TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Maria Kousoula
Brief Description of the Training Course:
Everybody is gendered. Our gendered identities are not static, but change and shift according to our experiences, the context we live in, the power we have, and the desires we feel. The freedom we have to control and express this aspect of our identity depends very much on the absence or presence of different expectations, pressures, and prejudices existing in our communities and societies. Gender is also directly linked to power and considering gender means questioning forms of power and privilege that benefit many people, mainly men, in our societies. Gender inequalities may take different forms but gender power affects everyone on the planet, in both private and public lives. Gender-based violence is one of the most widespread forms of human rights abuse and a violation of human dignity anywhere. It often happens in private and no country is immune to it.
Youth workers and youth leaders have an important role to play in the promotion of gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence. The Training Course “Gender+ was a result of a collaboration of 32 youth workers from 13 EU and neighboring countries (Germany, the Russian Federation, Georgia, Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, Netherlands, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Albania, and Lebanon). We believe that working with gender is a competence area that can and should be developed. It begins with youth workers and youth activists working with themselves and requires reflecting on attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, and behavior that a person brings to youth work. The project aimed to empower youth workers to question their personal gender assumptions, to apply gender dimension to their youth work and youth activities, and to contribute to more inclusive and gender-just societies through non-formal education methods.
Particular objectives:
-To compare how gender norms may differ according to context;
-To encourage reflection on gender assumptions that we may be not aware of;
-To identify challenges young people face in relation to gender equality;
-To share specific tools and insights for a gender-sensitive approach to human rights education and youth work;
-To examine different expressions of gender-based violence in youth contexts;
-To train youth workers on raising awareness on the issue and, as a result, to mobilize and involve more young people in the prevention of gender-based violence.
The target group of this project consisted of 32 youth workers and active members of youth organizations coming from Germany, the Russian Federation, Georgia, Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, Netherlands, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Albania, and Lebanon.
The programme was based on non-formal education methodology, i.e. experiential learning, practical workshops, working in small groups and in plenary, open discussions, simulations, role plays, etc. It promoted the values of human rights, recognition, acceptance, active tolerance, respect for human dignity, peaceful resolution of conflicts, and solidarity. The proposed activities were tailored to meet the participants’ learning needs. They aimed to explore the key concepts related to gender, encourage knowledge development in the area of gender equality and gender-sensitive approaches in youth work, and consequently, support awareness-raising initiatives that can be implemented nationally and locally.
As a result of this Training Course, the participants developed their gender competence. They gained a deeper understanding of the problematic effects of rigidly defined gender roles and were able to apply the gender dimension to their youth work and youth activities back home. The project contributed to positive changes in participating countries by decreasing the level of gender discrimination and gender-based violence affecting young people.
Main trainer.