TOT for Youth Workers

At the European and national level, there are practically no advanced training programs for youth workers, trainers, facilitators and educators in general, who already have primary work experience and would like to improve a level of their competencies in development and delivering short-term and long-term educational programs for youth. Most ToT programs are focused on basic training skills for beginners or specific parts of a single training (e.g. group dynamic, games and plays, usage of specific educational methods). In terms of knowledge and skills, ToTs are not systemic, but rather mosaic. Non of ToT programs teach the holistic approach to the design of educational programs, covering structural, procedural, psychological, personal, and cultural aspects.
Training educators who work with youth, we cannot focus on the narrow competencies of trainers or facilitators in the development of programs. Since being a professional educator is more than just having technical skills in presenting the content. Poorly developed and delivered educational program simply isn’t going to have the impact we are looking for.
“Training of Trainers for Youth Workers” was developed as a platform that allows youth workers and educators to look at the design of the educational program holistically. It offers space for self-reflection and an answer to long-standing questions, for reflection of their educational practice, “rebooting” it, taking into account the experience they already have. The ability periodically to “nullify” a knowledge and being completely open to a new experience is a little lacking for educators, working in non-formal education.

Project Objectives
• To increase the level of a competence in assessing the experience, educational needs and motivation of youth;
• To increase the level of a competence in facilitating the process of obtaining knowledge;
• To increase the level of a competence in the design of educational programs.
• To create an international community of educators, working with youth, for discussion of professional issues