Level up! Re-planning Physical, Mental and Emotional Wellbeing

Level Up! is an Erasmus+ youth project developed by Lernlabor (Germany) and MOON10 (Greece) to explore innovative approaches to youth participation, physical and mental well-being, and non-formal education.

The project focuses on five complementary practices: Dance, Acroyoga, Sailing, Climbing and Hiking (DASCH). Through these practices, Level Up! explores how movement, outdoor education and experiential learning can strengthen body-mind awareness, confidence, resilience, trust, communication and active participation among young people, particularly those facing physical, mental or emotional challenges.

At the heart of the project were four international study visits in Germany and Greece, taking place in Leonidio, Berlin, Tinos and Rathen. Youth workers, educators, trainers and organisational staff exchanged methodologies and experimented with different combinations of practices, including dance and climbing, Acroyoga and partner acrobatics, sailing and climbing, and hiking and climbing. The study visits provided practical spaces to test how these approaches can be transferred into youth work and non-formal education.

The experiences and learning from the project contributed to the development of the “Decision-Making Triangles for Well-being and Participation”, a practical resource for youth workers, educators and programme designers. The publication presents the individual qualities of the DASCH practices as well as their potential when thoughtfully combined to support well-being, body-mind awareness and meaningful participation.

Study Visit in Leonidio

The Level Up! journey began in Leonidio, Greece, where participants came together to explore how movement, dance and climbing can support the physical, mental and emotional well-being of young people. Set against the dramatic landscape of the Peloponnese, the study visit combined embodied learning with outdoor adventure, creating a space where participants could reconnect with themselves, each other and the natural environment.

Throughout the week, participants took part in contemporary dance workshops, somatic movement sessions and outdoor climbing experiences. Dance became a way to explore body awareness, creativity and emotional expression, while climbing challenged participants to face fear, build confidence and develop trust in themselves and their partners. Daily reflection circles encouraged participants to connect these experiences with their own youth work practice, discussing how movement can help young people overcome anxiety, isolation and low self-confidence.

The programme also included visits to local artistic and cultural initiatives, opportunities for place-based learning and participant interviews that later contributed to the project’s final publication. By the end of the study visit, participants had not only developed new practical skills but also gained a deeper understanding of how experiential learning can strengthen resilience, participation and well-being.

Study visit in Berlin

Building on the experiences in Leonidio, the second study visit focused on Acroyoga as a powerful educational tool for developing trust, communication and cooperation. Hosted by Lernlabor in Berlin, the programme introduced participants to partner acrobatics within a safe and supportive learning environment where physical challenge was always balanced with consent, inclusion and mutual care.

Participants explored the roles of base, flyer and spotter, gradually progressing from simple partner balances to more complex sequences and creative movement. Alongside the practical sessions, the group reflected on themes such as boundaries, emotional safety, communication, fear and responsibility. Contact improvisation, movement games and group acrobatics highlighted how non-verbal communication and cooperation can become valuable learning experiences in youth work.

Throughout the week, participants also exchanged facilitation methods, adapted activities for different target groups and discussed how Acroyoga can be used with beginners, mixed-ability groups and young people with diverse needs. The visit concluded with interviews, evaluation activities and participation in a local community movement project, demonstrating how international learning can create lasting impact within local communities.

At the end of the study visit, we also produced a short video documenting the Acroyoga activities, participants’ experiences and the main learning outcomes of the week.

Study visit in Tinos

The third study visit expanded the project into the open sea, using sailing as a living classroom where every participant shared responsibility for the group’s success. Travelling through the Cyclades islands, participants experienced how life on a boat naturally develops communication, teamwork, leadership and resilience.

Learning began with sailing safety, navigation and rope work before participants gradually took responsibility for steering, planning routes, preparing meals, organising life on board and making collective decisions. The constantly changing environment required flexibility, trust and active participation, turning everyday tasks into meaningful educational experiences.

Beyond sailing, participants visited local communities on Syros, explored different approaches to youth participation in island contexts and exchanged experiences with local stakeholders. The programme also included outdoor climbing on Tinos, where participants developed climbing techniques while reflecting on fear, confidence and mutual support. Visits to Volax and the archaeological site of Delos connected outdoor education with environmental awareness, history and cultural heritage, demonstrating how landscapes themselves can become powerful learning spaces.

The study visit highlighted how combining sailing, climbing, shared living and place-based education creates rich opportunities for personal growth while strengthening participants’ connection with nature and community.

Study visit in Rathen

The final study visit brought participants to the sandstone landscape of Saxon Switzerland National Park in Germany, where the focus shifted towards expedition-based learning, hiking and traditional climbing. Surrounded by forests, rivers and spectacular rock formations, participants experienced outdoor education in one of Europe’s most unique climbing areas.

The programme explored hiking as more than simply travelling through nature. Long walks became opportunities for observation, reflection and group dialogue, encouraging participants to slow down and engage deeply with the surrounding environment. Outdoor living, shared cooking and collective decision-making further strengthened cooperation and group responsibility.

Traditional Saxon climbing introduced participants to a distinctive climbing ethic that emphasises respect for nature, careful risk management and self-reliance. Practical sessions covered climbing techniques, rope systems, belaying, route finding and risk assessment while encouraging participants to reflect on how challenge, uncertainty and achievement contribute to personal development.

Throughout the week, discussions focused on how expedition-style learning can help young people develop resilience, confidence, responsibility and environmental awareness. The experience demonstrated how carefully designed outdoor adventures can become meaningful educational journeys that extend far beyond technical skill development.

Multiplier Event in Berlin

The Berlin multiplier event celebrated the creative side of the project while sharing its results with youth workers, educators, artists and members of the local community. The event began with a presentation of the Level Up! project and the DASCH methodology before introducing participants to the project’s main publication, Decision-Making Triangles for Well-being and Participation.

Participants then experienced two practical workshops that showcased the project’s movement-based approach. “Improbable Lifts” explored trust, communication and playful cooperation through partner movement, while “Phyto-Somatic Dance” combined improvisation, rhythm, voice and live music to encourage emotional expression, sensory awareness and collective creativity.

Alongside the workshops, participants exchanged ideas, built new partnerships and discussed how the project’s methods could be integrated into youth work, community programmes and future Erasmus+ projects. The event created an inspiring bridge between artistic practice, outdoor education and non-formal learning.

Multiplier Event in Athens

The final multiplier event took place at OAKA Indoor Climbing in Athens, bringing together young people, youth workers, climbing instructors and local stakeholders to experience the project’s methods first-hand. Through a series of interactive workshops, participants explored movement, body awareness, acrobatics and climbing as complementary tools for supporting young people’s physical and emotional well-being.

Beginning with mobility and coordination exercises, the programme gradually introduced participants to handstand preparation, partner support and basic bouldering techniques before moving into discussions on climbing performance, coaching, injury prevention and responsible facilitation. Each workshop combined practical experience with reflection, demonstrating how physical activity can build confidence, resilience, problem-solving skills and self-awareness.

The day concluded with the presentation of the project’s publication and an open discussion about how the DASCH methodology can inspire future youth work, outdoor education and community initiatives across Europe. It served not only as the closing dissemination event of the project but also as an invitation for others to continue developing innovative approaches that connect movement, nature and well-being.

Publication: Decision-Making Triangles for Well-being and Participation

As one of the key outcomes of Level Up!, the project developed the publication “Decision-Making Triangles for Well-being and Participation.” The publication brings together the experiences, observations and learning from the project’s study visits and explores the five DASCH practices: Dance, Acroyoga, Sailing, Climbing and Hiking. It introduces practical and visual tools that help youth workers, educators and programme designers understand the strengths of each practice and consider how different practices can be combined to support body-mind awareness, well-being and meaningful participation among young people.

_Decision-making Triangles for Well-being and Participation”