TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Maria Larisa Giangkambozidou
Through this project we aimed at:
Raising awareness about environmental issues even to the people who were not interested in nature in the first place
Living more mindfully
Exchanging ideas and knowledge on the topic from people all over Europe
Bringing to the surface the concerns of young people about the environment
Create connections between people and the environment
Boosting young people’s physical, mental and social life
Bringing young people in touch with their close environment
Enhancing their feeling of ecophilia (love for animate and inanimate life)
Pinpointing the environmental problems (local and broader)
Brainstorming solutions about these issues (personal and broader level)
Bringing young people together to learn about and provide ideas for the problems that every country faces
Giving young people the chance to change their behavior toward the environment, learn and practice active citizenship, disseminate their knowledge to their familial and local environment and put pressure on future policymaking
OBJECTIVES:
Knowledge
• Information about environment and its relation with human development and health
• Data for exposure to environment for overcoming the fear of environment
• Solution focused techniques as a sign of respect to the person’s needs
• Experiential techniques/ tasks that bring one closer to nature
• Information on how to achieve well-being through a holistic approach
• By cross-cultural interaction, more knowledge about other cultures and countries
• Learn about the way they learn
• Erasmus + Programme and Youthpass Certificate
Skills
• Choose and adapt methods to different learning styles in order to come closer to the environment
• Be able to live mindfully, have more conscious moments and take more thoughtful actions
• Learn how to use a positive way of thinking for planning
• Ability to use experiential, solution focused and exposure techniques
• Practice different ways to come closer to nature
• Create local and international networking for support
• Practice on how to plan activities
• Capacity to use the available natural resources as a means of in vivo exposure to nature
• Practice on reflecting and planning in a solution-focused way
• Expression in foreign language and enhancement of communication with people from different cultures
Attitudes
Show understanding and empathy to people who wish to avoid natural environment and to people who wish to come closer to it but don’t know yet how to
Acknowledge the impact of nature on human development and emotional balance
Prioritize needs and goals and set small but feasible targets
Self-assessment of improvement using solution focused assessment
Express the understanding of self-commitment in planning and implementing a personal plan
Focus on the resources and positive habits that someone has or can grow that will allow him/her to get closer to nature
Empathize with Network members, participants and broader network
Adoption of solution focused behavior for coming closer to nature
Respect diversity in general and the diversity of needs and personalities
Critical thinking towards personal work and planning
Quality oriented behavior during the whole programme
Make individual and group decisions according to the aims and context
Development of opinions, judgments or decisions in a logical way – do what you say, say what you think.
Respect the timelines of the project
The participants, 6 per country, were:
between 18-25 years old (the group leader should be between 18-35 years old)
interested in human connection with nature
motivated to work in this field
willing to act as European Citizen for environmental issues
young people without exposure to nature, leaving in an urban setting and without specific interest and knowledge about nature
able to communicate in English at a moderate level (Participants with limited knowledge are also welcome if they are willing to try to improve themselves before and during the activity dates).
Participating organisations were: Greece, Croatia, Estonia, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. The project was a Youth Exchange under the KA1 of Erasmus+.
KA105-BB15CD89
The methods used in this project were based on non formal learning and approaches. We started by forming the group and creating the environment for their team building and bonding. Many sessions were implemented in the nature close to the sea or the green area in the surroundings of the venue so participants can actively be part of nature and connect with it. Activities like treasure hunt in the nature, meditation near the sea and stargazing were aiming at giving the chance to participants to learn through nature and inside the environment of nature. Also, we had many elements of psychology in our activities design and we used mediation and therapeutics use of mandala. Lastly, we integrated in our schedule the method of Open Space Technology, where participants had the chance to introduce their skills and knowledge and exchange their ideas and thoughts through this format. https://openspaceworld.org/wp2/what-is/
Participants;
- Got the knowledge about Ecophobia and develop positive and different perspectives about the
nature and the effects of the components of the nature on their life.
- Improved themselves for a life compatible with nature and have the opportunity to explore and
develop their nature-related skills
- Learned about Solution-Focused Approach and develop solution-focused thinking competence
- Developed a thinking approach and solving skills over the macro problems, also integrated the nature
into their life by developing a solution-focused thinking towards micro problems they have in their
daily life,
- Improved the ability to express self in foreign language and the skill to contact the nature
- Increased the level of knowledge about the environmental issues and policies in different countries in Europe and develop awareness about the environment,
- Developed self-confidence, improve behavioral, cultural, technical, contextual skills through the
activities,
- Explored the importance and effectiveness of nature on personal development and one’s own approach towards the difficulties faced in daily life,
- Expanded their consciousness, mindfulness, become more active citizens getting happiness from being in peace with nature and self,
- Got to know more about the other cultures and expand their vision about European citizenship.
- Were able to present argument on environmental topics
- Were able to disagree and debate in an non- violent way
Description of he project:
https://www.facebook.com/161766047223888/photos/a.173653409368485/2310041502396321/
Testimonials from participants: https://www.facebook.com/161766047223888/photos/a.173653409368485/2325230844210720/
Posts from the days of the youth exchange: https://www.facebook.com/161766047223888/photos/a.173653409368485/2322308564502948/
https://www.facebook.com/161766047223888/photos/a.173653409368485/2312117862188685/
To co-write the project proposal
To co-design the learning path and reflection process of the team
Be responsible for the learning outcomes of the training course
Facilitate constructive dialogues and session in the framework of non formal education
To lead some sessions and activities
To write the report of the project
As described above, we collaborated on a project and I can speak highly of Maria. She is a well-organized trainer, really engaged in her work before, during and after the training days and has good communication skills. She established a good rapport with the organizers, the co-trainers and the participants and had a kind attitude. it was a pleasure working with her!