When there was a meeting it was never just a question of showing up and start talking.

There needed to be food and lodging and paper and pens and pickups at the airport and train station and all the things that have to be in order to have a good meeting. Here are some of those amazing people anyone would be lucky to know and work with.

Román has a degree in education, specializing both in primary and infant education. He’s also finishing a masters in bilingual education: English. He has been volunteering as educator with youth at risk groups in non-formal education for the last 7 years. His experience in working with people in need comes mostly from its own life experiences and that’s why he strongly believes that change is always possible.

Román has found his place in Asociación Experientia where he’s been learning from a multidisciplinary teamwork. Currently he’s coordinator of International Projects for Asociación Experientia and has been part of the coordinating committee for the 1^st GATE “Back to the roots”.

There’s always a reason for someone to act in a certain way, you only need to find the emotions behind these actions and facilitate the opportunity to experience hope.

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions”.

Giuseppe has a degree in Psychology and did a master in Experiential Learning at Via Experientia. He works as trainer for group dynamics and personal development. Currently he works as trainer for an outdoor theatre training course. The participants are both national and international and the groups vary in age.

Adventure Therapy, using the adventure and nature, helps humans to venture in their own nature and to achieve well being

Lianne studied outdoor education and Sports & Wellness and did an experiential learning course to become a ‘trainer’. She spent one semester in New Zealand studying sustainability and outdoor education as well as adventure therapy.

Lianne has been working as an outdoor guide around Europe for the past 6 years and did an internship with Mutsearsstichting, a youth care service center that offers professional mental health and care services to children and youth.

I have experienced nature as a powerful way to connect with your inner self and that it can contribute to personal growth, I would like to share that with others.

Jano is an occupational therapist in an acquired brain injury facility as well as a trainer for youth workers. treasurer and therapist at Experientia.

He is an avid outdoor sports practitioner and got to know the therapeutic potential of Adventure Therapy during a training in 2014. Jano has been a youth leader for more than 7 years with youth at risk groups in non formal education.

I love learning by doing, and I have discovered a great tool to enhance growth in youth!

Michaela has a Master’s degree in education sciences and a degree in psychotherapy. Her specialization was education in families and trust research in adventure therapy programs. She did a further training in experiential learning and adventure therapy for 1,5 years.

Michaela did an individual project abroad with one adolescent for five weeks last summer. She also attends a team in their teambuilding process.

She is currently working with youth and their families.

Has been working with children/youth with special needs since 1994 in diverse places (with families, juvenile offenders, youngsters). Since 2002 she has worked as a group leader and (co-) founder of experiential learning in the child and youth psychiatric ward. After several years of persistence the team there has created an eight week therapeutic program for youngsters (and their parents) to get to know and understand themselves better. Many therapeutic sessions are applied for this goal and experiential learning has been given a meaningful role in the program.

Tanja also teaches at the university college Leuven-Limburg (UCLL) of mental health care. Using experiential learning as a method, she trains students and future colleagues in group dynamics. In the postgraduate “experiential work with groups,” she takes part in the classes in which she teaches how the method is relevant and meaningful when working with youngsters with psychiatric disorders.Together with three other colleagues of child psychiatric departments, Tanja is creating a Belgian (Flemish) workgroup centralizing experiential learning and how the method is effective for youngsters with psychiatric disorders. Where many still think this is too risky or fragile for this target group, they know from experience that this can indeed be done. They explore options and possibilities to convince more people in order to get the (financial) resources to expand.

It is important to remain hopeful and to create opportunities and to work with Mother Nature, as she creates obstacles and beauties.
This is sometimes the mirror that people need to be challenged, to get more energy and to (re)discover themselves.