Trainer Profile: Andreas Karsten

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Training: European Citizenship Network Training (May 3-10, 2009, London, Great Britain)
Organised by: SALTO RC-TC & NA UK & PARTNERSHIP for a period of 6 days.
Description: 1) Aim

The aim of the training was to support the professional development of youth workers and youth leaders by extending their critical understanding of European Citizenship, by exploring and experiencing the potential of the notion of European Citizenship, and by enabling them to recognise and integrate European Citizenship in their youth work.

2) Profile of participants

Participants were youth professionals with intercultural project management experience with commitment and motivation to work directly with young people on issues related to European Citizenship. The intercultural group consisted of youth professionals from different European countries.

3) Methodology

The training addressed European Citizenship in youth work and all connected issues by means of non-formal learning, all the time and all the way through. The course is based on a curriculum.

4) Outcomes

The course enabled participants to critically explore the meaning, relevance and implications of European citizenship in youth work, and helped them to experiment and experience the potential of European Citizenship for active democratic change in society.

5) My role

As a member of a team of three, I shared responsibility in the preparation, running and evaluation of all sessions throughout the course.

Reference person: Paola Bortini = Co-trainer (paola@pameambro.org, )

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Training: NA Staff Training on Public Relations (September 9-12, 2008, Stockholm, Sweden)
Organised by: Salto Youth Information Resource Centre for a period of 4 days.
Description: 1) Aim

The aim of the staff training was to stimulate critical reflection and provide skills, techniques, experiences and practices on public relations.

2) Profile of participants

Participants were mostly information officers at national agencies of the Youth in Action Programme. The group was complemented by colleagues from Salto Resource Centres and the European Commission.

3) Methodology

The methodological approach was based on the principles of non-formal education and employed a mixture of inputs, debates, group discussions, exhibitions and role-plays.

4) Outcomes

The staff training succceeded in providing information officers with the opportunity to critically reflect on, exchange and learn about and lay the foundations for revising their own work in relation to public relations.

A report was produced, providing a quite useful overview of public relations from history and theory to tools and practice. It is available at http://www.frankly-speaking.org/iost/report.pdf.

5) My role

As the lead trainer, I was responsible for the preparation, facilitation and management of sessions and authored the report.

Reference person: Pontus Ekstam = Activity co-ordinator (pontus.ekstam@ungdomsstyrelsen.se, )

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Training: EYMD Training Course (February 18-25, 2007, Aachen)
Organised by: European Youth Press for a period of 6 days.
Description: 1) Aim

The course aimed to enable participants to prepare and implement the European Youth Media Days, which brought together 400 young journalists at the European Parliament in Brussels to collectively explore and discuss ideas and thoughts in relation to Europe, media and its young generation.

2) Profile of participants

Participants were young mediamakers and medialovers from all over Europe.

3) Methodology

The training team employed a variety of methods, including actions involving interaction with local people in the city of the venue.

4) Outcomes

The course introduced participants to intercultural learning, team co-operation and management of conflicts AND provided substantial time and space for planning the European Youth Media Days.

5) My role

As the co-ordinator of a team of three, I shared responsibility in the preparation, running and evaluation of all sessions throughout the course.

Reference person: Maximilian Kall = Project Co-ordinator (maximilian.kall@youthmediadays.eu, )

Current Occupation:
Full-time Executive Director at Frankly Speaking

Work Experience:
Much of my work centres around capacity development and discovery and builds on the principles of human rights education. European citizenship is one important thematic focus of my work, in particular in relation to disadvantaged and disabled young people. Other significant aspects include media, press and public relations as well as LGBT issues. Together with a small group of colleagues, I blog about my work at www.nonformality.org.

Here are some examples of recent work (all from 2008 and 2009):
- evaluation of civil society funding programme in the Balkans
- team coordinator for the European Science Parliament
- editor of several books and publications in our fields of work
- youth policy advisory for several municipalities
- pedagogical advisor for large-scale innovative projects on working with disadvantaged and disabled youth
- training coordinator and team coach for the European Youth Media Days
- long-term organisational development for the German Youth Press
- evaluation of a pilot course for the Council of Europe's Directorate of Youth and Sports
- European citizenship network trainings for several National Agencies of the «Youth in Action» Programme.

Educational Pathway:
My formal education was mainly important because it opened my eyes and impressively showed me how important non-formal education is.

My non-formal education started in my local school student organisation and was strongly influenced by the philosophy of the Council of Europe's youth sector.

What I like most about non-formal education is that you never stop learning. Every new project teaches you something different - life-long learning at its best!

Curriculum vitae:
toycvaka.pdf