Follow Up Poland

After returning from the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange "Step Out of Your Comfort Zone Mentally. Embrace the Unknown.", the Polish participants actively transformed their personal learning experiences into meaningful local action. Building on the knowledge, tools, and reflections gained during the international mobility, they initiated a series of follow-up activities aimed at sharing the project's core values with young people in their local communities. These activities focused on mental well-being, self-awareness, and the importance of consciously stepping beyond one's comfort zone as a pathway to personal growth.

The follow-up initiatives were implemented across several cities in Poland, including Kielce, Starachowice, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, and Jędrzejów, mainly in cooperation with high schools, youth centres, and student councils. Through interactive workshops, discussions, trust-based exercises, active listening sessions, and art-based reflection activities, participants created safe and supportive spaces where young people could explore their fears, limits, and inner barriers. The concept of the comfort zone, learning zone, and panic zone was approached not as a theoretical idea, but as a practical life skill that can be developed gradually through small, conscious challenges.

Beyond personal development, the Polish follow-up activities also served as an important dissemination tool for Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges and non-formal education. By sharing their own stories, challenges, and successes from the project, the participants inspired others to consider international mobility as an opportunity for growth, learning, and self-discovery. These local actions ensured that the impact of the Mental Comfort project extended far beyond the exchange itself, strengthening youth engagement, promoting mental well-being, and encouraging young people to approach new experiences with greater confidence and openness.

Follow-Up Activities

1st Follow-UP Activity - Kielce

Kielce. The session focused on the idea of the comfort zone and on understanding how personal development can be supported through conscious, gradual challenges. The meeting aimed to share insights gained during the Erasmus project and to encourage students to reflect on their own approach to learning and new experiences. One part of the session was dedicated to explaining what the comfort zone truly is how it works, why it feels safe, and why stepping outside of it can sometimes lead to meaningful growth. The learning zone and the panic zone were also discussed, highlighting how each of them influences the ability to acquire new skills and deal with unfamiliar situations. This created space for a wider conversation about overcoming internal barriers, managing discomfort, and building confidence through small, manageable steps.

2nd Follow-Up Activity - 3rd High School in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski

The workshop took place on 3 November 2025 at the 3rd High School in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The session focused on what it truly means to step out of one's comfort zone - not as a motivational slogan, but as a real, practical skill that can be trained. One of the key workshop activities was a trust-based exercise in pairs. One participant had their eyes covered, while the other guided them through a designated space, ensuring clear communication, safety and trust. This activity allowed students to literally feel what it's like to lose control, rely on another person and confront internal resistance. Many participants later noted that this exercise helped them better understand their own boundaries and opened a meaningful conversation about courage and vulnerability. At the end of the workshop, students shared their reflections on how small steps can gradually expand their comfort zone. Together, we concluded that stepping out of the comfort zone is a process built on action, trust and the willingness to try new things.

3rd Follow-Up Activity in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski

On November 13 in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, I conducted workshops for young people focused on stepping out of their comfort zone. At the beginning of the meeting, I talked about the entire project, describing each day and the activities involved. I explained what was challenging for me and how, thanks to various exercises, I managed to overcome these difficulties. Then we moved on to drawing things that are uncomfortable for each of us. We talked about them and reflected together on how we can support one another. As much as possible, we managed to address two of the most common issues: meeting new people and speaking English. I led an exercise that I learned during this project- active listening. We paired up, and each person had four minutes to talk about a previously given topic. After both people in the pair had spoken, we switched partners and had a conversation on a new topic. At the end, we had a moment for reflection. Everyone shared a few sentences about how they felt after the workshops and whether they would like to continue practicing stepping out of their comfort zone. We also reminded ourselves how important this is.

4th Follow-UP Activity in Starachowice

The workshops took place on 14 November 2025 in High School no.2 in Starachowice. During the session, reference was made to earlier discussions about the youth's participation in an international exchange program and the importance of stepping outside their comfort zone. To deepen their reflection on this topic, participants were given an art-based task in which they were asked to create a drawing illustrating how they personally perceive the process of leaving their comfort zone. The activity aimed to support self-awareness, encourage personal reflection, and help participants better understand how they define personal growth in the context of new experiences, such as taking part in an exchange.

5th Follow-Up Activity: High School No. 1 in Jędrzejów

The workshops took place on 21 November 2025 at High School No. 1 in Jędrzejów. Their main goal was to raise awareness about youth exchange programs and help students understand how their comfort zone influences their decisions and personal development. The session began with a World Café discussion, where participants shared associations, hopes, and concerns regarding Erasmus+. Afterwards, they completed an art-based task: illustrating their comfort space on one sheet and their fears or barriers on another. This activity aimed to show that while the comfort zone provides safety, stepping beyond it can lead to growth, new opportunities, and valuable experiences such as taking part in an international exchange.  

Final Follow-Up Activity: Youth City Center, Kielce

Leader 1: On the 25th of November I conducted workshops on the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone. The event took place in Kielce (my hometown) in the Youth City Center. I prepared the event in collaboration with the local student's councils, which helped me to spread the information about the project activity. I arranged students in groups of 5 to discuss the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone and the pros & cons of being hyper-aware of one's mental health needs (can it be too much to bear for a young person?). As a summary, every group made posters, on which they drew their interpretations of what the comfort zone meant for them in everyday life. 

Leader 2: I organized and carried out a local activity aimed at encouraging participants to step beyond their comfort zones and develop personal and social skills. During the activity, I shared my personal experiences related to overcoming fears, facing new challenges, and dealing with uncertainty in unfamiliar situations. These experiences served as practical examples and helped participants better understand the importance of self-development and openness to new opportunities. In addition, I conducted interactive workshops in pairs focused on self-reflection, communication, and confidence-building exercises. The workshops actively engaged participants and created a supportive environment in which they could safely explore new perspectives and behaviors. The activity had a positive impact on the participants, increasing their motivation to challenge themselves and apply the lessons learned in their daily lives. The local activity successfully fulfilled the objectives of the project by promoting personal growth, active participation, and learning through experience.

Online Dissemination from Polish participants

• https://www.instagram.com/p/DQZPbNOCLJr/?igsh=bzZtZ2xqYmM4Y3hl 
• https://www.instagram.com/p/DQHiSowiBox/?igsh=YXJjbTYyZGJ5cDF6 
• https://www.instagram.com/p/DQE3E54jJab/?igsh=MXI3OXhjZXVjbXp1eQ%3D%3D
• https://www.instagram.com/angela.mozal/p/DQEdv1BjB8Z/?img_index=2  

Evaluation from Polish Participants

This page brings together the final evaluation paragraphs written by the participants of the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange "Step Out of Your Comfort Zone Mentally. Embrace the Unknown.". These reflections offer first-hand insight into how young people experienced the project, its methodology, atmosphere, and learning process. Through their own words, participants describe their personal journeys, challenges, achievements, and emotional growth throughout the exchange.

The evaluation highlight key aspects of the project, such as the quality of organization, the use of non-formal education methods, the role of trainers, and the balance between mental, emotional, and experiential learning. Participants also reflect on how stepping outside their comfort zones helped them build self-confidence, improve communication skills, develop empathy, and become more aware of their mental well-being. Many evaluations also describe how the project inspired them to take initiative and remain active in youth work and international cooperation.

All participant evaluations are compiled in the document uploaded on this page, allowing readers to explore the complete feedback in detail. Together, these reflections serve as an important tool for transparency, quality assurance, and future improvement, clearly demonstrating the lasting impact of the Mental Comfort project and the educational value of Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges.

If you want, I can also:

• simplify it further for younger audiences, or

• adapt it to a more institutional Erasmus+ reporting tone.