GROW seminar – how to build a culture of democracy, diversity, and teamwork in your organization.

Are you passionate about volunteer engagement, organizational development, and youth participation? Do you want to explore the topics of dialogue, inclusion, democratic culture, and organizational growth? And do you want to meet, learn, and share experiences with youth organizations and volunteers from Ukraine and Denmark? Then, join the GROW seminar in Zakopane, Poland.

Learn, engage, and get inspired!

At the seminar you will learn through participatory workshops, exercises, groupwork, supervision and by developing and planning your own change project (potentially with an international partner). 

During the seminar you will:

• Get concrete tools to build a strong organizational culture focusing on dialogue, participatory democracy, teamwork, volunteer engagement and conflict management.
• Analyse your own organizational culture and identify potential areas of development and growth.
• Visit the beautiful Tatra mountains in Zakopane for a day trip together with the group.
• Develop a small change project or a workshop to carry out in your own organization.
• Engage in intercultural dialogue and exchange of experiences s with young volunteers from Ukraine.
• Broaden your perspective and get an insight into the work and reality of youth organisations in Ukraine and how young volunteers engage in creating change in a challenging context.

• Practice and build your personal skills within communication, dialogue and giving and receiving constructive feedback.
• Become part of a network of passionate Danish and Ukrainian youth engaged in developing strong democratic organizations with a culture, where volunteers can thrive, develop, and feel safe.

During the seminar you will have the opportunity to participate in thematic workshops on some of the following topics: Dialogue and communication, Inclusion and diversity in organisations, Youth participation and influence, Project design, Organizational development, Volunteer well-being and creating safe organizational spaces, Conflict management and Volunteer engagement, motivation, and leadership.

During the seminar you will work on current challenges and areas of potential development in your own organization. All participants are expected to carry out a small change project or a workshop in their own organization after the seminar related to one or more topics covered by the GROW seminar.

Participants

The group of participants will consist of 32 highly motivated young volunteers; 16 from Denmark and 16 from Ukraine. All participants need to be members of a youth organization. Danish participants are required to be a member of one of DUF’s member organisations. Each organization will send two people, which means that you must apply together with a co-volunteer from your organization.

Important dates

To be part of the GROW-program, you will need to engage before, during and after the seminar.

• 16^th September from 16.30-19.30: Pre-departure workshop in Denmark
• 5th - 11th of October: Seminar in Zakopane, Poland
• November (TBC): Follow-up network meeting with Danish and Ukrainian participants (online)
• End of 2025: Implementing your change project or workshop in your organisation.

Practical matters

The seminar takes place in Zakopane, Poland. DUFs covers all costs; transportation, accommodation, food, insurance etc. related to the seminar and pre-departure workshop.

The language of the seminar is English.

The seminar is organized by DUF and The Ukrainian-Danish Youth House. The Ukrainian-Danish Youth House is a ‘hub’ for co-creation, democratic action, art, and youth-to-youth cooperation. The Youth House aims at strengthening young people's participation in society through dialogue, capacity building and partnerships. And by organizing activities for Ukrainian and Danish youth organizations to meet, to learn from each other and to create change together.  Read more about UDYH.

Who can participate?

We are looking for participants who are:

• Actively engaged as a volunteer in one of DUF’s member organisations.
• Between 18 and 30 years old.
• Highly motivated, wanting to network and learn more about the topics of the GROW seminar.
• Able to participate in the pre-departure workshop, seminar, and follow-up meeting.

• Committed to implement and have the support from your organization to carry out a small change project or a workshop in your organization after the seminar.
• Applying together with a co-volunteer from your organization.

It is not a requirement that you have a lot of knowledge and experience with global networks and international projects. The focus is on learning and participation. All you need is to be motivated, eager to learn and wanting to meet peers from Ukraine and Denmark.