GEAR UP – tools and skills for facilitators of learning ,action and change is a series of 2 interrelated training courses, 6 days each, taking place in Hollókő, Hungary and Ommen, the Netherlands, reinforced by a 2-phase practical, local-level dissemination. Partners are13 NGOs form 12 countries: Ro,HU,TR,CZ,LT,BG,ES,GR,IT,NL,PT,LV, with38 participants.The aim of the project is to improve the involvement and engagement youth in non-formal learning and civic activities, especially those at risk, by improving the relevance and the quality of learning activities offered for them. As intervention area we chose coaching, as a widely-used method in youth work, to improve its quality and efficiency.Our objectives:- to improve professional skills of coaches, mentors, counsellors and trainers, working directly with young people and youth NGOs in designing and guiding coaching sessions and processes through practice- to adapt and introduce coaching techniques of NLP into the context of youth work specifically useful too improve interpersonal, entrepreneurial and participation competences of young people and youth workerso intervene and utilize group dynamics processeso communicate successfully in interpersonal, cross-sectoral and cross-cultural contextso build human resources’ capacity - to increase capacity of youth NGOs to reach, involve and engage new target groups, partners, network members- to lay the base of an international, cross-sectoral network to share expertise and support the growth of youth work all over Europe The main activities are 2 TCs, strongly built on each other, offering YouthPass and 2 other forms of certification.A1 gives the base: we build coaching skills and core values, learn and practice techniques and get to the level of guiding a full coaching session: coach’s preparation, technique and session build-up, facilitate the process of the client, to support the client’s desired change, coach’s self-reflection. Techniques offer solutions for simple issues, theories explain the techniques and their elements. A2 continues to build advanced skills and integrity and to work in an intutive and creative way. Themes: process build-up and facilitation, combining techniques, flexibility, resourcefulness. Techniques are more complex and support deeper and on a wider range of issues. Adaptability and transferrability are focused. By the end of A2 each participant creates their own, brand new technique.The the daily program of both TCs trains sub-skills, combining them to build complex ones. Working methods: - theoretical input, practical examples, interactive discussions- techniques are presented by the trainers, participants practice them live through real-life, ongoing cases.- video feedback- debriefings - self-directed learning - personal journals- participants create their own brand new technique- consultation in person and online- activities in mixed groups, couples, trios- atmosphere and energy-building - testing the techniques after the TCs by coaching partners’ target group or staffEach partner selects, surveys and prepares their participants and works with them in the 2 dissemination phases, being coached by the newly learned techniques. Management, promotion, communication, evaluation and dissemination activities are done by each partner in their own countries.Participants become spontaneous and creative, more skilled and resourceful in designing and guiding coaching sessions and processes for competence improvement of NGO staff and target groups. Their professional identity gets stronger and clear for their colleagues, target groups and other sectors. Partners receive supervised coaching. Their activities become more specific, coaching becomes more skilled and resourceful, more capable to identify areas, leverage points and tools for intervention, support diverse people and purposes with diverse tools. They involve new partners and potential sponsors from other sectors and reach a wider recognition. Youngsters get more easily engaged for long term or more projects, letting them pick tailored learning paths, gain necessary skills and attitude to enter the labour market, start business or community initiative. The project leads to the improvement of the quality and efficiency of youth work carried out by the partners.