TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Mahmoud ElSayed
The project aims to equip youth workers with the digital skills needed to make their daily work more innovative and effective. Our goal is to help them feel confident using digital tools, enabling them to better engage young people and modernize their programs. Many youth workers currently face challenges in applying digital methods, and we aim to change that by providing practical, hands-on training.
Target Group:
The activity was designed for youth workers. The report indicates that the participants came from diverse professional backgrounds and had a wide range of existing digital competencies, from beginners to more experienced individuals. A key focus was on supporting youth workers from newer and smaller non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to help strengthen their digital capacities.
Countries/Nationalities Involved:
The agenda for the training course specifies intercultural nights, which indicate the nationalities of the participants. The countries involved in the activity were:
Latvia
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Turkey
Here are the main types of methods used, with specific examples:
Interactive & Hands-on Workshops: These sessions focused on learning by doing. The goal was to move from theory to practical skills that participants could use immediately in their work.
Examples: The workshop on creating impactful digital content for social media, the practical session on AI prompting, and creating digital awareness posters about one's "Digital Footprint."
Collaborative & Peer-to-Peer Learning: These methods leveraged the diverse experiences of the participants, creating an environment where they could learn from one another.
Examples: The "Digital Platforms World Cafe" where participants discussed youth issues in small, rotating groups; the "Peer Coaching & Mentorship Lab" designed to facilitate knowledge sharing; and the collaborative creation of the open-source guide on the final day.
Project-Based & Challenge-Based Learning: This involved applying multiple skills to a complex, creative task, often in teams.
Example: The "Youth Work x AI Hackathon" was the key event for this method, where teams developed and presented innovative solutions to youth work challenges using AI.
Analytical & Reflective Methods: These activities encouraged critical thinking, planning, and evaluation of both the tools and the learning process itself.
Examples: The SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to evaluate digital tools in youth work, the "Critical Thinking Lab" on the ethics of AI, and the daily and final reflection sessions.
Group Dynamics & Team Building: These methods were used, especially at the beginning, to build trust and create a safe and effective learning environment.
Examples: Ice-breaking games, digital icebreakers, and specific trust-building exercises like the "Circle of Trust."
The training activity achieved a significant transformation in the participants' skills and mindset regarding technology in youth work. Key achievements include:
Increased Confidence and Competence: The most significant achievement was the tangible growth in participants' confidence. Many who were initially apprehensive about technology became leaders in digital tasks by the end of the course.
Practical Skill Development: The training successfully translated abstract concepts into practical, applicable skills. Participants learned concrete tasks like creating social media content and using AI tools effectively.
Demystification of Complex Topics: The course successfully demystified advanced topics like Artificial Intelligence, reframing it as a creative and essential tool for youth engagement rather than a barrier.
Creation of Tangible Resources: The participants collaboratively produced high-quality, innovative project ideas during the "Youth Work x AI Hackathon" and co-created a valuable open-source guide for digital youth work.
How to Tell the Training Was a Success
The success of the training can be measured by several key indicators mentioned in the report:
High Participant Engagement: Participants showed exceptional motivation and high energy from the very first day, which was sustained throughout the week.
Effective Collaborative Environment: The trainers successfully cultivated a safe, open, and collaborative atmosphere, which was essential for the peer-to-peer learning that occurred.
Exceeded Expectations: The creative and collaborative outcomes of the "Youth Work x AI Hackathon" exceeded the trainers' initial expectations, demonstrating the depth of learning.
Effective Methodology: The blend of interactive workshops, practical challenges, and reflective sessions proved highly effective, catering to different learning styles and making the content immediately relevant to the participants' work.
Successful Adaptation: The trainers effectively managed the challenge of varying digital skill levels by fostering a culture of peer support and providing flexible, individualized assistance.
Training the participants working on gamification youth workers, using ideas of games to develop content and make youth workers aware about new techniques of youth work and how to build capacity for themselves and their organisations.
This was our second time working together and probably not the last one. Job well done!