On February 26, 2026, the Y-CARE Empathy Lab successfully brought together educators, youth workers and specialists from across Europe for an inspiring online webinar focused on empathy, resilience, and the wellbeing of those working with young people.
The 90-minute session created a collaborative space for reflection, knowledge exchange, and the strengthening of youth-focused training practices. Participants engaged actively throughout the event, confirming the strong demand for practical tools and dialogue around emotional competence in youth work.
Expert Insights on Burnout and Stress Management
A key highlight of the webinar was the live expert keynote delivered by Michał Kwiatkowski, PhD, DSc, Professor at the Maria Grzegorzewska University (APS). In his presentation, Professor Kwiatkowski addressed current trends in professional burnout among youth workers, emphasizing the growing emotional demands placed on professionals supporting young people today.
He also shared practical stress-management and resilience-building techniques, offering participants concrete strategies they can apply in their daily work to protect their wellbeing and sustain long-term engagement in the field.
Interactive Exchange and Training Material Review
Beyond the keynote, the webinar featured peer reflections, enabling participants to exchange experiences from different national and professional contexts. A dedicated session was also devoted to the co-evaluation of Y-CARE training materials for educators, ensuring that the resources respond to real needs and challenges faced in youth work settings.
Additionally, participants were introduced to the Y-CARE e-learning platform, which will support ongoing professional development through accessible, practice-oriented online content.
Strong Engagement and Positive Feedback
The Y-CARE Empathy Lab webinar was met with high interest and very positive feedback from participants. Attendees particularly valued the expert input, the opportunity for peer exchange, and the practical orientation of the training materials presented.
The strong engagement confirms the importance of empathy-based approaches and wellbeing support in youth work — and reinforces Y-CARE’s commitment to equipping professionals with meaningful, high-quality tools for supporting young people across Europe.
