TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Elena Tasheva Trpenovski
36 youth workers, educators, young people from 9 organizations will gather in a PDA activity in Cyprus to explore the topic of body positivity, to learn different tools and methods on the topic while learning from experienced trainers, learning from each other, testing different methods and gong through specific topics, sharing experiences as well as creating digital content to be promoted online and to reach young people in our local communities to spread the awareness. It is important to raise awareness on body acceptance among young people because negative body image can have serious consequences on an individual's physical and mental health and grow, and this training course will allow youth workers, educators, facilitators to get familiar with different tools and methods to work on the topic and bring closer this project to the target group of adolescents and young people. Having a negative body image can lead to low self-esteem, which can in turn lead to poor mental health and even depression. It can also lead to unhealthy behaviors such as restrictive eating, over-exercising, or the use of unhealthy weight loss methods. Raising awareness on body acceptance can help young people develop a more positive and healthy relationship with their bodies, which can lead to improved mental health and overall well-being. It can also help to reduce the risk of developing eating disorders and other negative health outcomes. By promoting body acceptance and diversity, we can create a more inclusive and accepting society where all bodies are valued and respected.
The Project specific objectives are: • Improving the key competencies and skills of 36 young people/leaders on the topic of body acceptance and body positivity • European cooperation between NGOs that are working with target group of young people and in the fields of well-being, self-improvement, skills development. • Involve 18 participants/youth workers facing fewer opportunities or coming from rural areas1 • To increase participants' knowledge about the negative impacts of body shaming and the importance of body acceptance. • Raise awareness about self-love and importance of accepting ourselfs • To provide participants with tools and strategies to manage negative body thoughts and emotions, including techniques for self-compassion and self-care. • To empower participants to advocate for body positivity and to challenge harmful societal norms related to body image among young people through local activities and follow up activities • To create a safe and supportive environment for participants to share their experiences and learn from one another. • To test minimum 5 specific methods on the topic of body positivity • To develop Spotify podcast with 3 episodes on the main topics of body acceptance • To involve local community in the local event organized as a follow up activity, with minimum 10 participants.
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Methods used: based on experimental learning, in combination with practical theory and information. Learning by doing method
All results can be found here: https://body-accept.webnode.page/
Main trainer of the project, together with colleague Erma Georgiou from Cyprus
I can fully confirm that all the information provided in this reference is accurate and reflects Elena's contribution to the project. Elena was an outstanding trainer throughout the entire training course. She was highly professional, well-prepared, and consistently delivered high-quality sessions that actively engaged the participants. She was always up to the point with all of her responsibilities, met every commitment with dedication and reliability, and contributed significantly to the success of the project. Her expertise, positive attitude, teamwork, and commitment to the objectives of the training were greatly appreciated by both the organising team and the participants. I highly recommend Elena as a trainer for future international projects and Erasmus+ activities.