TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Inese Minsi
Training course "Creative Bodies" was designed for youth workers and educators to learn to foster creativity of groups, teams and individual learners. Learning objectives:
- To equip participants with theoretical and methodological knowledge and practical skills to use different creative thinking strategies and techniques in work with groups;
-To support participants initiative and entrepreneurship and abilities to create and implement innovative solutions of social and environmental challenges in their communities;
- To learn to use social media tools and new technologies for improving living conditions and opportunities in participants communities;
- To develop understanding about importance of the body and movement in the learning process and application of embodied learning principles to foster creativity of groups and individuals.
The training course gathered 28 participants and experts from Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Innovative methodological approach was used that combined embodied learning elements with brainstorming and creative problem solving techniques.
Most education of all kinds takes as a starting point the conveyance of new information, based on the premise that knowledge is power. Books, teachers, models and new ideas are all great places to start when learning something new. The problem is that most learning stops there. Once the book is shut and the teacher is gone, we head back to our lives, where we proceed to do things very much the same way that we did them yesterday. That is because exposure to new ideas is necessary but insufficient to
enable us to take new action.
Training course "Creative Bodies" was based on non-formal education and embodied learning principles. Embodied learning is educational approach that states that learning is the result of new practices that we commit our body to, not of the gathering and understanding information. Practicioners of different embodied learning methods build on connections between mind and body and use body-based learning as tool to empower people to be the agents of change in their lives. Methodology that we used included elements of acrobatics, meditation, bodywork, partneryoga, dance and improvisation theatre to support a process for reshaping assumptions, beliefs, mindsets and perspectives.
During the course participants gained knowledge and skills needed to implement in their work eight different creative thinking strategies, as well as generated and tested ideas aimed at improving environment and wellbeing in their communities with help of the new technologies:
"For me yoga and meditation exercises were very important because it helped me to meet myself, what haven't happened for very long time. Acrobatic yoga helped to establish better contact with other people and promoted trust in the group. After this course I will pay more attention to what I want and what I need, will try to be more myself and more share love and care with other people, also by engaging in solving different social problems that we have in Moldova." - Cristina, Moldova.
"Session about daring to take risks and opportunity to do different crazy things together with people I almost don't know was especially important for me, because usually I'm afraid of challenges and risks. Thanks to this session and overall training course I feel that I can do much more, I believe myself more and I'm more open towards people around me. Sharing our emotions after each exercises helped to learn more about myself and become closer with other participants. This project inspired me to act in my daily life and also in social sphere.'' - Nastya, Belarus.
"This training course helped me to collect and structure thoughts about how to make my life better, how to find inspiration for new begining and which way to choose for my personal development. I've become more active, open and confident about my abilities to implement my ideas. Never in my life before I have experienced so big change in so short period of time.'' - Daria, Ukraine.
Needs assessment of partners and participants, designing learning program, preparing grant application, facilitating learning activities in collaboration with one other trainer and several guest experts, evaluation of the project and overall project management.