European Citizenship Training Module: VISIONS AND CONCEPTS OF EUROPE

Aims & objectives

The main aim of the training Module was to develop a sense of space and place in
contemporary Europe, the skills required to be active agents of change and development, and the knowledge required to make choices within this context. The objectives of the module 2: "Europe: concepts and vision":
- to provide participants with an opportunity to reflect upon Europe (concept and perception) - its history, integration process, nationality, sovereignty and belonging to the Europe of today, its relation and position vis-à-vis the rest of the world, current challenges and tensions;
- to acquaint participants with different definitions of citizenship;
- to reflect about European citizenship and related values;
- to motivate participants to explore their own European identity;
- to provide participants with knowledge and information about the relevance of the actions/means of European institution regarding European citizenship;
- to reflect on the role of youth workers in connections with EC education and its relevance for young people.
- to develop participants' knowledge and motivation to critically understand the
European youth programmes and their potential to support the awareness of European citizenship among young people and through youth work.

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

Course Director: Laszlo Foldi, Hungary
Senior Trainer: Peter Hoffman, Austria
Junior Trainer: Ljubov Lissina, Estonia
Documentalist: Luisa Bartolini, Italy

Training methods used & main activities

This Module was based on the approach that there is a social and individual aspect of European Citizenship and it reflected in the programme. Each day a session was devoted to the social and theoretical context, and the following one to its implications to the person, to the participants themselves, as humans, as citizens, as Europeans and as youth workers. The flow of the course resulted in a smooth and logical frame, and participants found their own ways and interest in the subject matter according to their own background and life situation. It became again clear that the concept with its political, economic, social and cultural aspects are still weak and full of contradictions, and is an ongoing open debate in
certain dimensions, but it does have solid foundations such as the interpretations of
citizenship, Human Rights and interactions among the different subjects of European
Citizenship (institutions, citizens, states, society, culture etc.). Including this, the complexity and relevance of the phenomenon became clear to most of the participants. The European Citizenship education that has started in the youth field in 2000 is a politically motivated process, which is not a judgment but it has to be clear to all, however it is also important that this subject is properly translated and adapted to the different national and local youth work realities and social contexts.

Outcomes of the activity

The Module was mainly positively evaluated by both the participants and the trainers, however there were some very good and relevant remarks that shall be taken into consideration when developing the concept, the structure and the
implementation further. There were also initiatives coming from participants in terms of projects or further development of the concept. There is one remarkable idea that there should be a collection of relevant youth work methods, especially designed and adapted to European Citizenship education, which actually started as a project already 2 month after the Module.
The educational team as well as the participants were mainly satisfied with the outcome of the Module. The participants came out of the Modules full of new ideas and contributions for the further development of projects with a European Citizenship dimension and seemed to be willing to network. As far as the specific topic of the Module is concerned (''Visions and concepts of Europe''), the Module allowed participants to reflect on the concept of Europe in its various dimensions (history, integration processes, nationality, sovereignty, etc.). It
also enabled participants to reflect on their own sense of belonging to Europe and on the intertwining between the notions of European citizenship and European identity.

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

I was the course director responsible for the educational process and the whole training course. I was leading the team.

I worked on this training for 7 days as a full time trainer.

Testimonial of the reference person

I remember a great co-operation!