TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Panayiotis Theodorou
What is DAYCUL?
The specific training was supported by the Cyprus and Greek National Agency as a TCP, after its selection to deal with the theme and priority of Intercultural learning.
This training project was born from a need to offer participants a chance to discover phenomena of culture and cultural diversity from the “real life oriented” perspective of differences in everyday life.
The training course aims at developing the intercultural competencies of youth workers and leaders in organizing international youth projects through exploration of cultural diversity beyond simulations, from a perspective of real everyday life and use of it as a tool to discover identity (become aware of your own culture so that you can open to others who are different).
The organization deals with cultural issues on its daily practice linked with youths, adults, volunteers members. The perspective the training will give to its participants but also the local interaction is a very important element that was dealt within the process, during and after the training.
This Training course was for 26 participants from Cyprus, France, Bulgaria, Romania, Denmark, Austria, United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, Greece.
The participants were mostly youthworkers and representatives of youth organizations working directly with youths.
Methodology
The methodology that was used is specific to non‐formal education and learning, both individual and group methods, taking into consideration participants’ learning needs with a creative approach (cooking, dancing etc.) to phenomena of culture and cultural diversity from the perspective of everyday life.
The methodology of Photovoice was used as a basic tool troughout the training offering both local city experiences but also rural experiences to participants. Open space technology, reflection groups, individual learning and personal development were also part of our agenda. Youthpass was also introduced and used as an evaluation tool.
6 training days we achieved to:
• understand the multiple forms of culture and intercultural dialogue through exploration of cultural diversity from a perspective of everyday life;
• stimulate and challenge youth workers to use very different cultural environment as a tool to discover identity;
• discover and acknowledge the importance that influence of culture has on person’s perception of reality, everyday behavior and identity;
• discuss common European values;
• take initiative to create activities and projects on intercultural learning for the local contexts and realities;
• create an interactive learning and reflection group of youth workers that will afterwards lay the foundations for future international cooperation in Youth in Action projects.
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As a trainer and part of a team i had a full time responsibility of the flow of the training. Sessions were equally divided and shared amongst the three trainers. The planning was reviewed every day and adjusted according to the needs of participants. Implementation and evaluation of the activities were in the everyday agenda.