Social Justice and Diversity Long Term Training Course (LTTC)

The overall aim is to increase the diversity of participants in local or international non-formal education, e.g. youth mobility programs. To achieve this, this Long Term Training Course (LTTC) aims to sensitize social/youth workers for different forms of discrimination and enable them to facilitate communication in a less discriminative way. Furthermore, to better understand how and why young people with fewer opportunities feel that international youth work is not for them. In order to achieve the overall aim, the LTTC’s objectives are the following: - Sensitizing youth workers through the Social Justice Training method on existing prejudices, anti-discrimination and their own ‘blind spots’ and how these were reproduced and strengthen by fears of being different or matching the unknown; - Analyzing those factors (prejudices, discrimination, barriers on individual, cultural and institutional levels) that prevent participation of less-privileged youth in local or international projects; - Supporting the participants in raising their capabilities to become aware of own privileges and resources; - Supporting participants to ensure the feasibility and development of projects/actions with the involvement of less-privileged young people; - Supporting participants in their learning process by providing a space to exchange experiences and good practices or possible problems. The LTTC will consist of one initial residential training course, one residential advanced training course and a practical field phase between the two. During the field phase participants are to explore the potential of social justice issues and international projects – stimulate and support them to realize with the support of the trainers team. Within this LTTC there will be an introductory phase that ensures a protected yet dynamic workspace and introduces into the basics of the ideas and methods of Social Justice and Diversity. After that, two exemplary modules will be provided: The first module is about “sexism and heterosexism” and provides an easy access to daily life experiences of the participants as well as a suitable approach to an understanding of the Social Justice method. The second module is about “classism”. The expression is rather new in European context, yet already very powerful to understand social exclusion. The module “classism” offers an exposition about discrimination and privileges based on social class background of individuals or social groups. Both modules will help to understand the approach of Intersectionality. They will raise awareness for understanding dynamics of discrimination and exclusion and will increase personal capabilities to counteract them in daily praxis of youth work. At the end of the first (initial) training course (first phase) there will be a careful assessment of how one can become an ally of change and fight discrimination in one’s own surrounding. Activities will be developed for every participant, which are as well feasible as they have good chances to provide meaningful outcome. During the field phase (second phase) there will be a coaching by the trainers to accompany participants during the implementation of activities/ projects against discrimination and assure the success of the actions. The second (advanced) training (third phase) will wrap up the experiences with implementing the idea of social justice, reflect on good and difficult practice and provide some guidelines for further work. Flow of the long-term training course: 1st phase: Initial training course Duration: April 23rd – 30th 2013 Venue: Budapest, Hungary 2ndphase: Field phase Duration: May 2013 – August 2013 3rdphase: Advanced training course Duration: September 22nd- 28th 2013 Venue: Budapest, Hungary Participants: There will be places for 16 participants at the training, selected according to the criteria below: - Professionals, volunteers and multipliers motivated to work on anti-discrimination topics - Motivated in exploring one’s own blind spots in terms of discrimination or lacks of diversity and willing to raise awareness - Desire to initiate activities within own working fields and organisations in order to reduce exclusion and discrimination - Some experience or knowledge about international youth mobility projects is helpful - Motivated for further personal and professional development - Committed to further explore social justice topics and take part in field-work or projects between the two trainings - Confident in and able to communicate in (international) English. - Available to actively participate in the full duration of the course (including both training courses and field phase) - Having support from their employers in order to take part in the full duration of the LTTC and to carry out activities which should develop the organisations policies.