TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Sara Marzo
The training aimed to strengthen youth workers’ competences in mindful team management, leadership and group dynamics. It focused on improving communication, motivation and conflict management skills, while introducing mindfulness practices as practical tools to support well-being, awareness and a positive working atmosphere within teams.
The activity addressed the needs of youth workers and project managers from small NGOs working with large and diverse groups of young people, supporting them in translating learning into concrete actions within their organisations and communities.
The training involved 27 participants and 2 trainers from 9 countries: Italy, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, United Kingdom, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Croatia.
Participants were youth workers, youth leaders and project managers from grassroots organisations, including participants with fewer opportunities due to economic, geographical or employment-related barriers.
The training was fully based on non-formal and experiential learning methods, including mindfulness practices (guided meditation, body awareness and reflective pauses), team-building and trust-building activities, experiential group work, outdoor learning, role-plays and forum theatre for conflict management.
Peer learning, methods fairs, co-creation of activities and daily reflection sessions using creative and embodied tools were integrated throughout the programme, together with Youthpass-based reflection and learning documentation.
As a result of the training, participants improved their competences in team management, communication and leadership, increased self-confidence in working with large and diverse groups, and learned to use mindfulness tools to support well-being and a positive group climate.
Participants developed and tested their own non-formal methods with local high-school students and created follow-up action plans to implement learning outcomes in their organisations and local communities. The success of the training was evidenced through daily reflections, final evaluations, Youthpass learning outcomes and local follow-up activities.
I worked as as coordinatore and full-time trainer, co-designing and facilitating the training programme and learning flow. My responsibilities included facilitating experiential and mindfulness-based sessions, supporting participants’ reflective learning and self-assessment, mentoring participants during and after the training, and contributing to evaluation, documentation of learning outcomes and follow-up activities.