The project ?European Cooperative Youth Network for Non-Formal Education? was a training course for youth leaders and youth workers involved in non-formal education. It brought together 25 participants from 7 countries: Croatia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Georgia and Turkey. Activities of this project were based on non-formal education methodology and a participatory learning approach. Aim of this project was to exchange good practices and to develop common tools, instruments and strategies to increase the transparency and quality of youth work and non-formal education. To reach that aim, we discussed topics of validation and recognition of non-formal education and youth work, quality, and the role of youth work and non-formal education in youth empowerment. Participants had space to share good practices and methods, reflect on their own qualities which they bring into their work, research the past and try to predict future of non-formal education and youth work. Concerning all this, objectives of this training course were: - Making the concept of youth work and non-formal education better understood - Exploring the meaning, relevance and benefits of non-formal education in youth work - Providing participants with educational support and open space for exploring and sharing different methods, activities and tools of non-formal education - Raising the debate on current situation and challenges related to validation and recognition of youth work and non-formal education and what should be done in the future (national/European level) - Exploring the quality framework of non-formal education (quality assurance cycle, quality indicators, quality profile of trainers, etc.) and training the participants to apply it and raise the quality of future projects - Encouraging and supporting the creation of a network among the participants, promoting and facilitating the active use of different programmes that can support the promotion of non-formal education, and assuring the implementation of non-formal learning activities in youth work with a special emphasis on Erasmus+ In line with the feedback from participants, we believe that this project raised participants? awareness about the importance of youth work and non-formal education in different fields and about their potential impact on young people?s lives. We also intended to create awareness about the importance of developing a common strategy to improve the recognition of youth work and non-formal education at European level.