Mentor's Universe

Aims & objectives

Aims:
• Deepening understanding of EVS mentorship and various roles and responsibilities of EVS mentors in different contexts.
• Identifying the benefits of mentoring for the mentee and the mentor.
• Increasing understanding of EVS as a non-formal learning experience and being able to identify and work with methods and tools (including the Youthpass) that help mentors to support the volunteer's learning process.
• Enhancing understanding and competences on how to support EVS mentees in:

*crisis management (EVS specific);
*intercultural learning, dealing with ambiguity and change;
*volunteering;
*identification of the roles, rights and responsibilities of all actors in the EVS project.
• Sharing experiences, good practices, as well as methods and tools related to different aspects of mentoring.
• Being supported in checking the need and potential for multiplying the training outcomes, with the possibility of drawing suggestions for follow-up (depending on the group’s needs).
• Gaining basic knowledge of EVS within the YiA Programme, as needed.

The methodology used:
• non-formal, interactive methods, experimental learning
• exchange of practice, sharing, discussing, using the experience of participants + trainers
• theoretical inputs
• reflection and self-assessment

Profile of participants:

• EVS mentors (or soon to become mentors), EVS project managers responsible for training and recruiting mentors, ex-EVS volunteers planning on becoming mentors

Participants from all programme countries were chosen and the team of trainers were from Turkey, Finland, Iceland and Austria.

Outcomes of the activity were a greater understanding by the participants of the role of EVS mentors and methods and tools to support the mentoring process. Please contact me for the final report.

As trainers we divided the sessions of the training equally between us and worked together to develop them. As a representative of the host country I was also involved to a certain extent with practical arrangements and communications.

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

The trainers team consisted of 4 trainers from the Icelandic, Finnish, Austrian and Turkish NAs. The target group of the activity were EVS mentors and project coordinators and included 27 participants from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey and the UK.

Training methods used & main activities

Some of the training methods included working in small and large groups, role plays, open space, input and presentations.

Outcomes of the activity

The results of the training course were:

- Greater awareness of the role of an EVS mentor
- Tools and methods that mentors could use in better fulfilling their roles
- Creating an international network of mentors that can support each other and share experiences, information and ideas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHYISBWGnso

http://www.facebook.com/groups/141808962559485/

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150180900914491

http://www.twitvid.com/WM41U

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

As an ex-EVS volunteer and presently an EVS coordinator I wanted to provide a platform for training and networking for EVS mentors so as to improve the quality of EVS mentorship and the tools and resources that EVS mentors have available. We developed the training course as a team of 4 trainers and divided the sessions equally between us with 2 trainers being assigned to each session. I was also involved with coordination and logistics since I was also representing the host country (Turkey).

I worked on this training for 5 days as a full time trainer.