TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Georgia Sotiropoulou
What was used in the TC was a combination of non-formal education methods and artistic approaches derived from theater, clown and tango dance. The core of this combined approach was the experiential element of learning, learning by doing.
Trainers from Greece.
15 youth workers, trainers, facilitator and educators coming from Greece, Poland, The Netherlands, UK and Spain.
We started with meditations and mindfulness exercises to set an intention, then we continued with ‘Getting to know each other’ exercises, team building games, trust games, then we went deeper into the main topic and at the end we close with sharing a word, gesture or expression that described their feeling, and after some time when the experience was settled we did evaluation.
The main goal and results by using this combined approach was to boost creativity, be mindful (here and now), support self-expression, connect with the body, communicate with others through the body, be active listeners, be inclusive and tolerant, welcome the unknown, find the joy in vulnerability and release tension through laughter.
Before the implementation of the TC: Regular meetings with the trainers team; set objectives and share responsibilities; creation of the activity timetable; adjustment of the activity timetable given the participants profiles.
During the TC: sessions on of opening and closing; group dynamics; team building activities, expectations and fears; body and self awareness; inclusion through dance; facilitation of reflection groups; meetings with the team of trainers to see if any adjustments were needed.
After the TC: Meeting with the Trainers team to give and receive feedback and assess our cooperation.
Georgia is a great person, an active listener, an effective communicator and has a magical way to hold space for the group. It was a pleasure collaborating with her and designing this program from the beginning to the end.