TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Mihaela Georgiana Adelina Dragomir
O1: raising competences among youth workers on how to plan, implement and assess the learning process for youth, using non-formal education methodology
O2: increasing the know-how of youth workers on online and offline tools of engaging youth in non-formal education programs
O3: sharing good practices at European and international level on training and facilitation, in order to increase the quality of their work
O4: fostering collaboration and partnerships at European and international level, between NGOs and youth workers, by building a pool of trainers
Romania
Spain
Greece
Bulgaria
Slovakia
Poland
Italy
Youth workers
The mobility used a participatory, experiential and non-formal learning approach, with a strong focus on developing participants as trainers and facilitators. The programme began with icebreakers, speed dating, collaborative drawing and an Actionbound-based treasure hunt, which combined team-building with reflection on expectations, fears, contributions and intercultural learning. Participants also co-created house rules and explored key concepts such as training, facilitation, coaching, mentoring, youth work and non-formal learning through group definitions, collages, games and facilitated discussions.
Self-awareness and competence development were central to the methodology. Participants explored their identity as trainers through personal and professional timelines, symbolic identity exercises and reflection on the experiences that shaped them. They compared their own competences with those of an ideal trainer or facilitator, worked with SMART learning objectives and explored knowledge, skills and attitudes connected to the role. Learning styles were addressed through practical experimentation, including an origami task delivered through different formats, while role-play and case studies helped participants practise responding to different participant behaviours and challenging group dynamics.
The programme relied heavily on learning by doing and peer-to-peer learning. Methods included games followed by structured debriefing, World Café, Fishbowl discussions, role-play, empathy mapping, public-speaking exercises, group-process analysis and collaborative planning of facilitated activities. Participants practised giving and receiving feedback through an experiential Lego exercise and explored feedback models through case studies. They also designed training agendas and dissemination activities, received feedback from peers and trainers, and participated in Open Space sessions where they could facilitate and share their own methods, digital tools and expertise.
Reflection and evaluation were embedded throughout the mobility. Methods included the Five Finger reflection, self-reflection in small intercultural groups, Blob Tree, “Put a Finger Down”, peer feedback and writing a letter to oneself. The final phase combined EuroCasino, reflection on the ETS competence model, Dixit cards and a Mentimeter survey to assess participants’ learning, experience, project content and logistics. Overall, the methodology combined experiential learning, self-awareness, facilitated dialogue, peer learning, practical training practice, creative expression and continuous reflection to strengthen participants’ competences as trainers and facilitators.
https://www.geyc.ro/2024/03/its-wrap-european-fellowship-on-youth.html
Full time trainer