TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Jesus Fernandez
The main aim of "Hack U Potential" was to empower youth workers to support young people in processes of self-awareness, goal-setting, and active community participation. By strengthening the competences of youth workers, the project intended to create a multiplying effect at local level.
Specific objectives:
Develop self-awareness among youth workers, using practical tools like the Iceberg Model and the Wheel of Life.
Train participants in coaching techniques and behaviour change models, such as the Transtheoretical Model, adapted to youth work.
Provide tools for personal and social goal-setting through the SMART model.
Improve social, communication, and intercultural skills to create safe learning spaces for youth.
Promote the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities, ensuring equal participation in non-formal education activities.
Strengthen cooperation among organisations across Europe and the Mediterranean, building sustainable partnerships.
All activities were based on non-formal education methods, encouraging experiential learning, personal reflection, and intercultural dialogue.
In conclusion, "Hack U Potential" aimed to train youth workers to spark change, enabling them to apply new tools and approaches in their work with young people, ensuring a lasting local impact.
The project "Hack U Potential" brought together an international group of 25 participants from six different countries: Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Estonia, and Morocco. Each country was represented by four participants, except for Spain, which also provided members of the facilitation and logistics team.
The participant group was composed of youth workers, facilitators, educators, social workers, and community leaders, all actively involved in supporting young people through non-formal education activities in their local areas. Among the 25 participants, 5 were young people facing fewer opportunities, selected based on economic, geographical, cultural, or social obstacles. The diversity of the group ensured a rich exchange of experiences, approaches, and perspectives, reinforcing the intercultural dimension of the learning process.
The hosting and facilitation team was composed mainly by experienced trainers and project coordinators from UPlanet (Spain), who were responsible for the educational flow, group dynamics, and overall project management. The team ensured a safe, inclusive, and empowering environment, encouraging participants to fully engage and reflect deeply on their learning journey.
Thanks to the strong international composition, participants had the opportunity to build long-term connections, increase their intercultural awareness, and develop a broader understanding of youth work practices across different social and cultural realities.
In "Hack U Potential," all activities were based on non-formal education methods, ensuring a participatory, experiential, and learner-centred approach. The methodology focused on empowering participants through personal reflection, group work, and active involvement.
The main training methods included:
Experiential learning: Participants learned by doing, reflecting on their experiences during workshops, outdoor activities, and personal exercises.
Coaching techniques: Tools like the Iceberg of Personality, Wheel of Life, and the Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change were introduced through practical exercises that could later be applied with young people.
Group discussions and debates: Participants engaged in open conversations to share experiences, reflect on values, and explore social issues, promoting critical thinking and empathy.
Interactive workshops: Sessions were designed to be dynamic and creative, using energizers, teamwork exercises, role-plays, and simulations to enhance learning outcomes.
Reflection circles: Daily reflection moments allowed participants to process what they learned, understand their emotions, and connect the activities to their personal and professional growth.
Peer-to-peer learning: Participants were encouraged to share good practices and personal insights, creating a horizontal learning environment.
Outdoor learning: Some sessions were conducted in natural spaces to foster mindfulness, reduce stress, and stimulate deeper personal reflection.
Intercultural activities: Cultural evenings and team-building tasks helped participants appreciate diversity and develop intercultural competences.
The learning environment promoted inclusion, respect, and collaboration, making sure that each participant felt safe to express themselves, try new methods, and experiment without fear of judgement.
By using a wide range of non-formal education techniques, the project ensured that participants not only gained knowledge but also developed practical tools that they could immediately transfer to their daily work with young people.
The "Hack U Potential" training course generated a wide range of positive outcomes, both at the individual level of participants and within the organisations involved.
Personal outcomes for participants:
Enhanced self-awareness: Participants developed a deeper understanding of their personal values, motivations, and potential, using tools like the Iceberg Model and Wheel of Life.
New skills and competences: Participants improved their coaching techniques, goal-setting strategies (through SMART objectives), communication skills, and group facilitation abilities, which they are now applying in their youth work activities.
Increased confidence: Many participants reported feeling more confident in leading groups, facilitating self-reflection among young people, and managing multicultural teams.
Boosted emotional resilience: Through confronting their own limits and comfort zones during the activities, participants became more adaptable and emotionally mature.
Greater intercultural sensitivity: Living and working in an international group fostered tolerance, empathy, and the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.
Organisational outcomes:
Transfer of new methods: Participants started sharing the coaching tools and non-formal methods learned in the project within their home organisations and local communities.
New project ideas: Several organisations began to design new Erasmus+ initiatives inspired by the content and methods experienced during Hack U Potential.
Stronger partnerships: The collaboration among the partner organisations was reinforced, leading to a higher level of trust and a desire to cooperate again in future projects.
Community outcomes:
Application of knowledge with young people: After the project, participants organised local workshops and reflection sessions with young people, replicating the activities and coaching tools to foster self-awareness and empowerment among their target groups.
Increased interest in mobility projects: Young people in the participants' communities showed greater curiosity and motivation to engage in Erasmus+ activities, thanks to the sharing of experiences from Hack U Potential.
Overall, the outcomes of the activity went beyond the original objectives. Not only were participants equipped with new tools and approaches, but they also became active agents of change, applying their learning to empower young people in their local realities.
In the "Hack U Potential" training course, Jesús took the main role as Lead Trainer and was responsible for designing, facilitating, and coordinating the educational flow of the project.
His main tasks and responsibilities included:
Educational design: Jesús created the overall learning structure of the course, integrating non-formal education methodologies with coaching techniques and personal development tools suited to the objectives of the project.
Facilitation of workshops: He directly led the main sessions, introducing key concepts such as the Iceberg Model, the Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change, SMART goals, and the Comfort Zone theory. Through interactive and experiential methods, he guided participants in their learning journey.
Group dynamics management: Jesús was responsible for monitoring the group energy, ensuring that participants stayed engaged, motivated, and connected. He adjusted the flow of activities when necessary to match the needs and pace of the group.
Support and mentoring: He offered personal support to participants during and outside the sessions, providing advice, encouragement, and active listening when participants needed help with personal or learning challenges.
Coordination with the hosting team: Jesús worked closely with UPlanet’s organisational team to ensure that logistics, accommodation, and daily schedules were aligned with the educational needs of the participants.
Evaluation and adaptation: Throughout the activity, he collected feedback from participants through daily reflection groups and informal conversations. He used this input to adapt the sessions in real-time, ensuring that the learning process remained participant-centred.
Team leadership: Jesús coordinated the supporting team members, facilitating communication among organisers, volunteers, and participants, and ensuring that the roles within the project team were clear and efficient.
His leadership style combined professionalism, empathy, flexibility, and a strong commitment to creating a safe learning environment where participants could explore, make mistakes, and grow without fear.
Thanks to Jesús’ dedication as main trainer, the educational objectives of "Hack U Potential" were successfully achieved, and participants reported very high satisfaction rates regarding the quality of the workshops and the learning atmosphere.