Inclusion, Diversity & Gender
About this focus
SCI Switzerland is committed to creating spaces where everyone feels safe, respected and included – regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disabilities, cultural background, religion or other aspects of identity. Through multiple international training courses and youth exchanges, we strengthen the capacities of youth workers, volunteers and camp coordinators to foster inclusive, intersectional and discrimination-sensitive projects and educational practices.
Our activities combine non-formal education, intercultural learning and peer exchange to explore topics such as gender equality, LGBTIQ+ rights, intersectionality, anti-discrimination, safe spaces and inclusive leadership. Participants not only deepen their understanding of these issues but also develop practical methods they can implement in their organisations and local communities.
How it works
The trainings are based on a skillshare approach, meaning participants actively contribute their own knowledge and experiences. Learning happens through exchange, workshops, discussions and peer-to-peer teaching. Participants both facilitate and join sessions, testing and improving non-formal methods together in practice.
The focus is thus on collective learning, reflection and adapting educational tools so they can be used in different local contexts. We encourage participants to become multipliers within their organisations and communities.
Building on earlier projects, our trainings have increasingly adopted an intersectional and international perspective by bringing together participants from around the world with different experiences and identities.
Why work on diversity with young people?
SCI Switzerland is dedicated to actively contributing to saver and more inclusive volunteering projects and strengthening a queer-feminist, decolonial approach to peace work, solidarity and social justice.
Gender equality and inclusion are essential prerequisites for peaceful and democratic societies. Yet discrimination based on gender, disabilities or sexual orientation continues to affect many young people worldwide. In recent years, hate speech and violence against LGBTIQ+ communities have increased in many countries, often fuelled by polarisation and extremist narratives.
Working with young people is therefore essential to creating spaces where they can challenge discrimination, develop inclusive perspectives and actively contribute to more equal and peaceful societies.
Key Objectives
Equip youth workers, activists and camp coordinators with practical facilitation and conflict transformation skills
Strengthen knowledge and awareness of gender, diversity and intersectionality
Promote inclusive and safer volunteering projects and youth exchanges
Provide skills and methods to address discrimination such as ableism, sexism and transphobia
Foster intercultural dialogue and solidarity and build lasting partnerships and activist networks
Selection of past Trainings
Gender Utopia: Who Cares?
Innsbruck, Austria | 21.–27. September 2018
A five-day seminar exploring how international volunteering projects can become more feminist, inclusive and safer spaces through non-formal education, theatre and utopian thinking.
Gender Matters
International online training | 23.–29. November 2021
An Erasmus+ training for international camp coordinators focusing on gender-sensitive facilitation, conflict transformation, inclusion and safer volunteering projects.
QUTIE I – Queer Trainers for Intersectional Education
Bern, Switzerland | 5.–11. December 2024
A “Training for Trainers” bringing together queer educators to exchange methods for intersectional youth work, discuss barriers in international youth projects and strengthen educational practices.
Peace Week: Countering LGBTIQ+phobia
Catalonia, Spain | 18.–26. November 2025
An international training coordinated by SCI Catalunya bringing together youth workers from Europe, Palestine and Jordan to counter LGBTIQ+phobia, hate speech and discrimination through volunteering, human rights education and peacebuilding.
QUTIE II – Building an International Queer Learning Space
Bern, Switzerland | 21.–28. April 2026
A “Training for Trainers” focusing on decolonising gender, intersectionality, drag, embodied learning and queer solidarity. Read the testimonial online.
Upcoming trainings
Bern, Switzerland I 2026, 2027 (multiple dates)
New international trainings on inclusion, diversity and gender will be announced here from mid 2026 and throughout 2027. Check back regularly for new opportunities.
Project partners
Our trainings are organised together with a wide range of organisations from the international SCI network and beyond. Depending on the project, we collaborate with disability organisations, youth organisations, LGBTIQ+ initiatives, grassroots activist groups and educational organisations from Europe and the Global South. Individual contributors support the project through expertise, facilitation and networking.
Our partners include:
- Alternative-V – Ukraine
- AYA – Armenia
- Critical Queer Solidarity (CQS) – Germany
- CVS Bulgaria – Bulgaria
- NGO Dylberizm – Kosovo
- Pink Human Rights Defender NGO – Armenia
- PVN Albania – Albania
- Roots Lab Africa – Morocco
- Service Civil International (SCI) and the international SCI Gender Blenders working group
- Space for Sustainable Development – Jordan
Project results (ongoing)
The trainings contribute to lasting change on both an individual and organisational level. They enable participants to apply intersectional and inclusive approaches. More than 60 people from around the world and various groups have participated so far in our trainings.
For participants, the trainings increase confidence, practical skills and motivation to organise more inclusive volunteering projects, facilitate non-formal education activities and engage in advocacy for gender justice, disability and LGBTIQ+ rights. Participants also expand their international networks and gain a deeper understanding of different cultural realities.
For partner organisations, the projects strengthen organisational capacities in inclusion, advocacy and community-based work. They inspire new local initiatives, improve cooperation across countries and contribute to developing more inclusive policies and practices within the international SCI network and beyond.
Voices of volunteers
“We had many sessions on inclusion practices, supporting each other during uncertain times, and taking care of ourselves while performing our role as a coordinator. What made the experience truly special was the group. Being surrounded by people from different countries, all engaged in similar roles but with unique perspectives, created a dynamic and inspiring environment. Many valuable moments happened outside the formal sessions.“
“QUTIE 2.0 strengthened my sense of belonging to the queer community. It showed me how we can feel empowered by celebrating queer joy and how we can use this force to challenge predominant power structures of racism and discrimination. The highlight, most participants emphatically agreed, was the drag session where they played with drag makeup and movement. Thank you for this learing opportunity”
Some of our trainings were financially supported by Movetia. We thank our partners for their ongoing and crucial support.