EmPOWERment 2010. Through Empowerment to Inclusion: tools and methods of non formal education

We are looking for participants from: Sweden, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Romania, The Netherlands. Target Group: youth leaders, trainers, peer educators, youth workers and multipliers working with young people belonging to so-defined minorities and eventually being themselves part of such minorities. Aim: the Training Course “EmPOWERment 2010” has the aim to let trainees experiment different methods and practices fostering youth emancipation and empowerment, enabling them to transfer the acquired knowledge to other young people with whom they work. The surrounding idea is that youth leaders, trainers, peer educators, youth workers and multipliers can work more effectively with disempowered young people if they have previously used, digested and discussed themselves the methods they will use. These methodologies are deeply related to the way young people deal with their identity-building process, their self-definition, the barriers they need to overcome, and their empowerment. Likewise, in this Training Course youth leaders, trainers, peer educators, youth workers and multipliers will be supported in the process of learning how to cope with the emotions, tensions and conflicts that arise during youth work about “sensitive” issues like emancipation, sufferance, pain and anger of disempowered young people. These emotions will be transformed into a positive resource to set and reach life goals (e.g. self-confidence, assertiveness, self-branding, effectiveness, potentialities). The TC will also discuss topics related to the development of leadership skills, benefits and opportunities within the Youth in Action Program, and other European funds (Leonardo Program, Erasmus for young Entrepreneurs, etc.). These possibilities are considered important tools in order to achieve emancipation, autonomy, empowerment, inter-generational dialogue and social change within the minority communities as well as to promote relations between minority youngsters and “the society at large” (including other minority youth, “majority” youth, Institutions, etc). Outcome: The outcomes of the Training Course will be registered on a DVD for the use of the participants, of other youth workers who address their activities to minority youth, and of minority youth themselves on the local level. For the trainees who complete the most part of the TC it will be also issued the Youth Pass certificate.