Find Yourself 2

Aims & objectives

This project aimed to respond to a lack of leadership and active participation of young people within the FCSF, but also within the IFS network at the European level. In the face of problems of social exclusion, discrimination, and youth unemployment in France and in Europe, the project aimed at strengthening the capacity of involved organizations in enhancing youth active participation, engagement, European citizenship and reinforcing their capacity to take action.
Specific objectives were as follows:
- to enhance youth engagement, active participation and citizenship of young leaders
- to reinforce young leaders’ capacity to take action and act as a multiplier in their local communities
- to create a « training resource space » among members of IFS
The project was the continuation of the previous project Find Yourself and it was structured in two steps: the first training took place in France and focused on youth active participation, leadership and community engagement; the second took place in Italy and proposed a Training of Trainers to equip participants with methods and tools to lead training sessions on community development.

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

The main target group accounted for trainers, active volunteers and young leaders of the 3 involved organizations, all members of IFS (France, Italy and Germany).

Training methods used & main activities

Based on experiential learning and learning-by-doing, all theoretical inputs were discussed and conclusions were made jointly in order to achieve participants’ full understanding of the contents. All sessions were interactive, demand participants’ active involvement and consist of group work activities as well as individual and/or group reflections.
Examples of educational modules and methods:
- Definition of leadership and leadership styles (Photolangage)
- Sharing good practices of youth engagement (Open Space)
- Sharing experiences of youth-led projects (Living Library)
- European citizenship (Role model - simulation of European Parliament)
More specifically, the TOT-course was organized with a simulation of educational modules run by participants themselves supported by sessions of mutual feedbacks. The educational approach implemented in the ToT-course intended to allow for
participants' different learning needs to be identified and pursued. At the core of this process was the competence of the participant to direct his/her own learning. The group as a source for peer learning and the trainers as facilitators of these learning processes were essential pillars of this approach.

Outcomes of the activity

The main outcome of the activity was going on with the virtuous process of reinforcing the capacity of the 3 members of IFS network to train young people and to lead youth-led initiatives for community development.
As a multiplier effect, participants were also able to define educational modules in their local organizations to enhance youth active participation in democratic life at local, national and European levels.

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

I coordinated the pool of trainers, composed of a representative of each involved organization. I have also been in charge of developing the pedagogical contents of the educational modules.

I worked on this training for 12 days as a full time trainer.

Testimonial of the reference person

I agree with the all reference and recommand to work with Nunzio
Patricia Brenner