Why do so many young people give up the moment something becomes difficult?
A Story of Persistence and Success was created to address a growing challenge among young people – the fear of failure, low resilience, and the tendency to quit when faced with obstacles. The project focused on helping young people understand that success is rarely immediate, and that persistence, confidence, and the ability to keep going are skills that can be developed.
Implemented within the youth sector, the project worked directly with youth workers and youth organisations across Europe to create practical educational tools and learning experiences that encourage perseverance, motivation, and a more positive mindset towards challenges. Instead of promoting perfection, the project encouraged young people to see mistakes, setbacks, and repeated attempts as a natural part of growth and personal development.
The project introduced an engaging dual-layer training programme designed to help young people build persistence through experience, creativity, and active participation, instead of relying on traditional approaches.
The first layer focused on motivation, emotional support, and personal growth through non-formal education methods. Through interactive activities, simulations, teamwork, and reflection, participants explored what persistence really means and why resilience matters when working towards personal goals. The programme created a safe and supportive environment where young people could express themselves freely, experiment, make mistakes, and learn without fear of judgement.
The second layer introduced stop-motion animation as an innovative learning tool. Creating an animated film frame by frame requires patience, concentration, teamwork, and attention to detail. Participants quickly discovered that meaningful results do not happen instantly — they require consistency, effort, and the ability to keep going even when progress feels slow.
Through this creative process, young people developed much more than technical skills. They learned how to stay focused over longer periods, manage time effectively, work under pressure, communicate ideas, solve problems collaboratively, and transform challenges into opportunities for growth.
The project also developed practical resources for youth workers, including a ready-to-use booklet with good practices, training programmes for both youth workers and young people, and digital learning resources that can continue to be used by organisations across Europe.
Partnership:
Cumulus – Poland
ABC Consulting – Bulgaria
Better Future – Slovenia
Gimnazija Murska Sobota – Slovenia
Youthfully Yours – Slovakia
National Talent Center – Serbia
Language School Sky – Bulgaria
Ornament – Poland