created training curriculum, developed based on the needs of youth, particularly in Israel and Palestine, is piloted and implemented within the partner organizations. This process strengthens the partners’ internal capacities and practices. The resulting training curriculum and materials will also be shared with other youth work organizations, enabling them to benefit from the project’s outcomes and adapt trauma-sensitive and trauma-transformative approaches in their own contexts.

Given the escalating violence and instability in Israel and Palestine, youth are experiencing severe trauma, displacement, and mental distress. This project responds to the urgent need for culturally sensitive, community-driven interventions that support mental well-being and resilience of youth practitioners, and young leaders with trauma-sensitive and transformative methodologies. 

The project builds capacities through:

  • Developing a context-specific trauma-sensitive curriculum for youth workers and non-psychology professionals.
  • Training staff and youth leaders on trauma-sensitive and transformative methods, ensuring knowledge transfer and long-term sustainability.
  • Creating a practitioner network and materials to enhance accessibility to trauma-informed youth work methodologies.
  • Conducting advocacy efforts with policymakers to integrate trauma-sensitive youth work into national and EU-level frameworks.

Implementation approach:

  • Training and piloting interventions to refine and adapt methodologies.
  • Building on local knowledge and resilience factors, integrating culturally appropriate concepts, methods and practices.
  • Fostering cooperation among youth organizations, strengthening their ability to respond to needs of youth.

While the project is grounded in Israel and Palestine, its methodologies can extend beyond the region. Europe faces its own challenges with youth mental health crises, refugee trauma, and increasing social polarization. The project’s scalable and adaptable tools can be applied to support migrant youth, conflict-affected communities, and marginalized groups across Europe, enhancing the EU’s global leadership in youth empowerment and peacebuilding.

Duration

1.12.2025–30.11.2028. 

Partners

  • Südwind Verein Für Entwicklungspolitik Und Globale Gerechtigkeit
  • Musalaha
  • Holy Land Trust 
  • City of Linz (Austria)
  • Suedwind (Austria)
  • Forum for Freedom in Education (Croatia)
  • Institut International des Droits de l’Homme et de la Paix (France)
  • Region Normandie (France)
  • ActionAid Hellas (Greece)
  • Anthropolis Association (Hungary)
  • Oxfam Italia (Italia)
  • CEO – Center for Citizenship Education (Poland)
  • AIDGLOBAL (Portugal)
  • Municipality of Loures (Portugal)
  • Agenda 21 – for Sustainable Development (Romania)
  • City of Bucharest (Romania)

Ecoality training feedback

"The training was truly eye-opening for me, and I felt that it provided me with diverse tools as a facilitator to address situations I encounter in my work with young people."
Juulia
Instructor, Oulu
“The Ecoality training was a great starting point for discussing climate, environmental, equality, and equity issues within our work community. The training content and materials opened up new perspectives, ideas, and tools for addressing these themes with young people.”
Pirjo Oukan nuorisotoimesta
Pirjo
Coordinator, Oulu
EU:n lippu ja teksti Co-funded by the European Union

The project is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the Field of Youth programme.

Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.