TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Maher Draidi
The On Stage project, coordinated by Alrahallah Theater Berlin, aimed to empower young people from diverse cultural backgrounds through creative theatre and non-formal education. The project focused on strengthening participants’ self-expression, communication skills, and confidence by using theatre as a tool for dialogue and learning.
Another important objective was to promote intercultural understanding and cooperation by bringing together participants with different cultural experiences and encouraging them to share their stories and perspectives. Through collaborative theatre work, the project aimed to support social inclusion, creativity, and active participation, while creating opportunities for young people to reflect on identity, community, and social issues.
The project also aimed to demonstrate how art and theatre can be used as effective educational tools for youth empowerment, intercultural dialogue, and community engagement.
The ONSTAGE project involved an international partnership of organisations from Germany, Greece, Ireland, and Portugal. The project brought together youth workers, trainers, and young participants from these countries through international learning activities and collaborative project work.
The participants included young people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, particularly those belonging to marginalised communities and ethnic minorities. This diversity enriched the learning process by enabling participants to exchange experiences, perspectives, and cultural practices.
The training and facilitation team was also internationally composed, including trainers, youth workers, and theatre practitioners from the partner organisations. This intercultural team supported the development of theatre-based methods for youth empowerment, civic participation, and social inclusion, while encouraging dialogue and collaboration among participants from different European contexts.
The ONSTAGE project used non-formal and participatory learning methods, combining creative theatre techniques with youth work practices. The activities included theatre workshops, improvisation exercises, role-play, body expression, and collective storytelling, allowing participants to explore social and political topics through artistic expression.
Additional methods included group discussions, reflection sessions, peer learning, and collaborative creation of theatre performances and digital materials. Participants also engaged in co-creation activities, research, and preparation of educational outputs, which helped develop creativity, leadership, and teamwork skills.
The training also integrated digital tools and online collaboration, supporting participants in developing digital competencies while contributing to the creation of project resources. These methods encouraged active participation, intercultural dialogue, and critical reflection, enabling young people to express their perspectives on civic participation and social inclusion.
The activity led to significant personal and social development among the participants. Through theatre-based and participatory methods, young people strengthened their self-confidence, creativity, and communication skills, while developing important competencies such as teamwork, leadership, decision-making, and initiative. Participants also increased their digital and research skills through the co-creation of project outputs and theatre performances.
The project enabled young people, especially those from ethnic minorities and marginalised backgrounds, to express their views on social and political issues affecting their lives. This process helped them develop greater civic awareness and understanding of democratic participation.
For the partner organisations and youth workers, the activity facilitated the exchange of good practices and innovative methods for working with marginalised youth, strengthening their intercultural competences and improving their approaches to youth participation and inclusion. The project also produced educational resources and theatre-based materials that can continue to be used in future youth work activities and training programmes.
Within the ONSTAGE project, I contributed as a trainer and theatre pedagogue representing Alrahallah Theater Berlin, which acted as the coordinating organisation. My main responsibility was to design and facilitate theatre-based workshops and non-formal learning activities that supported youth participation and creative expression.
I led sessions using theatre methods such as improvisation, body expression, role-play, and collective storytelling, helping participants explore themes related to identity, social inclusion, and civic engagement. I also supported the group in developing theatre scenes and creative outputs based on their own experiences and perspectives.