TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Matteo Lombardi
The main theme of the course was a Creative participation in public life without drug addiction. It has has the basis of finding personal orientation and self value within oneself and not in others - and in no way by being supposedly superior to others. Helping to achieve this is a voyage of discovery into adulthood, comparable to the rites of transition in the old tribal cultures. Discoveries thus found need reinforcement and support by peers and by adults (youth mentors).
This training was focused on the personal gifts and the personal life vision of people engaged in youth work. Only people knowing about their gifts and their vision are able to see and to promote gifts and visions in others, especially in youths. This is one of two essential prerequisites for youth mentors. The other one is the experience of crisis. Going through a crisis oneself and accompanying others in a crisis is a key feature of Paul Rebillot’s powerful choreography of hero’s journey which is one essential process in the training.
After passing this deep process of experience participants received a certificate of ‘youth mentor’.
Its overall target is to provide regional open spaces of self motivation for youths and to promote a European network of youth mentors of different generations.
The aim of the training was to focus on personal gifts and the personal life visions of people engaged in youth work. Only people aware of their gifts and their visions are able to see and to promote gifts and visions in others, especially in youths. This is one of two essential prerequisites for youth mentors. The other one is the experience of crisis. Going through a crisis oneself and accompanying others in a crisis is a key feature of Paul Rebillot’s powerful choreography of Hero’s journey which was the main process in the training.
Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team
• Target Group: Persons of both genders from 18 years of age upwards, engaged in professional or voluntary work with children and/or youths within social organisations or institutions.
The criterion of personal engagement in the home area is eagerness to be available for youths.
• Countries involved: Czech Republic; Slovenia; Austria; Poland; Italy
• Language of the training:
English
• The team of trainers:
Manfred and Helga Weule, Florian Tilzner, Zora, Lombardi Matteo
A wide mix of non-formal educational methods such as group work, workshops, simulations, brainstorming, reflections and excursions. Alongside the training sessions, nature-based experiential methods have been included which were based on techniques used by various ancient cultures and indigenous people.
Methods applied: Non-violent way of conflict resolution, sharing non-formal education, nature work, meditation, nonverbal media, inner journey, diary documentation, theatre work, body work, expressional work following Paul Rebillot , Gestalt and breathing work.
The overall target of regional mentors’ groups is to hold an open space of self motivation for youths.
Best practice out of this youth mentors’ training stands and falls with the readiness of a mentor to be experienced by youths in different situations covering the wide range from nature experience, playful creativity, sports, assistance in difficult situations and availability in crisis.
Finding support and supervision in a regional and interregional network of colleagues is essential. This network is not limited to discuss those experiences. Experience in the pilot region Inn quarter shows that mentors, who like to play, to show their experiences and gifts, e.g. to play theatre with each other, to experiment with new projects, to go into adventures and open situations themselves are inviting youths to come closer and to watch what they are doing. These activities form a testing ground allowing youths to find out “if these adults do themselves what they recommend us youths to do”. This is the main reason why we say that this project has the perspective of a medium and long term sustainability.
My role was to facilitate the course (in a team of five) and to coordinate all the activities which took parts in it. My area of expertise during the course was mainly learning and non-formal education, facilitate the process. I had an important role in the creating group process and mainly during the drama/theatre confrontation part.