TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Michaela Gelnarova
The main aim of the “Confident Youth Worker: The Assertive Approach” is to explore the topic of assertiveness and learn how to navigate the complex landscape of youth work with confidence.
Objectives:
Enhance Youth Workers' ability to communicate assertively, express thoughts, feelings, emotions, boundaries and ideas clearly and confidently with respect.
Understand the Assertive Approach: Grasp the nuances of assertiveness and differentiate it from passive or aggressive styles.
Advance Feedback Skills: Learn to offer feedback that empowers and accept feedback that supports growth.
Handle Conflict: Explore different ways people deal with conflict and practice the assertive approach.
To experience theoretical and practical tools to assert yourself constructively in your personal and professional life and to increase the quality of youth work.
Participants’ profile
- Youth workers, trainers, facilitators of non-formal learning or youth leaders who are directly working with young people and teams of youth workers,
- Active in the youth work field and willing to use what is learnt in the training in everyday work,
- Comfortable with English as a working language,
Able to take part in the full duration of the programme (including the online kick-off meeting),
- From countries EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme as well as countries not associated to the programme from the Western Balkans (Region 1) and Neighbourhood East (Region 2).
The Training Course is built on the foundation of non-formal educational principles, engaging you through a variety of dynamic methods. The program is experiential and based on a holistic approach.
- Enhanced assertive communication skills – Youth workers improved their ability to express thoughts, emotions, boundaries, and ideas clearly and confidently while maintaining respect for others.
- Deeper understanding of the Assertive Approach – Participants gained insight into the nuances of assertiveness and learned to distinguish it from passive or aggressive communication styles.
- Strengthened feedback competencies – Youth workers developed the ability to provide empowering feedback and accept constructive feedback that supports growth.
- Improved conflict management skills – Participants explored various conflict resolution strategies and practiced applying the assertive approach in challenging situations.
- Application of theoretical and practical tools – Youth workers experienced and integrated practical tools to assert themselves constructively in both personal and professional contexts, leading to an overall increase in the quality of youth work.
As part of a four-trainer team within a year-long SALTO Training of Trainers (ToT) program, I co-created and delivered an immersive experiential training from scratch. Our team responsibilities spanned the entire project lifecycle, from initial conceptualization and program design to collaborative on-site execution. Within this framework, my thematic focus was on designing and facilitating sessions centered on assertive communication, conflict styles, constructive feedback, and deep self-reflection regarding personal and professional standing.
Beyond delivering content, I played an active role in shaping the daily learning structure by co-creating the group's routine, which included morning check-ins and evening closing reflection sessions. I was also a host pf a community-building "Guess My Passion" night, which served as a key bonding activity for the group.
That was the first time we worked together with Misha. Great professional, fun to be around, happy to work together again!