The Big Thing (TBT) Guidelines are the result of a joint effort between Arkhe (Spain), Zavod Odtiz (Slovenia), and VIEWS International (Belgium). They build on the experiences and reflections gathered throughout the project and respond to a growing need for practical tools that help make youth work and training more inclusive.
Two sets of guidelines for different audiences
To ensure they are relevant to those who will use them, the guidelines have been developed in two complementary versions:
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- For trainers, facilitators, and youth workers: offering recommendations on how to adapt learning spaces, materials, and group processes so that all participants, including those with disabilities, can take part on an equal footing;
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- For institutions and organisations: aimed at those who host and manage activities, providing strategies to make inclusion and accessibility a core part of organisational practice rather than an afterthought.
Why they are important
The guidelines showed us that inclusion is not only about adapting spaces or materials, but about creating common spaces where everyone can grow and contribute together. Interpreters, assistants, and support staff are recognised as part of the learning team, and group dynamics are adjusted to ensure no participant is left behind.
Rather than offering a fixed set of methods, the TBT Guidelines capture lessons learned from practice. They are meant to inspire trainers and organisations to take the next step, to embrace diversity confidently, and to create learning spaces where every participant is valued and able to contribute.
Download the guidelines
Both sets of guidelines are available for download and can be used independently or together. They are a resource to support those who want to make inclusive youth work the norm rather than the exception.
