Safe Space

Project Title: Safe Space – Trauma-Informed Support for Families Experiencing Parental Separation

Project Number: KA220-ADU-82B9C2A5

Project duration: 24 months

Timeline: 2025 – 2027

Action Type: ERASMUS+ Cooperation Partnerships in Adult Education (KA220-ADU)  

:star2: SAFE SPACE Project Launch

SAFE SPACE is a new Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership in Adult Education focused on supporting families experiencing parental separation through innovative, trauma-informed educational approaches.

The project brings together organisations from Romania, Greece and the Netherlands to develop practical tools, digital learning resources and immersive educational experiences for parents and professionals working with children affected by separation and divorce.

The partnership combines expertise in adult education, psychology, social inclusion, digital learning and immersive technologies through the collaboration of:

  • Friends of Romanian Children (Romania)
  • European Knowledge Spot (Greece)
  • Meta-Skills BV (Netherlands)
  • Municipality of Egaleo (Greece)

:rocket: What is SAFE SPACE?

SAFE SPACE aims to strengthen adult education and provide practical, accessible and evidence-based support for:

  • Parents experiencing separation or divorce
  • Educators and youth workers
  • Mental health professionals
  • Social workers and community professionals

The project focuses on:

  • Trauma-informed educational approaches

  • Emotional resilience and communication skills

  • Digital and immersive learning methods

  • Awareness raising and stigma reduction

  • Inclusive support for disadvantaged and vulnerable families

A key innovation of the project is the integration of immersive digital training environments where adults can practice real-life communication scenarios in safe and interactive learning settings.

:dart: Why This Project Matters?

Research highlighted in the project application shows that parental separation can have significant emotional and psychological impacts on children and families. SAFE SPACE responds to challenges such as:

  • Emotional distress and isolation
  • Limited access to support services
  • Social stigma surrounding separation and divorce
  • Lack of practical trauma-informed educational resources
  • Insufficient training opportunities for professionals and parents

The project promotes:

  • Inclusion and non-discrimination
  • Lifelong learning
  • Mental health awareness
  • Family resilience
  • Equal access to educational support opportunities

:hammer_and_wrench: What We Will Do?

Over the next  2 years, we will implement:
  • Comprehensive Needs AssessmentMapping digital, entrepreneurial and social participation needs of young people.
  • Training Materials & Open Educational ResourcesDevelopment of two manuals: – Digital Skills for Youth – Peer Education for Social Entrepreneurship
  • Capacity Building for Youth WorkersStudy visits in Romania and Serbia, followed by local trainings in each country.
  • Youth Trainings & Local AdvocacyHands-on workshops for young people aged 15–29, focusing on digital literacy, entrepreneurship and activism.
  • Regional Networking, Policy Dialogue & Final ConferenceSharing best practices, policy recommendations and youth-led initiatives.

NEWS & EVENTS

📍 MIOS Training Centre, Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
🗓 28–29 January 2026

We’ve just held our Kick-off Meeting for our joint project #CyberChange ⚡🚀

✨ Together with our partners @miostuzla @idcs.innovate @forum.mne @pomoc.deci , we officially launched the project and started planning what’s ahead in 2026 — defining activities, collaboration methods, and the impact we want to create together.

💻 Cyber Change responds to the real need to strengthen youth organizations and empower young people — especially those with fewer opportunities — through non-formal learning, digital tools, and entrepreneurship. Across the Western Balkans, many young people face barriers to civic engagement, employment, and access to quality digital education. This project aims to bridge that gap and support meaningful youth participation in society.

 

🎯 Our goals include:
• Designing innovative and flexible learning models for youth empowerment
• Strengthening the capacities of youth and pro-youth CSOs
• Testing practical training schemes in digital skills, social entrepreneurship, and activism
• Advocating for equal opportunities and stronger youth participation through peer learning and activism.

🌍✨ We’re really excited for new experiences, fresh initiatives, and lots of learning while working with young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Romania, and Serbia.

🙌 Stay tuned — more updates coming soon!

🌐 The digital environment is changing!

Check the original post on Linkedin

Young people are changing.
And we are moving forward with the work behind CYBER Change. 🚀

Over the past months, our partners have been working on WP2 – Needs Assessment, building the foundation for the next stages of the project.

✅ Research methodology and protocol developed
✅ Ethical guidelines and research framework established
✅ Data collection tools created for young people and youth organisations
🌍 Instruments translated into national languages across partner countries

Now we are moving into the data collection phase, gathering insights from young people and youth organisations across the region through:
📝 Online surveys
💬 Focus groups
🤝 Interviews with young people with fewer opportunities

These insights will shape the training manuals and learning resources that will empower young people with:
✨ digital skills
✨ entrepreneurial thinking
✨ peer learning and leadership
✨ inclusive opportunities for all youth

Because meaningful youth empowerment starts with listening first.
Stay tuned as the research unfolds across partner countries.
🇪🇺 This project is funded by EU.

National Needs Assessment Romania (Infographic)

Within the Erasmus+ project CYBER CHANGE – Empowering Youth with Digital and Entrepreneurial Skills, Friends of Romanian Children (FORC) conducted a National Needs Assessment in Romania to better understand the challenges and opportunities faced by young people and youth organisations.
 
The research combined online surveys, focus groups and structured interviews with young people and NGOs. The results highlight several important findings:
• Young people generally have access to digital technologies but lack advanced digital competences.
• There is strong interest in entrepreneurship, especially in social initiatives, but confidence in starting projects remains low.
• Key barriers include limited funding opportunities, lack of practical skills and fear of failure.
• NGOs emphasise the need for practical training, mentorship programmes and access to resources.
 
Based on these findings, the project will focus on developing practical learning programmes, mentorship opportunities, and innovative tools that support youth in becoming creators, entrepreneurs and changemakers in the digital economy.
The infographic above summarises the key results of the National Needs Assessment.

WP2 – Needs Assessment and Training Development

As part of the CYBER Change project, Work Package 2 focused on identifying the real needs of young people and youth workers in the partner countries.

A comprehensive Needs Assessment – D2.1 (Click here to download)  was conducted using a mixed-method approach, including online surveys, focus groups, and interviews. The research involved over 120 young people and 38 youth organisations across Romania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Montenegro.

Key findings highlighted:

  • Strong engagement with digital tools, but gaps in advanced and job-related skills
  • Limited entrepreneurial knowledge, especially in financial planning and business development
  • High demand for practical, hands-on and interactive learning approaches

Based on these findings, the project is developing:

  • A Manual for Peer Training in Digital Skills (D2.2)
  • A Manual for Peer Training in Entrepreneurship (D2.3)

All materials are evidence-based and tailored to local contexts, ensuring relevance, quality, and sustainability.

These resources will be used in the next phase of the project to train youth workers and young people, contributing to stronger capacities and increased opportunities across the region.

partners

Together, we are committed to building a stronger, more equal and digitally inclusive youth sector.

:camera_with_flash: The kick off meeting will be on the – 28-29 January 2026

During the launch event, partners officially present the project structure, timeline, planned activities and expected impact. The meeting will set the foundation for collaboration, coordination and upcoming capacity-building actions.

:link: Stay ConnectedFollow the project on our social media channels for updates, opportunities and results:• Instagram• Facebook• LinkedIn

More communication materials, visuals, training opportunities and events will be published soon.