From 23 to 26 September 2026, the International Youth Centre Pernik organises the regional training course “Human rights education with young people: Building competences for action” in partnership with the Council of Europe Youth Department. The course brings together 28 youth workers, trainers and multipliers from Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Türkiye, Armenia and Kosovo*.
The training course aims to strengthen participants’ competences in human rights education with young people. Based on the Compass: Manual for Human Rights Education with Young People, it combines experiential learning, reflection and practical application.
Throughout the course, participants explore key human rights issues affecting young people, experience and analyse activities from the Compass manual, and develop competences for facilitating non-formal education activities. They also exchange practices and challenges from their local contexts and adapt educational methodologies to the needs of their organisations, institutions and communities.
Participants also develop ideas for follow-up initiatives and explore ways of acting as multipliers to promote human rights, youth participation and inclusion in their communities, thus promoting the implementation of the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education.
During the opening session, Liliya Elenkova, Bulgarian representative and Chairperson of the European Steering Committee on Youth, addressed the participants and presented the key mission of the Council of Europe Youth Department in shaping youth policy and youth work in Europe.
The training course was organised as part of the Youth for Democracy programme.
*All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.
