TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Carolina Caspa
The training seminar aimed to strengthen the capacities of youth workers and partner organisations through the exchange of good practices, collaborative learning, and hands-on experimentation.
The main objectives were to:
- Explore and exchange best practices in youth work developed by the host organisation and project partners.
- Create spaces for sharing and testing good practices through practical, participatory activities open to all participants.
- Improve and refine existing methodologies and approaches through group work, peer feedback, and reflection.
- Increase the visibility of the project by documenting and sharing concrete outcomes of small-scale activities via social media and dissemination channels.
- Contribute to the development and finalisation of shared project resources, including toolboxes and learning materials.
- Initiate joint planning for future awareness-raising actions and campaigns connected to the project’s thematic focus.
The training seminar was designed for:
- Youth workers involved in community-building and participatory activities at local level.
- Youth workers engaged in international mobility and cooperation projects under Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps.
- Trainers, youth leaders, project managers, volunteering mentors, and other stakeholders active in youth work and non-formal education.
The facilitation team consisted of two experienced facilitators from the host country, bringing both local expertise and international experience.
The participant group included 20 youth workers and practitioners from Greece, Iceland, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain, ensuring cultural diversity and a strong basis for intercultural learning and exchange.
The training adopted a learner-centred and competence-based approach, placing participants’ experiences, needs, and professional contexts at the core of the learning process.
An interactive and participatory learning environment was created to encourage active engagement, peer learning, and critical reflection. The methods used included:
- Experiential learning methods, such as storytelling, journaling, visualisation, artistic expression, and creative media tools.
- Workshops and capacity-building sessions focused on practical application.
- Co-creation and participatory planning, allowing participants to shape content and outcomes.
- Self-directed and reflective learning, supported by frameworks such as Youthpass.
In response to identified needs, partner organisations developed accessible non-formal learning resources, strengthened safe spaces for dialogue, and enhanced the competences of youth workers, educators, and volunteer coordinators.
The training supported the creation of local initiatives, awareness-raising actions, and community-based activities, reinforced through online dissemination and local events that engaged young people, stakeholders, and the wider public.
Long-term cooperation among partners contributed to the development of a sustainable transnational network, enabling continued knowledge exchange and the joint development of innovative practices. By linking policy frameworks with concrete grassroots activities, partners ensured meaningful and practical impact for their target groups.
Key outcomes included:
- Development of a Good Practices Toolbox containing non-formal learning methods and supporting resources.
- Active participation of over 20 youth workers and young people in international and local activities.
- Implementation of multiple small-scale local initiatives aligned with the project’s thematic focus.
- Wide dissemination of project results through online and in-person channels, reaching several thousand individuals.
- Coordinated awareness-raising actions and campaigns implemented across partner countries using shared methodologies.
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As a co-developer and facilitator, I was involved throughout the entire project cycle. My responsibilities included contributing to topic selection, programme design, and methodological development, as well as supporting logistical planning and preparation. During the implementation phase, I facilitated training sessions and guided group processes, promoting active participation while ensuring a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment. I also contributed to evaluation, reporting, and dissemination, documenting learning outcomes and supporting follow-up actions to ensure sustainability and impact.