Creative thinking in youth work

Individuality, Creativity, and You WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT ?

"Creativity at work is rapidly becoming one of the most important and in-demand skills" (The World Economic Forum). Based on an online survey „Innovation and creativity in youth field” undertaken by 7 Youth NGOs involved in this application in Jan 2018 with 264 respondents, 67% of them (youth workers and youth leaders) says they encounter difficulties to create alternatives of action for their beneficiaries outside of the mainstream thinking, which leads to low active participation and engagement of youth. Creativity is not just an economic engine or one of the 3 most desired skill by employers, but also a way to make social, political and cultural challenges and changes. 

Creativity and design thinking will be the main pillars of the project, and through the learning contexts created based on these, the youth workers and the Youth NGOs will develop the ability to solve problems, to envisage new solutions to social problems, to exercise the imagination and exercise playfulness, to allow colleagues and young people to bring on the surface their potential to innovate.

The main aim of „Creative thinking in youth work” is to develop the creative and innovative potential of 35 youth workers through 1 non-formal training course and to share their know-how with other 200 representatives of Youth NGOs and youth workers through 1 e-learning instrument: a free MOOC about creativity.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

O1: To support the professional development of 35 youth workers from 7 NGOs, through creativity methods and increase the creativity and the capacity to innovate through a 9 days training course for 35 youth workers about design thinking, creativity and e-learning.

O2: To raise awareness regarding the importance of innovation and developing creative projects to increase the impact and efficiently of youth activities launched by Youth NGOs through 1 intensive MOOC about creativity in youth work created by the participants during the TC and through 7 dissemination workshops for 100 European youth workers and 7 local workshops for each for 15 young people.

O3: To develop a network of Youth NGOs who gain the capacity, competences and know-how needed to bring innovation in their organisations and answer to the needs of their communities through: 1 immersive and interactive marathon of challenges proposed by local NGOs for participants, 1 online course in English with subtitles in 7 languages and through 7 multiplying activities.

PARTICIPANTS PROFILE

1) We are searching for 5 participants per country from Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, Serbia, Hungary, Cyprus and Croatia.

2) Participants should be: youth workers active in Youth NGOs involved in long-term projects and who offers guidance and development opportunities to young people; trainers, youth leaders, young people who are active in NGO, teachers, professionals and students from advertising industry. 

3) Age: 18+, there is no limit in the top of age, with more than 2-3 years experience in youth work who are willing to continue their work in the youth field. We hope that the representative of the partner NGOs will encourage senior youth workers (more than 10 years of experience in the social field and youth work), also working with people who come from different social backgrounds to contribute with their experiences.

4) Good English language skills.

5) International experience: Previous relevant participations to international events will be taken into consideration, so participants know the project cycle and can be committed in all the phases of the project, especially after the training course, when we give them the responsibility to organize workshops for their beneficiaries and for other youth. workers and NGOs representatives.

The project will be held in Bansko town in southwestern Bulgaria, located at the foot of the Pirin Mountains. Accommodation for all the participants will be in Hotel Casa Karina, situated in a picturesque landscape, located at the following address: 5 Kralev dvor street, 2770 Bansko, Bulgaria. Accommodation and food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for the duration of the activities will be covered by the receiving organisation Association Walktogethr. Participants will be allocated in 3-4 bedded rooms. Every bedroom has a bathroom. Rooms will be divided according to the same gender, but different nationalities. Wireless internet connection is available in the hotel.

REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURE

Romania & Serbia - 180 EUR Lithuania, Cyprus, Hungary and Croatia - 275 EUR Bulgaria - 0 EUR

Reimbursement of travel expenses will be made during the project and based on Original documents (TICKETS + INVOICE). The currency we will reimburse your travel cost will be BGN. Please, be sure you have all the needed documents for reimbursement because if NOT we will not give your money back. Any bank transfers costs will be taken from the Sending Organization/ Participants. We highly recommend you to have mostly electronic boarding passes. ONLY THE MOST ECONOMIC WAY OF TRAVELING WILL BE REIMBURSED: Participants from Serbia and Romania are recommended to travel by car or bus. From Croatia there are regular buses by company named Florentia Bus. From Cyprus, Hungary and Lithuania - you can easily fine Wizzair and Ryanair flights to Sofia. THICKETS WHICH ARE NOT APPROVED BY HOST ORGANISATION WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED. PLEASE, SEND US YOUR TRAVEL PLAN BEFORE BUYING IT. Participants can arrive 2 days earlier or/and stay 2 day after the project. Please bare in mind that you have to fine and pay accommodation and food.