TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Aiste Slajute
The main aim of ‘Europe Daily’ was sharing the best practices examples of Erasmus+ projects with strong impact on local and European levels and to exploring different non-formal education methods while developing international partnerships and new project ideas.
Specific Objectives were:
• Getting familiar with youth ad community work realities in participating countries and their municipalities;
• Hearing about the collaboration actions between different stake holders and local initiatives project in different countries;
• Examining opportunities of Erasmus+ program (KA1 and KA2 in particular) and discussing how Erasmus+ can be used to make an impact on local, as well as international levels;
• Learning and trying out different non-formal education methods that could be used when working with young people and local communities (an Open MIC, Out-door Education, Story Telling and Human library in particular);
• Developing network between participating organizations for further European collaborations and planning first steps of future projects;
This training course hosted 35 youth/ community workers, volunteers, project managers, trainers and youth activists that are actively involved in the activities of partner organisations. Participating countries: Ireland, UK, Lithuania, Latvia, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Romanian and Poland.
The program of ‘Europe Daily’ was designed to stimulate creative, innovative and critical thinking; youth and community work methodologies shares and development of new international collaborations. During this training course group worked on linking local initiatives/ projects with European realities and visa versus- examined international projects, such as youth exchanges, EVS and training courses impacts on the local communities and young people in particular. Reflective practice and person-centred approach was used by trainers’ team to encourage personal and professional development of participants. We believe this training course addressed the needs and interested of youth and community organizations in Europe and contributes to expending numbers of quality projects under Erasmus+ program in Europe, benefiting local youth and communities greatly.
We came to conclusions that the problems that we experiencing in youth and community sector in Europe are quite common, whoever each country has it is own, unique approach in finding solutions and sharing knowledge and experiences on European level is the most valuable resource there is. Networking, collaboration and bringing local initiatives to international level has amazing impact on participants, organizations and local communities involved. Europe’s future is build on unity and solidarity between Europeans that we all are.
I was preparing, running and evaluating the training, as well as coordinating the project A to Z.