From 17 to 21 August, Udruženje Okret/SPIN hosted a study visit and training in Mostar as part of the Erasmus+ project SocEntYwD, Capacity Building in Youth Work for Social Entrepreneurship of Youngsters with Disabilities. Partners from Savez gluhih i nagluhih Grada Zagreba (Croatia) and Serbia joined the SPIN team for several days of joint learning, exchange, and hands-on activities focused on inclusion and social entrepreneurship for young people with disabilities.

The programme opened with a project meeting where partners reviewed progress made so far and aligned on upcoming activities within the project. This was followed by a session with youth workers and educators from SPIN, who were introduced to the project, its goals, and the tools it is developing for the youth work sector.

A particular highlight of the visit was a workshop on the basics of sign language, led by Savez gluhih i nagluhih Grada Zagreba. Presented as a practical example of inclusive communication, the workshop gave participants direct insight into how everyday interactions can be made more accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The following day was dedicated to visits with local organisations working with young people in Mostar. The delegation visited Los Rosales, a center supporting children and young people with disabilities through education, socialisation, and vocational training, as well as the Mostar Children’s Home, a public institution providing care, education, and support to children without parental care. Both visits offered valuable insight into the local landscape of support services and opened the door to future cooperation.

Members and educators from the BMK youth club also joined the programme for a day, meeting the partnership, learning about the project, and spending time together in Blagaj. The exchange highlighted how the values driving SocEntYwD, inclusion, empowerment, and active participation, connect naturally with the work SPIN already carries out through its youth club.

The visit reaffirmed the strength of this partnership and the shared commitment to building a more inclusive environment for young people across the region. The tools, connections, and experience gained during these days will continue to feed into the project’s ongoing work, including the online course for youth workers and the wider network of organisations supporting youth with disabilities.

This article is originally posted on the project platform: https://socialabilityhub.eu/en/