MY ROOTS & RIVERS: an inner journey towards more connection, care and resilience in a shaken world
ERASMUS + CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS
Training course for Youth workers
MY ROOTS & RIVERS• belonging in the wild •an inner journey towards more connection, care and resilience in a shaken world
in the Little Wild Home, Pyrenees, Ariege, France
11 – 20 August 2026
* Application process includes recording a short video of yourself
For more information read below
MY ROOTS & RIVERS is a wild community immersion for people in service to Earth, society and web of life – activists, change-makers, earth-keepers, community stewards, mentors & human development guides.
We aim to offer a space for honesty, vulnerability and be-longing, needed for strengthening one’s own inner resilience, through connection with the wild worldand with one’s own wild psyche.
learning to anchor stronger (your Roots)
and flow more freely (your Rivers)
to grow more supported and supportive
We cherish the deepest longing for interconnectedness. We honour the grief that moves the pain of the world in our bodies, so it flows and empowers us for actions.
Who can hold me when I am holding others?
How do I connect to myself, to the land, to the wild ones?
Who believes in me when I don’t believe in myself?
This journey is inspired by the Nature-based Map of the Human Psyche from Bill Plotkin/Animas Valley Institute (animas.org) and requires your intuition and courage for delving into your wild, to grow capacity for the service to the wider web of life.
FOR WHOM?
We’re calling for people actively stepping into care for the earth, society, humans and other beings – those cultivating and supporting change, or perhaps hospicing the old world. For those sensing that the life has taken them to a threshold of trans-formation. Those, feeling that something is shifting inside of them, that it is time to let go of old roles, restrains & patterns, that kept them safe and quiet. Those getting ready to meet more of themselves, to step into full power, to become their most authentic selves.
this immersion is for you who have a hunger and readiness to look at your own personal transformation to thereafter offer your gifts to others
REQUIREMENTS
Participants need to have curiosity for the wild outdoors, as the connection with nature is a key method in the course. We will spend a week immersed in a natural environment, sleeping and learning mainly outdoors.
You need to be able to do a 2h hike, stay in nature on your own, possibly over- night; participate in chores, share spaces and support fellow co-travellers.
You must be over 18 years, have a good level of English and be able to navigate your own boundaries – physical, social and emotional.
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?
Many have forgotten the language of the Wild World, Mystery and Intuition, and replaced it with the language of economy, science and technology. Nature, which we are a part of, seems to have become a warehouse for goods. Many of the crises and challenges we face – wars, intolerance, genocide, ecological disasters, mass extinction of species, mental health decline, social inequality, colonial mindset, violence – are all results of the narrative of human superiority. Same for pathological adolescent behaviours in adults who never truly grew up but posses power.
While the Great Turning – an inevitable change in ecological consciousness and political structures – is paving its way through grassroot actions, crises and resilience, we re-learn to turn to the wisdom of the Forest, Rivers, Dreams and Natural Cycles, re-establishing the connection of humans with the wild, essential for solving many of today’s problems.
Raising the awareness about the ecological role of humans and humanity is necessary for thriving of future generations – for breaking the chains of life-destroying economy, and evolving into mature adult life-enhancing culture of environmental justice, compassion, inclusion.
Living connected with Nature means to be rooted in one’s deep purpose, somatic and emotional intelligence, wisdom of the heart and gratitude to all living and non-living beings of the world where we fully belong.
GUIDES THROUGH YOUR INNER ROOTS & RIVERS
TONI STORM MALLACH (SWEDEN) is a trainer, facilitator, and nature-based human development guide. They are devoted to serving the more-than-human world through weaving deep connections between humans and nature. With a background as a musician, dancer and storyteller, Toni brings creativity and embodied presence into their work, inviting people to listen, feel, and rediscover their belonging within the living Earth.
OGNIAN GADOULAROV (BULGARIA) is a passionate rock climber and wildlifeexpert, living as an activist for cultural evolution, reconnecting people with more-than-human-world. For 16 years, he has been working with non-formal education and personal development, supporting people to unfold their full potential. Оgnian is certified through Nature-based Wholing and Self-healing Wild Mind Training Programme at Animas Valley Institute (USA), and is known as Death Tracker/Life Breather.
PLACE
We will meet in the Little Wild, a nature-based learning hub, from where we will venture into the wider and wilder Pyrenees. Our base camp, the Little Wild home in the mountain village, includes a common house, campsides, forest, streams and meadows all surrounded by slowly regenerating ecosystems. In this place we practice to live in simplicity, cultivating relations with wild(er) nature while being an active part of the surrounding village and international work.
From here, we’ll wander into other parts of the magnificent bioregion surrounding us, meeting mountains and cascades, forests and skies.
“Nature is not a place to visit, it is home”
In all locations, we’ll be staying in tents. Please bring your own tent and sleeping gear (we have a few extra sets for emergency). If you need an indoor sleeping place for health reasons, let us know in the application.
FUNDING
My Roots and Rivers immersion is funded by Erasmus+ covering most of your travel, as well as participation, food, & venue. What’s on you is to act on the change that can call into your life. And a voluntary contribution to the training costs.
COMMITMENTS
Joining My Roots & Rivers includes preparatory learning and homework exercises. We also ask for the follow-up engagement: each participants is asked to help to spread the impact of the course, as we care for the sustainability of this work.
Throughout the whole immersion, we ask to refrain from any substance altering consciousness (alcohol, cannabis, drugs, etc). The course offers nature-based methods of consciousness shifting for which your sober mental and physical capacities are required.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND DEADLINE
If you want to participate in this training course, we invite you to fill in the application form available at this link: APPLICATION FORM*
* Application process includes recording a short video of yourself
Applications are open for youth workers, educators, teachers, social workers, councelores, therapists and trainers from France, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Portugal, Romania and Bulgaria.
The deadline for applications submission is 15 May 2026 (included).
CONTACT
Content: Ognian – ogi@learningforchange.net
Logistics and hosting: Alisa – alisa.sidorenko@ecovillage.org