Youth Exchange in Smolyan: Organizational Coaching and Leadership

For a full 7-day week, we hosted an inspiring youth exchange in Smolyan, funded by the Erasmus+ programme, focusing on “Organizational Coaching and Leadership.” This dynamic event brought together young people from Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria, fostering personal growth and equipping participants with essential skills for effective management, coaching, and team development.

As facilitators, we—Tihomira T. Naneva and I—had the honor of leading the program at the invitation of Nikolay Nikolov. Together, we created a collaborative and engaging environment where participants not only worked on their personal strengths but also learned how to harness the collective potential of their teams.

This youth exchange was more than just a training—it was an opportunity to reflect on the essential skills young leaders need to thrive in a world that demands adaptability, strategic thinking, and a values-driven approach.

Program Highlights:

• 🧠 Profiling Team Members: We worked on identifying strengths and weaknesses within teams, helping participants understand how to build complementary dynamics.

• 🎓 Leadership Styles: Participants explored different learning and leadership styles, enabling them to adapt to diverse team environments.

• 🌟 Values and Roles: By defining their values and understanding their roles, the young leaders gained clarity on how to align their actions with their goals.

• 🎯 Strategic Goal Setting: Sessions focused on developing long-term strategies to achieve impactful results.

• 🛠️ Project and Team Management Tools: Participants learned practical frameworks to effectively manage projects and coordinate teams.

• 📅 Event and Campaign Organization: We introduced models for planning and executing events and campaigns with precision and impact.

• 🤝 Coaching Techniques: Training included practical methods to enhance organizational development through coaching.

• 💡 Needs Analysis: We emphasized the importance of identifying and addressing both individual and organizational needs.

This exchange marked the final youth event of the year, providing the perfect moment to reflect on our achievements and plan for the future.

A Strong Partnership for Youth Development

CET Platform Bulgaria and the CthARTzis Foundation share a strong partnership, collaborating on a variety of projects aimed at empowering young people locally and internationally. Together, we have worked on initiatives that foster leadership, creativity, and intercultural dialogue, ensuring that young people have the tools they need to succeed in an ever-evolving world.

Through this partnership, we’ve been able to bring innovative ideas to life, leveraging our shared expertise to deliver impactful programs like this one in Smolyan. Our commitment to youth development remains unwavering, and we look forward to continuing our work to create opportunities for growth, learning, and connection.

As this year comes to a close, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible people we’ve worked with and the milestones we’ve achieved together. This exchange in Smolyan has reaffirmed the power of teamwork, coaching, and leadership to drive positive change—and we are excited to see what the future holds.