This workshop took place in Dunajska Luzna, Slovakia and was attended by 17 participants and 7 ESGD staff, representing nations including France, Germany, Austria, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.

The purpose of the workshop was to bring representatives from different nations who are interested in creating, developing or supporting activities for 2^nd generation in HARP. As there are vastly different situations in different nations depending on the national structure and demographics, we know that there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ approach that can be applied in any context. We therefore saw this workshop as an opportunity to provide some guidance and training in some key areas and also to be a connecting place for people to meet who are ‘in the same business’ of taking care of HARP.‎

We felt it was important to approach the workshop with the first full day focused on internal guidance as it created a sense of clarity and a good focus on the very real challenges we face when trying to take care of 2^nd generation. This could set a good foundation for the second day, which offered some practical training with interactive sessions on how to build our confidence in leading and guiding people. ‎

We were also particularly happy to offer something new to this workshop in the form of national consultations. These consultations meant that the different representatives had time to share, reflect and discuss their national situation from their perspective with a member of the ESGD team. This was particularly valuable because people could share honestly about their community’s situation and receive clear guidance to support them personally.

Overall, the workshop was an opportunity to reflect on what it really means to lead and be involved with HARP; the importance of offering spiritual leadership based on care for our brothers and sisters rather than simply managing and organising events and activities. We were also reminded of our responsibility to invest in our own spiritual lives, as a source for strength and clarity, when taking care of others.

It was a very encouraging and uplifting workshop, ending with a definite sense of renewed confidence in each of us; that what we do matters and that we all have a part to play in supporting our younger brothers and sisters to make better and stronger choices in their life.