Young people with special educational needs and youth workers from eight European countries came together in rural Bulgaria to explore how creativity, environmental awareness and non-formal education can break down barriers and build more inclusive communities.
For ten days, the quiet village of Dolni Rakovets in western Bulgaria became a vibrant international learning space where youth workers and young people with special educational needs (SEN) learned, created and lived together. Organised by the For Tomorrow Foundation under the Erasmus+ Programme, the training course ECO ART INclusion introduced participants to innovative educational approaches that combine eco-art, theatre, music and sound therapy to promote inclusion, wellbeing and employability.
Rather than learning about inclusion in a classroom, participants experienced it first-hand.
Youth workers from Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia, Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland, Spain and Turkey worked side by side with young people with SEN, exchanging ideas, challenging stereotypes and discovering practical methods that can be transferred to their own organisations and communities.
Throughout the programme, nature became both a classroom and a source of inspiration.
Participants experimented with clay, wool, recycled paper and natural materials, transformed everyday objects into works of art and discovered how creative activities can strengthen communication, confidence and emotional wellbeing. Theatre workshops encouraged self-expression through masks, costumes and improvisation, while sound therapy sessions demonstrated how music and the human voice can help participants connect beyond words.
One of the most memorable moments of the programme was the celebration of Enyovden, one of Bulgaria's oldest summer traditions. Participants welcomed the sunrise, learned about the symbolic ritual of collecting "silent water", gathered medicinal herbs and discovered traditional techniques for producing natural herbal essences. The experience offered international participants not only a glimpse into Bulgarian cultural heritage but also another example of how nature can become an educational resource for inclusion and wellbeing.
"Inclusion cannot be taught only through theory. It must be experienced," says Dimitar Urdev, Chair of the For Tomorrow Foundation. "When youth workers and young people with special educational needs live, create and learn together, barriers disappear naturally. This is the kind of experience that changes attitudes long after the project has ended."