TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Maher Draidi
The training activity - project aimed to empower young people from diverse cultural backgrounds through creative theatre methods and non-formal education. The project focused on themes of integration and participation, encouraging participants to explore their personal stories, identities, and experiences through artistic expression. Participants learned different theatre techniques and engaged in a process of experimentation, improvisation, and collective creation, which eventually led to a public performance.
The training addressed several needs of the participants, many of whom were young migrants or refugees facing challenges such as social integration, cultural adaptation, loss of confidence, and limited opportunities for self-expression. Through theatre workshops and an open theatre laboratory, the project provided a safe and supportive environment where participants could share experiences, build confidence, and develop communication and teamwork skills.
The training activity strongly aligned with the goals of the Interkulturelles Theaterzentrum Berlin, which promotes artistic and educational projects that foster intercultural dialogue, community participation, and social inclusion through theatre. By engaging young people from different cultural backgrounds and encouraging collaborative creative work, the project supported the organisation’s mission to use theatre as a tool for community building, empowerment, and intercultural understanding.
The training activity involved a diverse group of young adults and emerging artists living in Berlin, many of whom had migration or refugee backgrounds. Participants came from different cultural and national contexts, including Germany, Syria, Palestine, Italy, and other international backgrounds, reflecting the multicultural reality of the city
The training activity used non-formal and participatory learning methods, mainly based on theatre pedagogy and experiential learning. The workshops included theatre exercises, improvisation, role-play, and body expression techniques to help participants explore communication, identity, and personal experiences in a creative way.
Additional methods included group reflection, storytelling, collaborative creation, and forum discussions, allowing participants to share perspectives and learn from each other. The training also involved collective theatre creation, where participants worked together to develop scenes and performances based on their own stories and social themes.
These methods supported active participation, trust-building, and intercultural dialogue, while encouraging participants to develop confidence, teamwork skills, and self-expression.
The training activity led to several important outcomes for the participants and the organisations involved. Participants developed greater self-confidence, communication skills, and the ability to express their ideas and personal stories through creative methods. Through the theatre process, they also strengthened their teamwork, intercultural understanding, and empathy, while learning to collaborate with people from different cultural backgrounds.
Another key outcome was the collective creation of a theatre performance, which allowed participants to present their experiences and reflections to a wider audience. This helped promote dialogue about themes such as identity, migration, and social inclusion.
For the organisations involved, the activity strengthened intercultural cooperation and the use of theatre as a tool for non-formal education and community engagement, while creating new opportunities for future collaborative projects and training activities.
Within the training team, my role was to act as a trainer and theatre pedagogue, facilitating workshops and guiding participants through the creative learning process. I was responsible for designing and delivering theatre-based exercises and non-formal learning activities, including improvisation, body expression, and role-play methods that encouraged participants to explore communication, identity, and personal experiences.
I also supported the group in building trust, encouraging participation, and creating a safe and inclusive learning environment where participants felt comfortable sharing their ideas and stories. In addition, I contributed to structuring the training sessions, facilitating group reflections, and supporting the collective development of theatre scenes and performances.
As part of the team, I collaborated with other facilitators to adapt the training process to the needs of the participants, ensuring that the activities remained inclusive, engaging, and aligned with the goals of the project.
I confirm that the information provided accurately reflects the aims, activities, and outcomes of the training activity.
The trainer was actively involved for approximately 300 days as a full-time facilitator, contributing to the design and implementation of the theatre-based training programme.
Their work supported participants’ learning, intercultural dialogue, and the overall objectives of the project.