TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Cihan Kilic
Objectives:
To strengthen trainers’ competences in designing, implementing and evaluating training paths for youth workers working with young migrants, refugees and asylum seekers (YMRA).
To promote and support good practices of youth work with YMRA, to be further implemented in future projects.
To raise awareness on the European dimension of youth work, while working with YMRA and creating an opportunity to be part of a larger process
19 participants from 9 countries (Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, Italy, Portugal, Malta
Sweden, Norway) gathered in Bonn to participate in the training course. They had been
selected following a call for applications which was disseminated through the National Agencies.
Participants were trainers, youth workers working directly or indirectly with YMRA, or training youth
workers working with YMRA, or having a migrant or refugee background themselves.
Participants identified common challenges faced by youth workers working with YMRA, and searched
for good practices and approaches for responding to these challenges in a youth work context. They
explored the topics of identity, prejudice and micro-aggressions, as being central topics when working
with YMRA.
The training course had been designed through non-formal learning moethods. For example, the first part of the course was dedicated to getting to know each other, introducing
the context and the BpE project, the contents and the objectives of the course, sharing participants’
expectations and contributions. This was done through an informal welcome space in which
participants moved from corner to corner to find the needed information.
Likewise, The second day of the programme focused on clarifying concepts and focusing on some specific
challenges in relation to the work with YMRA. A first method focused on identity, asking participants to
position themselves according to statements concerning « identity categories » between « YES »,
« NO », or « ? ».
Overall, this first training of trainers on youth work with YMRAs was a real success. This was due to
various factors, some of which can be summarized as follows:
- The selection process of participants: The profile of the final group of participants completely
fitted the initial expectations and contributed greatly to the success of the ToT. All participants
were highly motivated, and the group was heterogenous: Some were trainers and youth
workers, whereas others were not involved in youth work themselves; some were directly
working with YMRAs, some not; some had an YMRA background themselves; Some were rather
working as national or international trainers, whereas some were rather active at local grassroot
level. Finally, the diversity of the group in terms of countries of origin and residence were an
asset. Particular emphasis was put on the added value of having a global, rather than a eurocentric perspective. In the future, it is highly recommended to keep involving participants from
outside Europe too. The size of the group was also adapted to the intensive type of work and
should be maintained in the future.
- The integrative approach of BpE: Having this ToT at the end of the overall BpE allowed to build
on a strong conceptual and experiential basis. Some participants had already been involved in
earlier steps of BpE, and could make the link. Research results as well as the overall integrative
framework, linking the course to a human rights-based approach and intercultural dialogue,
gave it a strong spine on which to build and develop.
- The support of National Agencies: Very often, in training courses, participants are asked to
develop national follow-up projects, but without being provided with any support. Here, the
direct link to National Agencies and the engagement made to commonly prepare, run and
evaluate these National courses is a completely new and very promising format. Participants
can actually use their energy and competences in designing these courses, being assured that
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they will have the sufficient financial, logistical and partly also educational support. This is an
ideal way of ensuring successful and sustainable follow-up.
- Mentoring: The question on mentoring of participants remains open: As their level of
experience in training and/ or in working with YMRA varies greatly, it could be useful to set up
a mentoring system in order for each national group to be supported in regards to educational
objectives and contents of their courses. This could be imagined through 1-2 hours skype
mentoring sessions for each group and would allow to tackle open questions, ensure qualitative
educational development and empower trainers in their experiences.
More detailed information about the training can be found on the final report: http://bpe-project.eu/media/1624/tot-report-def.pdf
The training was developed, implemented, and ran by two international trainers, me (Cihan Kilic)
and Nadine Lyamouri-Bajja .
Cihan is a very professional and committed trainer.
He is very involved in all steps of the training course, from preparation, to implementation and evaluation. He has a real team spirit, knows to take initiative and also to share training space. He is very attentive to participant's needs, and taking great care of creating secure learning conditions for everyone in the group. It is a real pleasure to work in a team with Cihan.