TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Alenka Oblak
The main aim of the meeting was: “To create space for exchange among EVS trainers in order to enhance EVS quality in The Regions and strengthen visibility and recognition of cooperation with the Regions”.
The Objectives:
- To discover EVS realities in The Regions
- To exchange good practices
- To share approaches
- To learn different tools and methods in EVS trainings
- To get inspiration
- To think of potential cooperation on EVS field
One focus was on the group of trainers itself and providing a space for the experience and practices sharing; and another was rather on the building contacts and further initiatives.
The group of participants were the EVS trainers from the pools of EVS trainers in neighbouring regions of Programme countries of E+ Youth in Action – Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership countries and Russian Federation, and Southern Mediterranean.
There were 39 participants from 24 countries: Jordan, Lebanon, Portugal, Italy, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Palestine, Finland, Turkey, Algeria, Israel, Austria, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Latvia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, FYROM, Serbia, Slovenia, Greece.
Team of facilitators consisted of facilitators from Spain, Palestine, and Slovenia.
The event was based on non-formal approach, having in mind that the participants are colleagues – that is why we decided Art of Hosting as an approach for the whole event. Methods used were facilitation methods: creating space together; symbol of “Dragon”, that on the one hand represents symbol of Krakow that was hosting us, on the other hand is a symbol of transformation, wisdom and competence; creative approaches for presentations; graphic facilitation; storytelling; appreciative inquiry; sharing realities of 3 regions; open space; sharing tools; small groups discussion; graphic facilitation; presentation; exploring the city; individual and group reflection, creating next steps and recommendations, etc.
Participants shared their realities, realities of EVS volunteers and organisations in the regions, challenges of EVS in the regions, tools, practices, identified some possible steps for future cooperation, identified some ideas to improve the quality of EVS in the regions, fostered the connections within the pools and between them, explored possibilities of job-shadowing between the regions.
In a team of three facilitators we developed the programme together with the organisers. The three of us implemented it equally, adapted it, and carried out evaluation.