TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Joanna Pytel
In Europe we face intensification of autocratic and nationalists' movements and thoughts.
As research shows, the idea that one person – a charismatic leader possesses the whole
knowledge and says to others what to do, sounds very catchy for many. A populist
political leaders like to make colourful and complicated reality easier for people to
understand and find culprit of “bad” situation in others: cultural, religion, sexual minorities,
immigrants etc. or/and they are justifying their greed, short term profits or just lack of
vision with actions that are not in favour of their people.
We, as NGO based on democratic values, are ready to stand up against that situation.
We started the discussion with the other organizations working in the youth field in
EU and neighbourhood countries, how to prevent these movement and to support
development of society based on democratic values that EU has on banners. Our aim was
to motivate youth workers to reflect on EU values and promote it through our work
and professional engagement.
The project’s title was a sum up of our inner discussions and it refers to
femininity/masculinity dimension of the culture according to the theory of Geert
Hofstede of Cultural Dimensions.
“Femininity stands for a preference for cooperation, modesty, caring for the weak and
quality of life. Society at large is more consensus oriented.”
This is how we see EU values as it deals with problems in more consolatory way,
considering needs of many parts and seeking for consensus.
We’d like to invite you for a discussion with us and partners from all over Europe and
check how the above-described situation influences our daily work.
We wanted to reflect on the most important values for us as youth workers, that comes out of the
European way of thinking and methods – programmes that are
its outcomes.
We wanted to confront them with the personal values of each
participant and work on competences that we should have
to forward them to young people
The topic of the training was the result of our discussions within the organization:
reflections on the current political situation in Europe, European values and solidarity. It resulted from needs noticed among other leaders
youth leaders. We raised the aforementioned issues in conversations with other youth leaders/workers during the interna. in which we participated.
The final training program was also created based on the needs reported by the participants in the pre-action survey. The invitation to the training
we sent primarily to our regular partners with whom we have been working for many years within the framework of the Erasmus+ and EKS program, as well as to several new ones.
We wanted to expand our partnership network and ensure the quality of the activities we implement together, placing even more emphasis on European values, solidarity and
active citizenship.
Our trainers's team prepared a training program, which was led by 3 trainers from our organization.
Youth workers interested in the topic of the training and wanting to gain competences in a field of
developing and designing programmes in non-formal education of young people and civic engagement. Youth workers who wanted to foster democratic and active participation, who knew the concept of a European identity, the values behind and ways in which it supports solidarity, who had knowledge about youth policy and youth work in one’s own context
(community, region, etc.), who were ready to take a step back and reflect (e.g. on one’s own perceptions,
understanding, feelings), who had empathy towards people who hold different values and worldviews -
beyond in-groups, “bubbles” and circles,
had min 6 months experience in any organization/institution on local or/and
international level, were coming from organizations interested in making international partners,
were min 18 years old.
Training participants represented 14 countries: Belarus, France, Georgia, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Serbia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, Hungary, Italy, Greece and Poland. 25 participants during the 6 day training discussed about actual socio-political situation in their countries and how it influences their daily work.
We had many discussions, active working methods, a lot of reflections on
ourselves and our work. There was a space for sharing own experiences and
meeting with experts from the outside.
We were self-reflecting on our own identity, values, privilege, power and power
relations, and ways in which they are put into action to work on our attitude to think
long term about the impact of the project on participants, the community, resources
and the environment. It helpt us to develop skills to interact constructively with
different socio-political actors for the benefit of young people and their civic
engagement.
We worked on a basis of an '’ETS Competence Model for Youth Workers to Work
Internationally’’ and a research study “4Thought for Solidarity: Careful
consideration of what is needed for the future”. We shared knowledge
about the New Model of Solidarity.
We had 5 working days: 4 workshop days + meeting day with local activists.
Participants gained both on personal and professional field while reflecting on own
values and how it influences the work one does with young people. As a result of the training, we worked out concrete methods and
methodologies in youth work, that transmits and absorbs EU values and make them
clearer for us as youth workers as well as for young people we work with.
Youth Workers considered and applied the principles of non-formal learning when
designing the programme with a particular focus on ‘youth centredness’, ‘transparency’,
‘democratic values’, ‘participation’, ‘empowerment’ and ‘social transformation. We co-created actions with young people to address local and global,
progressive social and human rights issues.
The outcome was also a net of organizations that are working on the same platform of
understanding each other’s perspective, with common goals and ideas.
The result of A2 is a network of
of organizations ready to work together at the national and international level, tools and methodology for implementing EU values, as well as activities co-created with
with young people to address local and global issues of social and human rights concern. The coordinating organization
was able to plan a specific international action in advance, which complement each other and strengthen youth involvement,
centered around our activities. As a result of Activity A2, we collaborated with 2 new partners (Greece, Sweden) and jointly implemented a youth mobility
youth mobility (Action A3). An organization from Sweden applied for Erasmus+ accreditation to be able to organize regular activities and work with us on a long-term basis
us on a long-term basis Action A2 also produced a film on youth worker mobility. Recipients can learn what the purpose of the training was,
what it was about, what issues it addressed, but also promote youth worker mobility within the Erasmus+ program in general
Our trainers's team prepared a training program, which was led by 3 trainers from our organization.
My role was to run needs assesment, monitoring and evaluation of the programme and the training in general.
Monitoring under Measure A2 consisted of several elements: 1)
Pre-action needs analysis. In the recruitment form, trainees were asked to describe their motivation, educational goals, and select the
3 competencies they would like to develop (based on the ''ETS Competence Model for Youth Workers to Work Internationally'').
2 Reflection groups - on the first day of the activity, the participants divided into 4 reflection groups. This was a moment at the end of the day when each group could
come together and tell each other about the day's experiences. Their main purpose was to monitor the learning process of the workers
youth, solving possible problems, answering the questions of the participants_women and responding to the named needs. After completing the discussions in
groups, each participant approached his vehicle and moved it to the competency he had developed the most that day. 3. final evaluation -
it was conducted on the last day of the project using an online form. The trainees answered questions electronically.
I prepared training sessions and about:
- EU values and a research study “4Thought for Solidarity: Careful consideration of what is needed for the future”
- EU Youth Strategy and Youth Goals,
- ETS Competence Model for Youth Workers to Work Internationally.
- Reflections on personal values, behaviours and attitudes in a youth work.
We also organized a one-day visit
study visit to the Library in Gdynia, combined with a panel discussion. We invited experts from the Tri-City to join the panel. Its main topic was the values of
European values in youth work.