LocationsLearning to Respond: From Hidden Struggles to Mountain Rescue
October 15, 2026
“See. Understand. Act." project
Nature can be a place for adventure, learning and connection. But being outdoors can also bring unexpected situations that require us to know how to respond.
Sometimes the challenge is immediate and visible – an injury, an accident or someone who needs to be rescued. At other times, it is less obvious – a young person struggling with stress, anxiety or emotions they may not know how to express.
In both situations, the first steps are surprisingly similar: notice what is happening, understand what is needed and know how to act.
Through two EU-funded initiatives supported by the Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 3 (ReLOaD3), young people and those working with them are gaining skills that can make a real difference. On Galichica Mountain, young people from Shtip learned the basics of mountain rescue, first aid and safe behaviour in nature. At the Dzhumaja Mountain Lodge, scout leaders learned how to better recognize and respond to the emotional and mental-health needs of children and young people.
Different challenges require different skills. But both experiences share the same idea: when someone needs support, being prepared matters.
“See. Understand. Act.” project
Seeing what others may not see
For scout leader Sara Gichevska, from the scout association “Galeb”, being responsible for children means paying attention to much more than what is immediately visible.
Children sometimes struggle to fit into a group, repeatedly seek attention or express themselves through shouting or behaviour that can easily be seen simply as disruptive. Through the four-day “See. Understand. Act.” training at the Dzhumaja Mountain Lodge, Sara began looking at those situations differently.
The training brought together scout leaders and young scouts preparing to become leaders, giving them practical skills in emotional support, mental health, active listening, communication and recognizing the needs that may lie behind a child's behaviour.
“See. Understand. Act.” project
“The training helped me take a step back and ask myself: ‘What is this child trying to show me through their behaviour?’ Instead of immediately focusing only on the behaviour, I started thinking more about the need behind it – whether the child needs additional attention, understanding, a sense of security, or simply someone who will listen without judgement.”
Through discussions, practical exercises and real-life scenarios, participants explored how stress and anxiety can appear in children and young people, how to communicate without judgement and how to respond while respecting personal boundaries.
For Sara, one of the most important lessons was also understanding the limits of her own role.
“As leaders, we cannot always solve the problems children are facing, but we can influence how they feel while they are with us. We can create an environment where a child is not defined only by their behaviour, but is seen, understood and accepted.”
Sometimes the first form of support is simply recognizing that something is wrong – and knowing how to respond.
“Young Heroes” project
Ready when every minute matters
On Galichica Mountain, being prepared meant something very practical: knowing how to stay safe, recognize danger and respond when someone needs help.
Through the “Young Heroes” activity implemented by CSO "Astrajon", 13 young people from Shtip took part in hands-on training in mountain rescue, first aid and safe behaviour in nature. The programme took learning out onto the mountain, combining practical exercises with orientation and night orientation – situations in which participants had to put what they were learning into practice.
But there was another reason behind the activity. Shtip does not have a mountain rescue association, limiting opportunities for young people interested in rescue to gain practical knowledge and experience. The training on Galichica therefore offered an opportunity to learn from the much more developed mountain rescue experience in Ohrid – with the hope that this knowledge can eventually be transferred back to Shtip and help build a fully functioning local mountain rescue operation.
"Young heroes" project
For Antonio Dodevski, President of the Mountain Rescue Association, this transfer of knowledge is an important part of the initiative. Just as important, however, was seeing the willingness of the young participants to learn.
“For me, the fact that they came here and took part says the most. They were genuinely interested in what we were doing. The programme covered orientation, night orientation and practical exercises in the mountains, and they approached it all with real interest. Shtip does not have a mountain rescue association, and that was one of the main reasons for organizing this activity. Here in Ohrid, we have developed considerable experience in this field, and we hope to transfer that knowledge so that, over time, a whole mountain rescue operation can be developed in Shtip as well.”
"Young heroes" project
That interest was evident in participants such as 16-year-old Ljupcho Malinov. His fascination with climbing, mountaineering and rescue began through scouting, and the training on Galichica gave him an opportunity to explore it further.
“The more I learn about mountaineering, climbing and mountain rescue, the more interested I become and the more I want to continue doing it. I think the most important thing is for people to know their limits. Nature is often underestimated, and accidents can happen simply because hikers are not careful enough.”
For Ljupcho, learning how to respond should start long before an emergency happens.
“Anyone who wants to spend time in the mountains should have at least a few days of basic training.”
The experience has encouraged him to continue developing his skills through the activities of the mountaineering club in Shtip.
"Young heroes" project
For 27-year-old Magdalena Kamchevska, who is still a beginner in mountaineering, the motivation was equally practical. She wanted to feel safer outdoors and know what to do if the person beside her – or another hiker – was injured.
“I wanted to learn how to be safer in the mountains and how to help someone if they get injured. The most important thing I learned is that if you want to help someone else, you first need to know how to keep yourself safe.”
Together, their experiences point to a lesson that goes beyond rescue techniques. Being prepared in the mountains means understanding the environment, recognizing risks, respecting your own limits and knowing how to make decisions before a difficult situation becomes an emergency.
But the experience also points to something bigger. By transferring knowledge from a place where mountain rescue is already well developed to young people from a community where such a structure does not yet exist, the activity can plant the seeds for something that lasts beyond the training itself.
The skills can be taught. What is needed first are people willing to learn them – and, eventually, to pass them on.
"Young heroes" project
Different challenges, a shared lesson
The two experiences may seem worlds apart. One takes place in the everyday interactions between a scout leader and a child; the other on a mountain, where decisions can have immediate consequences.
Yet both are ultimately about learning how to support others with greater confidence and care. In the scout association “Galeb” they are starting a new way of looking at the children they work with – seeing beyond behaviour and listening more closely. “Astrajon” participants are leaving Galichica with greater respect for the mountain, their own limits and the responsibility that comes with helping someone else. They are also taking home knowledge that could help create something Shtip does not yet have – a stronger local capacity to respond when people need help in the mountains.
"Young heroes" project
Whether it means listening to a young person or reaching someone in difficulty on a mountain, knowing how to help can make all the difference.
The activities are supported through the Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 3 (ReLOaD3), funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP. The project “See. Understand. Act.” implemented by the scout association “Galeb” is co-funded by Municipality of Aerodrom. The project “Young Heroes” implemented by the CSO “Astrajon” is co-funded by Municipality of Shtip.
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