Coaching Handbook GR./EN. .CATCH
In a rapidly changing world where young people face unprecedented challenges and opportunities, traditional support approaches often fall short. Young people navigating career paths and life transitions need more than advice or direction—they need empowerment, skills for self-discovery, and tools for ongoing growth.
This handbook represents a significant step forward in addressing these needs by bringing coaching methodologies into youth work and career guidance. Born from the collaborative efforts of six European organizations through the CATCH project (Creating Youth Work Training and Coaching Horizons), this resource bridges theoretical foundations with practical application, providing youth workers, educators, and career counselors with tools to transform their practice.
The CATCH: Origins and vision
The CATCH (January 2024 – March 2026) was developed in response to growing recognition that disadvantaged youth across Europe need more than traditional support services. Led by a consortium of six organizations from Slovakia – EduEra, Estonia – rescogita OÜ, Czech Republic – the Globe, Greece – Praxis, Italy – Oriel, and Austria – coobra – cooperativa braccianti, CATCH set out to establish youth coaching as a recognized methodology that empowers young people toward solution-oriented mindsets and ownership of their development processes.
The project’s core purpose aligned around three primary aims:
- Empowerment of youth workers: Equipping professionals with coaching competencies that enhance their existing skills and approaches
- Recognition of youth coaching: Advocating for youth coaching as a validated methodology for promoting social inclusion and career development
- Sustainable practice development: Establishing coaching practices that create lasting impact for disadvantaged youth across diverse European contexts
Through international training courses, local implementation, research, and collaborative development, CATCH has created a comprehensive framework for youth coaching practice that meets the unique needs of young people in transition—particularly those from marginalized backgrounds.
From project to practice: The handbook’s development
This handbook represents the collective expertise, experience, and insights gathered throughout the CATCH. It draws from:
- International training courses: Where 20 coaches were trained in foundational coaching competencies, eco-coaching practices, and coaching tools
- Local implementation: Where these coaches delivered individual and group coaching to over 150 disadvantaged young people across partner countries
- Collaborative research: Identifying effective approaches, adaptations, and innovations in youth coaching practice
- Cross-cultural perspective: Incorporating diverse European perspectives on youth work and coaching
The result is a resource that balances theoretical foundation with practical application, academic rigor with accessibility, and established coaching principles with youth-specific adaptations.