Sensing Culture as a Bridge in Youth Work

Facing the objectives of Erasmus+ program, the project aims not only at improving among youth workers key competences (communication in foreign languages, intercultural understanding, awareness, emotional intelligence, social and civic competencies) but also at equipping them with educational tools and at enriching their knowledge in order for them to become multipliers and promoters of youth activism in open and diverse society.

The project also aims to make a conflict transformation into multicultural youth between the conflict countries such as Ukraine-Russia, Russia-Georgia, Armenia-Turkey, to make one step forward to peace, mutual understanding and respect by providing active citizenship, intercultural dialogue, social inclusion, solidarity. The TC "Sensing Culture as a Bridge in Youth Work"  will increase learning, mobility opportunities for young people, those active in  youth organizations and youth leaders within local regional and international level. The other aim is to make a step forward on recognition   of non-formal and informal learning, transparency and recognition of tools and the dissemination of good practices,  opportunity  for promoting cooperation  between program and partner countries.

The project aims at producing high-quality learning outcomes for participants as well as at reinforcing the capacities and international scope of the participating organizations. The project is also addressed to young people with fewer opportunities.

The objectives of the project are to make participants to:

- get familiar with the mechanism of stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination

- verify and reflect on their own stereotypes and prejudices in order to overcome them

- better understand their role as youth workers in combating stereotypes among young people in local communities

- enrich their knowledge about Open Space Technology as well as Forum Theatre method as useful and innovative ways of educating youth

- create, together with participants e-booklet with new activities using OST and FT for further dissemination

- make solid partnerships for KA1 and KA 2 youth projects according to the proposals of Erasmus + programme

- make proposals for local and European youth projects in order to use the talent and traditions of young people together in the sake of local communities

- invent self – assessment tools in order to support young people to recognize their talents during non – formal educational methods and identify their learning outcomes

Methodology

 

Forum Theatre(FT)

A play or scene, usually indicating some kind of oppression, is shown twice. During the replay, any member of the audience (‘spect-actor’) is allowed to shout ‘Stop!’, step forward and take the place of one of the oppressed characters, showing how they could change the situation to enable a different outcome. Several alternatives may be explored by different spect-actors. The other actors remain in character, improvising their responses. A facilitator (Joker) is necessary to enable communication between the players and the audience.

The strategy breaks through the barrier between performers and audience, putting them on an equal footing. It enables participants to try out courses of action which could be applicable to their everyday lives.

Open Space Technology(OST)

Open Space Technology is one way to enable all kinds of people, in any kind of organization, to create inspired meetings and events. Over the last 20+ years, it has also become clear that opening space, as an intentional leadership practice, can create inspired organizations, where ordinary people work together to create extraordinary results with regularity.

In Open Space meetings, events and organizations, participants create and manage their own agenda of parallel working sessions around a central theme of strategic importance, such as: What is the strategy, group, organization or community that all stakeholders can support and work together to create?

The training course is addressed to people who:
- ages 18+

- are involved in youth work as representatives of NGOs, teachers, volunteers, trainers, facilitators, project managers

- are able to communicate in English

- are interested in the topic of anti-discrimination

- are not familiar with Open Space Technology as well as Forum Theatre method

- express need for enriching knowledge on new non-formal education tools

- express need for networking and sharing experiences with other youth workers

- are ready to take part in the whole seminar

- have organizational support for further youth activities