Drop In

Aims & objectives

General aim:
Enhance the capacity of youth workers and teachers in their support of the learning process, social inclusion, empowerment and motivation of potential school drop-outs.

Specific objectives:
1. To gain new perspectives, understand and learn from the intercultural and European differences in relation to potential school drop-outs.
2. To ensure a better recognition of the role of the main actors involved in the youngsters’ learning process (e.g. teachers, youth worker, educators, family etc…)
3. To identify and share educational methods to prevent school drop-out and to raise young people’s motivation in education.

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

31 participants from: Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Irland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Bulgaria, Malta, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey. The majority (more than 50%) were teachers, others were educators, psychologist and youth workers.
Team of trainers:
Sara Paolazzo from Italy,
Floris Muller from the Netherlands,
Sandra Apostolova from Bulgary

Training methods used & main activities

TC was based on NFE methodology and included Ice-breaking and group building methods (Speed date interviews, Speedball), different interactive presentations and discussions (World Cafe, Market square) simulation (Lego serious play) and self-reflection activities.

Outcomes of the activity

It was very successful training course. Participants felt more engaged in addressing and preventing the phenomenon of Early School Leaving, the role the different stakeholders play and facilitating and improving the learning process of (potential) school drop-outs. Participants were asked upfront to prepare best practices. From our side we made time and space to address these best practices and learn from each other. By also providing concrete theory, and time and structure to make the translation to the daily practice, participants were equipped with concrete approaches for their daily working life with youngsters. All participants mentioned the training to be useful and inspiring.

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

I was co-creator of general concept of this training as well as trainer during implementation and evaluation phases.

I worked on this training for 6 days days as a full time trainer.