🇮🇹 TC "Games Are No Joke" / 28.04-06.05.2026 - Filadelfia (VV), Calabria, Italy
- Arte Diem Calabria
- Feb 19
- 10 min read
Updated: Feb 20
🎲 TC "Games Are No Joke" (GANJ)
📆 28.04 - 06.05.2026
📍 Filadelfia (VV), Calabria, Italy
🔎 Main Objectives:
- Empower youth workers with game-based learning methodologies to prevent radicalization and polarization among young people.
- Develop practical game design skills and learn how to use board games as tools for dialogue, inclusion, and critical thinking.
- Strengthen competences in identifying misinformation and fostering media literacy through interactive methods.
- Create a Game Design Toolkit and build a long-term international network for social impact in youth work.
👥 The Participant Profile (3 PPL x Country)
- Youth workers, educators, trainers, facilitators active in non-formal education.
- At least 1 participant per country with fewer opportunities.
- Aged 18+ (ideal range 25 - 45).
- Actively involved in youth work and motivated to implement game-based methods in their local community.
- Able to work in English and committed to the full duration of the training, including follow-up workshops and dissemination activities.
✈️ Travel reimbursement (Check the info pack)
💶 Food and accommodation 100% covered by the hosting organization
📧 Deadline for selection: 22th of March 2026
ℹ️ Application form: https://bit.ly/4qIJTWQ
📩 Please note that only selected participants will receive official communication regarding their selection for the Training Course. 🌟 Each partner organisation may also use an internal selection process according to their own policies. 👁️ Keep an eye on your inbox for exciting news about joining us in Calabria for this powerful learning journey! 🇮🇹
Follow us - Before Applying
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ℹ️ TC "Games Are No Joke" Project Information Pack
Welcome to KA153 "Games Are No Joke" (GANJ). This info pack is your comprehensive guide for all details regarding the upcoming Training Course in Filadelfia (VV), Calabria, Italy, scheduled for 28th April - 6th May 2026.
In the following sections, you will find in-depth information about the project's objectives, accommodation arrangements, travel details, and other essential information to ensure you're fully prepared for this professional development activitiy hosted by us, Arte Diem Calabria.
Table of Contents
Project Overview
"Games Are No Joke" invites 21 youth workers (3 per country) from Italy, Turkiye, Romania, Bulgaria, France, Serbia, and North Macedonia to explore game-based learning as a powerful tool to counter radicalization and polarization. The main goal of this project is to empower youth workers with the skills, creativity, and theoretical knowledge needed to use board games for social change.
Through hands-on workshops and creative prototyping, participants will learn to integrate board games into non-formal education to foster critical thinking, empathy, and constructive dialogue. This project aims to enhance participants' facilitation techniques, develop strategies to identify and counter misinformation, and inspire them to design their own board game prototypes tackling themes such as inclusion and democratic participation.
By focusing on game-based learning, we aim to establish an international network of youth workers dedicated to social impact. This approach directly addresses youth disengagement and susceptibility to radical narratives, ultimately contributing to the participants' professional growth and making youth work more interactive and impactful across Europe.
Working Methods
👥 Interactive Workshops: Dive into lively discussions and hands-on exercises focused on game design principles and facilitation techniques. These workshops are all about active engagement, where your creativity lights the way.
🤝 Group Projects: Team up in multicultural teams to hatch brilliant board game prototypes. It’s all about teamwork and creativity, integrating mechanics and storytelling for social impact.
🔄 Peer Learning: Share insights and feedback during playtesting sessions with your fellow participants. It's a chance to see new perspectives and refine your educational tools together.
🎭 Real-life Simulations: Tackle the challenges of misinformation and polarization that youth face today. Find solutions as a team by deconstructing and analyzing how games simulate complex societal dilemmas.
🌙 Evening Reflections: Each day winds down with a moment to reflect using the Youthpass framework. Think over what you’ve learned, how it fits your professional practice, and how you can bring these methodologies home to spark change.
Participant Profile
Diverse Participation: 🌍 21 youth workers from Italy, Turkiye, Romania, Bulgaria, France, Serbia, and North Macedonia will gather in Filadelfia (VV), Calabria for this training course. Each country team consists of 3 participants, creating a professional and focused learning environment.
Target Group: 🤝 This project is designed for youth workers, educators, trainers, and community leaders who are active in non-formal education and social inclusion. We specifically look for those who want to use board games to help young people think critically about social issues.
Inclusive Mix: 🤝 We prioritize inclusivity by requiring that each national team includes at least one participant facing fewer opportunities due to economic, social, or geographical barriers.
Age Range: 🎂 Participants must be 18+ years old. While there is no strict upper age limit, the ideal range is 25 to 45, as this fits the experience level needed for professional training.
Language: 🗣️🇬🇧 The working language is English. Effective communication is important to follow the training, but you don't need to be perfect. The goal is to understand each other and learn together!
Commitment to Engagement: 📢🤝 Participants must be active in all phases: 3 online preparatory meetings before the trip, the 7-day training in Italy, and follow-up activities in their home communities to share what they learned.
The Location & Travel Arrangements 🏖️✈️
Accommodation 🏨
The project's venue is “Residenza Antico Borgo” (https://www.residenzaanticoborgo.it/), located in Filadelfia (Vibo Valentia) right in the heart of the city.
Rooms & Capacity:The rooms are designed to host around 3-4 people (mixed by nationality and divided by gender), depending on venue availability. 🛏️🌍
Meals & Refreshments: 3 meals a day, Italian breakfast, lunch, and dinner 🍽️, along with coffee breaks ☕, all provided on-site.
Meals will follow the traditional Italian way of eating:
First course (primo): often pasta with different sauces.
Second course (secondo): either vegetarian or meat-based.
Some evenings will feature pizza dinners or typical Calabrese street food.
Please note: if a participant has no flexibility to adapt to this culinary style, it is better to skip this opportunity and consider a project in a country with a food culture more similar to their own.
How to reach the venue 📍
Project Location / Destination (Residenza Antico Borgo): 🗺️
Via B. Maiolo, 30, 89814 Filadelfia (VV)
Best Way: Arriving at Lamezia Terme
The most convenient route is to fly directly to Lamezia Terme Airport. Upon arrival, the Arte Diem Calabria logistics team will pick-ups from either Lamezia Terme Airport or Lamezia Terme Centrale Train Station. Pick-ups will be organized based on the arrival information of the participants and the availability of cars/minivans which need to be communicated in advance to the hosting organisation.
PICKUP LOCATION📍
✈️ Lamezia Terme International Airport
Address: Via Aeroporto, 88046 Lamezia Terme CZ
🚆 Lamezia Terme Centrale Train Station
Address:Piazza Stazione, 88046 Lamezia Terme CZ, Italy
Alternative Airports
If you are flying into Reggio Calabria or Naples, it is possible to reach Lamezia Terme by bus or train:
By Bus: Services like ITABUS (ITABUS), FLIXBUS (FLIXBUS), and FEDERICO (FEDERICO) offer routes to Lamezia Terme.
By Train: Trenitalia provides regular train services to Lamezia Terme from various cities (Trenitalia).
Upon reaching Lamezia Terme Train Station, the logistics team will assist you further to reach the project venue.
If you want to stay more in Calabria you can travel for a maximum of 2 days before and 2 after the project, in this case, you need to cover your accommodation and expenses*
*This applies if there are no easier, safer and cheaper options to reach the venue.
IMPORTANT
Prepare your travel plan considering your outbound flight must arrive at Lamezia Airport by 8.00 PM (in case of lack any option Arte Diem Calabria will support you in find a different solution), while the return flight must depart from Lamezia Airport no earlier than 9.00 AM. If there are no similar options, we are gonna find a solution together.
This scheduling provides sufficient time to travel from the hotel to the airport. We are gonna collect all your arrival and departure info in advance and prepare the best plan, which will fit all the group.
YOUR TRAVEL PLAN MUST BE AGREED UPON WITH THE HOSTING ORGANIZATION, OTHERWISE, THE REFUND WILL NOT BE ADMISSIBLE
YOU HAVE TO PICK THE MOST ECONOMIC WAY TO REACH THE PROJECT LOCATION.
Please note that only public transport is subject to reimbursement. If you travel by airplane use only economy class, taxi is not covered.
YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO LEAVE PROJECT ONE DAY EARLY TO CATCH YOUR FLIGHT OR BUS. PLEASE BUY YOUR TICKETS ACCORDING TO THE PROJECT’S DATE.
Reimbursement & Travel Guidelines
What are the dates and what does the reimbursement cover?
The arrival date is 28th of April 2026
The departure date is the 6th of May 2026
You need to collect and keep all your physical and digital tickets. You will receive the reimbursement for all the routes related to reaching the venue of the project and going back home (not for tourist purposes). Having proof of travel (boarding passes, tickets,...) and of cost (invoices and receipts) is a requirement to get the reimbursement according to Erasmus+ rules.
The reimbursement process usually takes 60 days by the end of the project but depends even on participants or national agency duties.
Another requirement for reimbursement is to take part actively in the DISSEMINATION of the results and the FOLLOW-UP activities.
TRAVEL AGENCY COSTS WILL NOT BE REFUNDED ACCORDING TO ERASMUS+ RULES.
ONLY PRIORITY OPTIONS AVAILABLE WITH AIRLINE COMPANIES, WHICH ALLOW FOR ONBOARD LUGGAGE AND A PERSONAL ITEM, WILL BE REIMBURSED AS PART OF YOUR TRAVEL COSTS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT LARGER LUGGAGE, SUCH AS CHECKED BAGS, WILL NOT BE COVERED FOR TRAVEL LOGISTICAL REASONS. HOWEVER, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE LUGGAGE ON BOARD WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION IN ENSURING A SMOOTH AND EFFICIENT REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS.
Budget and Documentation
Country | Travel Budget* (max/person) |
Italy | 0€ |
France | 309€ |
North Macedonia | 309€ |
Bulgaria | 309€ |
Serbia | 309€ |
Türkiye | 309€ |
Romania | 309€ |
The cost given is a limit in total PER PERSON, for both ways.
TRAVEL WILL BE REIMBURSED ACCORDING TO THE REAL COST YOU SPENT, up to the amount given above per country (See the table above), but not more than that (which means that if you spend less, you will be reimbursed the money you spent or if you spend more, you will get up to limit)
EVERYTHING THAT WILL BE MORE THAN THE LIMIT WILL BE YOUR OWN COST.
Contribution*
Participation in this Training Course foresees a contribution of 20€ which will cover: the organisation of the pick up from/to the airport (part of the trip) and a cultural visit to Tropea and Pizzo. This extra activity will be arranged according to the activity schedule and weather conditions. This 20€ contribution will be deduced from the total personal travel expenses or collected in loco only in case this activity is organised.
Good Reasons to Travel Light
Quick and Efficient: Avoid the wait for baggage check-ins and collections, helping you catch flights and trains on time. 🛄⏱️
Easy Movement: Navigate new cities with ease and less baggage to carry. 🚶♂️🚶♀️🧳
Minimize Loss Risk: Keep all belongings with you, reducing the chance of losing them during transit. 🔒🎒
Budget and Eco-friendly: Lighter travel often aligns with more sustainable and cost-effective transport options like budget airlines. 💚💰✈️
Where to book your tickets?
You can check the following links for cheap flights:
WIZZ AIR: https://wizzair.com
Ryanair: https://www.ryanair.com
Easy Jet: https://www.easyjet.com
You can use Flight Search Engines as https://www.skyscanner.net/ to find your route, but we highly suggest finally booking your tickets directly from the Airline Company to not have intermediaries.
Project Preparation 🌍
Intercultural Evenings
Be Creative! 🎨 Participants are invited to design a vibrant and interactive intercultural evening. This is your stage to creatively showcase your country's culture. 🌟
What's Your Culture? Share your traditional foods 🍲, drinks 🍹, music 🎶, and unique cultural aspects.
Interactive Activities: Think about games 🎲, and educational activities related to your culture.
Activities
Morning/Afternoon Energizers! ⚡We'd love each group to prepare some fun energizers to uplift everyone's spirit and keep the energy high! 🏃♂️💃 Moreover, during the Youth Exchange we are gonna explore Myths and Legends of each country involved, so each national team is invited to prepare on this topic beforehand.
What to Bring? 🎒
Essentials: Passport or ID 🛂, comfortable clothes 👕👖 for activities.
Provided by Hotel: Towels, bed sheets, small hairdryer, and small personal care items 🧴.
For Intercultural Nights: Bring your favourite foods and beverages to share 🍽️🍾 (optional but fun!).
Other Must-Haves: Toothpaste, medicines 💊, and a positive attitude 😊.
Multimedia Work: Bring laptops 💻, digital cameras 📷 and tablets if you can. We have some cool multimedia activities planned! 📱🎥
Health & Travel Insurance 🏥
Ensure you have a valid European Health Insurance Card or private travel insurance. 🛡️
Health Alerts: Please inform us of any health risks, required medications, or special dietary needs 🍏🍞💊.
Contact Information 📞
Should you need any assistance, our project coordinators are just a message away.
Project Coordinator: 🌟 Rocco Burdino
Email: 📧 artediemcalabria@gmail.com
📩 Selection Process & Communication
We provide these contact channels to help you once you have been chosen for the project. Please keep in mind that the selection of each national team is the full responsibility of our partners. All questions about the selection process must be sent directly to the partner organization in your country. We cannot consider emails that try to bypass our partners.
How selection works:
- Partner organizations give priority to their own active team members and volunteers for these professional training opportunities.
- In specific cases, partners may look for outside applicants who are highly interested and have the right professional profile for game-based learning.
- Partners may use their own application forms and apply their own internal organizational policies.
- Only selected participants will receive an official confirmation. 👁️ Keep an eye on your inbox for news about joining us on this adventure in Italy! 🇮🇹
Partners
🖨️ Remember to save this info pack as a PDF! Just hit the print button to have a copy for easy reference throughout your journey. It's a great way to keep all this valuable information at your fingertips!
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