TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Dorit Machell (Fauck)
The aim of this international training course is to prepare young people who have been abroad with YiA for their own EuroPeers projects and offer them the opportunity to network. They reflect on their experiences living abroad, learn about non-formal learning, mobility programmes and participation in Europe and develop skills needed for their projects, like presentation techniques, methods for workshops, project management and communication. The participants plan individually a EuroPeer project which is mentored during the course and held within the following month in their home town.
The target group are young people who have taken part in YiA/Erasmus+: Youth in Action projects:
• who want to inform and motivate other young people (their peers) about learning mobility opportunities through the Erasmus + Youth in Action programme, based on their own experience
• who want to raise awareness among young people about European issues, activities and opportunities;
• who feel confident to express themselves in English;
• who are committed to attend the full duration of the training course;
• who are at least 18 years old;
• who are residents of the E+ Programme countries or Western Balkans countries
The trainer team consists of two trainers (incl. myself) and one trainee.
The training course is based on the concept of non-formal education. This includes reflection on one's learning outcomes, peer learning and experiential learning. Participants have the chance to fill out a Youthpass.
A EUROPE BROUGHT TO LIFE
EuroPeers are special not only in the way they inform other young people about the various mobility opportunities that are available across Europe – by sharing their own European experiences. They also paint a lively, authentic and youth-specific picture of what it means to be European, thereby bringing Europe closer to their peers. This creates a European network of motivated young people who do not see Europe as a bureaucratic structure, but rather as an opportunity for action and personal chances.
ACTIVE EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP
EuroPeers' activities are in line with the Treaty of Lisbon, which calls for the EU to encourage the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe.
YOUTH IN ACTION, as an element of the Erasmus+ program, is also designed to encourage participation in Europe‘s democratic structures, greater civic involvement, a stronger intercultural dialogue and more solidarity, in particular by creating more opportunities for young people to take part in learning mobility projects.
ACCESS TO TARGET GROUPS
The peer-to-peer approach makes it possible to reach out directly to a variety of target groups, including young people with fewer opportunities.
REGIONAL AND LOCAL FOOTPRINT
The different peer projects run in the past on national level show that young active peers are indeed on the ground and in proximity to other young people.
VISIBILITY
A large number of EuroPeers events that are organized across Europe will make a significant contribution enhancing the visibility of Erasmus+ YOUTH IN ACTION.
A EuroPeers network will multiply the benefits for the EU programme for education, training, youth and sports (Erasmus+) that the different national peer projects had already succeeded in delivering in connection with YOUTH IN ACTION and will increase the number of young people who identify with Europe even more.
PERSONAL BENEFITS
Through their activities as EuroPeers young people enhance and develop their personal and professional skills. According to the active young EuroPeers themselves, their personal added value consists of improved project management and presentation skills, workshop facilitation, teamwork, confidence, assertiveness, fortifying their entrepreneurship skills and more.
Creating the course plan and facilitation of the training course in a team.