TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Manina Ott
The aim of the training was to develop the competences of youth workers to help them to engage young people in meaningful, informed, and sensitive conversations about wars and armed conflicts. The training was not aimed to inform or discuss details of any specific war.
The training combined elements of:
- self-reflection (how do youth workers tackle the topic)
- building youth workers’ confidence in facilitating discussions about war and armed conflicts with young people
- exchanging experiences of dealing with difficult conversations with young people on war related topics
- equipping the youth workers with methods and practical tools to help discuss difficult topics with young people
- short overview of Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps possibilities for youth workers and young people in connection with the topic
The training brought together 28 participants from 19 countries, E+ program countries as well as partner regions (Eastern Europe and Caucasus and EuroMed region). A big number of the participants have experienced migration and forced displacement themselves. The group of participants brought a lot of experience to the training.
The prep team consisted of representatives of the Estonian, Lithuanian and German National Agencies and Salto Eastern Europe and Caucasus, the team of trainers were based in Ukraine and Germany.
The training course “How to talk about war” created a space for youth workers to reflect on how to talk with young people about war situations and provide tools for dealing with controversies related to the topic on the individual and group level in a nonviolent and constructive way. Within the training course the group tackled emotions and vulnerability, and learned how to create a safer space that encourages openness and sharing. They also focused on ways to facilitate difficult discussions where different opinions can be expressed without alienating one another.
The training used a non-formal learning approach and offered a wide mix of methods. The learning journey was designed as a holistic learning experience, including creative methods, embodiment, forum theater, movement, as well as group discussion, reflection, open space methodology and changing perspectives in different ways.
Overall, the evaluation of the training reflects a highly meaningful learning experience that fostered professional growth, critical reflection, and motivation to continue working on the topic.
The evaluation showed:
- High-quality facilitation aligned with non-formal education principles of Erasmus+
- Strong practical orientation, with tools and methods transferable to participants’ local and national contexts
- Safe and inclusive learning environment, enabling open dialogue and peer learning
- International group composition, fostering mutual understanding and European cooperation
- Effective balance between theory, reflection, and practice
- Participants frequently highlighted the learning atmosphere and peer exchange as particularly valuable outcomes of the mobility.
- Designing and facilitating the learning process and the training together in with the co-trainer
- reporting on the activity
- onboarding and check-in meeting
- being part of the international prep team