TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Rasa Tucinskaite
AIMS
This project was rooted in a simple belief: young people had the capacity to build fairer and more inclusive societies — provided they felt empowered, connected, and confident in their role. At a time when human rights and democratic values were facing new pressures, the project placed Human Rights Education (HRE) back at the core of youth work. Through creative learning, open dialogue, and practical experiences, it enabled youth workers to approach human rights not as distant concepts but as tools for everyday action, engagement, and positive change.
The training aimed to foster curiosity, strengthen understanding, and transform broad human rights principles into meaningful community impact. By exploring the relevance of human rights in the contemporary context, participants gained new perspectives and concrete methods to encourage active citizenship and democratic participation. The process was guided by shared responsibility and a strong sense of ownership, recognising that sustainable change happened when everyone felt part of the journey.
OBJECTIVES
- Open up conversations about human rights and shared responsibilities
We want to create safe spaces where people can talk openly about what human rights mean today, and how we all play a role in protecting them - together.
- Encourage critical thinking, not just quick answers
It’s not just about learning the rules — it’s about asking questions, exploring different points of view, and experiencing real-life situations to understand how human rights apply, both online and offline.
- Support youth workers as mentors and changemakers
We aim to strengthen the skills of youth workers so they can guide and inspire young people to be active, aware, and involved citizens.
- Bring (digital) human rights into the spotlight locally
We’ll explore how human rights and digital rights connect, and how both can be promoted in everyday community life to build a stronger, fairer democracy.
The Training Course involved 24 participants engaged in the youth work field from 16 different countries and at least 18 different nationalities (european and not).
The participants were either Youth Workers, Educators or Youth Leaders residents in the Partners' Countries.
The trainers’ team itself was also international, with trainers from Lithuania, and Italy, to balance expertise in human rights education, active citizenship and democratic participation.
The project was implemented under the accreditation, therefore, there were different organizations involved as sending partners
The program was carefully structured to achieve its main purpose: strengthening shared responsibility and ownership within a Youth Work context while supporting participants in exploring Human Rights Education, active citizenship, and democratic participation through diverse and experiential methodologies. The group brought together participants with different levels of experience, contributing to a dynamic and collaborative atmosphere. The training followed a step-by-step structure adapted to the participants' learning needs and experience.
A wide range of non-formal education methods was used to introduce key topics such as Human Rights, freedom of expression, inclusive language, discrimination, hate speech, critical thinking, and active participation. The methodological approach integrated theoretical frameworks (including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Pyramid of Hate, and the Ladder of Participation) with participatory activities designed to foster engagement, reflection, and peer learning.
The program combined gamified activities, simulations, debates, Forum Theatre from the Theatre of the Oppressed tradition, perspective-taking exercises, and self-directed learning spaces. Activities such as the Escape Adventure, role-play simulations, open-space sessions, and the Learning Festival allowed participants to engage with the content in creative, experiential, and critically reflective ways. These methods helped them explore complex topics—including intersectionality, migration, civic engagement, media literacy, and digital rights—while encouraging them to translate these experiences into concrete youth work practices.
Daily reflection spaces, including slow-morning practices and small-group evening reflection sessions, provided a safe environment for participants to process their experiences, share feedback, and discuss their learning journey. These regular reflective moments strengthened ownership of the learning process and supported continuous self-awareness. Additionally, participants had access to an online resource platform, which served as a long-term learning tool to deepen their understanding of digital literacy, citizenship, and human rights.
Collaboration and co-creation were central to the methodological approach. Participants were encouraged to support one another through peer feedback, shared insights, and co-facilitated activities, reinforcing group cohesion and promoting collective learning. Across all activities, the emphasis on shared responsibility, democratic involvement, and active participation helped participants connect the methodologies to their local realities and future youth work practices.
The training successfully achieved its aims, enabling youth workers to deepen their understanding of Human Rights Education, active citizenship, and democratic participation. Participants strengthened their critical thinking, facilitation skills, and capacity to create meaningful learning spaces for young people. Throughout the week, they explored complex topics such as discrimination, media literacy, intersectionality, and digital rights through experiential and reflective methodologies, translating these into concrete practices they could apply in their local contexts.
One of the key tangible outcomes of the project was the creation of the ActivatE(U) Online Resource Centre, a digital platform offering long-term access to tools, materials, and resources introduced during the course. This platform supports sustainability and ensures that youth workers can continue exploring the project’s themes and methodologies beyond the training week.
Link: https://sites.google.com/view/loudland/home
I worked as a full-time trainer and co-facilitator, contributing to the overall design and delivery of the Training Course. Together with my colleague, I facilitated sessions focused on Human Rights Education, active citizenship, democratic participation, and the methodologies used throughout the programme.
My main responsibilities involved:
Co-designing the programme and contributing to the creation of structured, engaging, and experiential training sessions.
Introducing theoretical frameworks and practical tools related to Human Rights Education, active citizenship, and democratic participation.
Facilitating interactive workshops, simulations, group discussions, and experiential activities, ensuring an inclusive and supportive learning environment.
Guiding conversations on human rights, discrimination, freedom of expression, digital rights, and participation, helping participants connect these themes with their youth work practices.
Supporting participants through coaching and personalised feedback, especially in the development of their non-formal education activities and action plans.
Collaborating with the training team during daily debriefings to review the learning process, adapt sessions based on group needs, and ensure coherence throughout the programme.