TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Irene Yerolemidou
Training course Disconnections - Take Your Power Back introduced the concept of well being into youth work. The main approach was based on the concept that human creative competences and capability to create and re-create inner and outer realities are the basis of our wellbeing. Wellbeing was approached from different perspectives in order to structure this huge area and help participants to find their own access to well-being. The group dealt with creativity in everyone, with their bodies, emotions, mind and the relation to reality. The main methodological principle was positive reinforcement and co-creation rather then critical approach and the trainers tried to show how we can learn, reflect and change things by actually trying to actively look into what works for us and asking for more of that, rather than discussing why something doesn’t work and how it should be changed in some general manner.
30 participants from 15 different countries
Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, Tunisia, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Cyprus, Belgium, Germany
4 trainers from 4 different countries
Cyprus, Serbia, North Macedonia, Germany
A lot of innovative methods were used - physical theater and body work, different creative tools, specific methods were designed for example for emotions, some creative methods in exploring our possible influence on reality etc. The trainers tried to raise awareness among participants that method, specifically in this area, is the PERSON, so it is not about just delivering steps, but actually being aware of energies you work with, since creativity and wellbeing are living in "mysterious, sensual, sensitive" area and they can not be trapped in a clear box - you actually need to learn to play the game in a different box (field) where you use a lot your own emotions, body, self-awareness.
Trainers encouraged individual approach to wellbeing for everyone and authenticity of participants. Participants expressed they were deeply touched on a different level by topics, as well as very thankful for learning different tools that can help them access and support their own wellbeing and that eventually they can transfer further to help other people, too. This course took an approach of broad scope rather than specific, trying to introduce the complexity of the wellbeing concept, thus some future trainings can be envisioned, choosing specific areas for deeper exploration and higher transfer possibilities.
https://yeu-international.org/39th-yeu-convention-disconnections-take-your-power-back/
I was in a team of 4 trainers from 4 different countries and backgrounds which gave us the opportunity to delegate all tasks within the team. My responsibilities included, session design, implementation and facilitation, evaluation, follow-up on activities, mentoring of a small working group of participants.