The Soft Skills Toolbox is Here

Erasmus+ project: Soft Skills for High Quality Education / Published: July 2026

We're excited to share the Soft Skills Toolbox for Leaders of Teacher Support Learning Groups (TSLGs) — one of the main outputs of the Soft Skills for High Quality Education project, now available in English.

It grew out of a simple but often overlooked observation: soft skills such as trust, active listening, reflection, and collaboration don't develop on their own within a group — they need intentional support and skilled facilitation. The Toolbox was built precisely to give TSLG leaders that support.

Who developed it

The Toolbox was developed by the project partners — Educational Research Institute (SI), Wide Open School/Škola Dokorán (SK), Hea Algus (EE), and Open Academy Step by Step (HR) — to support anyone who facilitates professional learning communities in early childhood education: preschool teachers leading peer groups, coordinators guiding reflective practice, or principals building a culture of continuous learning.

What's inside

• A Handbook — the conceptual foundation: how adults learn, why soft skills matter for professional learning, and how to build trust and psychological safety in a group.
• Videos showing real examples of TSLG facilitation in practice, covering 20 soft skills from communication and empathy to conflict resolution and self-care.
• Reflective cards for guided individual and group reflection, usable to open a discussion, deepen it, or close a session.
• Practical activities and techniques to boost participation and skill-building, especially useful when a group needs more energy or when reflection stays too surface-level.
• Tips & tricks for common facilitation challenges, helping leaders plan sessions, respond to group dynamics, and reflect on their own practice.

How to use it

Importantly, the Toolbox isn't meant to be followed step by step from beginning to end. It's designed as a flexible companion — some leaders will read it in full before starting a new series of TSLG meetings, others will come back to specific sections only when a particular challenge arises. Both approaches work equally well.

"This toolkit gives you instruments; your curiosity, patience, and genuine belief in the people you work with give those instruments life." — from the Toolbox Handbook, A Final Word for Facilitators

Link to download the Toolbox: published shortly