TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for María Arroyo
The “Debate it!” project was designed as a social response to the rise of hate speech that society is facing during these last years at a worldwide scale and the need of facing it through dialogue and structured responses.
The needs of the participants were:
- to understand how to recognise HS in their communities
- to learn new methods of cooperation instead of competition through the debating
- to train themselves in debating, which will
be used as an instrument for better professional development and personal identity in the communities
- to obtain new knowledge in the peacebuilding
- to train their abilities to work with different social groups
- to exchange the knowledge between the participating countries and breaking stereotypes
- to gain new knowledge in the video making (as the
instrument of raising awareness)
Young people between 18-30 years old from different countries: Ukraine, Spain, Turkey, Hungary, Portugal, and Germany.
Profiles were completely different including people at social risk inclusion and displaced people due to the conflict in Ukraine.
The methods of the activity were split into two logical stages of receiving the knowledge:
- Theory and workshop sessions (debating, dialogue and conversation building, defying and proving facts and arguments, forum theatres, and opinion-making activities)
- On-the-job training on the video making, creation of an online output, and dissemination session.
The following activities and methods were used during the YE:
- Dialogue circle: to break the borders between the participants and create an atmosphere of trust.
- Ice-breakers/energizing/language animations:
interactive, often physical exercises in order to foster group cohesion & team spirit and to build confidence among participants.
- Team-building games: a further step to get closer to each other, discover the different potentials in a group
and establish working rules.
- Small & full group discussions: most often it is employed to foster a deep, meaningful discussion on a certain topic and producing a tangible result.
- Simulation/role play: used to build empathy among
participants and encourage them to think from another perspective than that of their own; also encouraging more open discussion by separating private opinion from the assigned task; performance to adopt new techniques.
- Debating: a key pillar in the YE.
During the YE implementation, participants obtained not only knowledge but also skills and attitudes based on diverse areas. The participants were able to develop their knowledge about hate speech and
freedom of expression, as well as the discussions that exist around it, in order to know how to contribute to its resolution.
Through experiential and intercultural learning, they were able to see various ways of dealing with similar issues, as well as good practices in other countries, which may be useful to be applied on their own. Their knowledge regarding debate, argumentation, or fallacies was developed on a specific subject. Through the seminar with Amnesty International, participants saw how these issues were implemented in the field and the current situation. Finally, they also improved
their knowledge of video editing and making through different programs, apps, and platforms.
Regarding the skills, our participants gained new items according to teamwork, group dynamics, leadership skills, new methods of understanding, and experiential learning exercises.
Creativity, openness, self-reflection, curiosity, and the ability to dare to change are skills that will be tackled and encouraged during the YE. Participants will be challenged by experiencing an outdoor experience and experiential learning cycle themselves.
Coordination of the project:
Logistical tasks management (book the venue, arrange the accommodation and the maintenance, book the buses)
Finantial management (payments, reimbursement to participants)
Final Report (creation of the final report)
Thank you!
It was amazing you participated in the project as coordinator