TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Ilaria Esposito
The training seminar was aimed at youth leaders and youth workers who are responsible for developing partnerships in their association, or who are developing projects in which they wished to involve current or new partners, giving them an opportunity to meet and learn from each other‘s experiences and facilitate
the expansion of their existing partnerships. Youth leaders inexperienced in partnerships also had the opportunity to understand how such activities can be easily incorporated into their current programmes, and received training to develop the knowledge and skills for future cooperation.
The training adopted a modular approach based on identifying the different skills and knowledge necessary either to develop partnerships for community action or advocacy, as these are two of the main approaches where partnerships can play a large part in the success of the project.
Following the ―Pick & Mix‖ Training in Budapest and the European Conference in July 2010, WAGGGS
member organizations identified a need for a training dedicated to Partnerships. This training event comes from the need to raise awareness of the new developments and current opportunities of European
programmes for young people and the need for a platform to share and exchange ideas and experiences on partnerships at European level as well as a strong desire to improve competencies of youth leaders and
associations to enhance the quality and quantity of opportunities for young people to participate in such projects.
WAGGGS benefits from many international partnerships with other international NGOs, corporations and other groups that support the work of the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting movement in Europe(Alcoa Foundation, FAO, UN Women, etc). The ability to localize these strategic global alliances by forming partnerships with similar organizations at a national or
local level can help WAGGGS members strengthen their capacity to attract funding, human resources and other types of support to develop Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting in Europe and contribute to building stronger civil society. Additionally, the wider opportunities for cooperation between youth organizations in
Europe offered by European institutional and funder programmes as well as internal "mutual aid" programmes between member associations potentially offers young people many more opportunities to
participate in activities that will enable them to develop attitudes and skills that will enhance their social and intercultural awareness, citizenship and employability.
As an ENGYO in 39 countries, WAGGGS has the network to carry out such a training with a European dimension. On a practical level we have extensive experience organizing non-formal education trainings,
seminars and events of this type for young people and have had the kind support of the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe in doing this in the past.. The training course enabled us to bring young people of different cultures together to learn about partnerships and how to develop and prepare new projects with other organizations, and facilitate the discovery that differences can be a source of strength.
The training targeted youth leaders and workers active in WAGGGS Member Organizations throughout
Europe. Participants who were actively involved in developing current partnerships (or interested in doing so)
in their organizations, were recruited so they could multiply the results of the training through peer education
and capacity building at local and national level. We also extended an invitation to partner organizations of
the Europe Region WAGGGS, and national and regional representatives of the International Award Association, YMCA Europe and YWCA also participated in the seminar, which provided the participants with a different perspective.
In total the group consisted of 25 participants from 14 countries, with a focus on participants coming from WAGGGS member organizations in Eastern Europe, where building partnerships are an important part of building the capacity of the organization. The Planning Tteam
The team was composed of trainers active in national and international level in member organisations of the
Europe Region WAGGGS. The trainers also have different roles in their organisations, and some of them were able to bring an external perspective, being already involved in representing the Europe region at
Euorpean level and in the statutory youth structures . The Planning team were as follows:
1 person (Europe Office WAGGGS, United Kingdom)
1 (Hungary)
1 (Latvia)
3 (Italy)
Non-formal education, experiential learning, learning by doing as well as active participation are the main methodologies used in all Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting activities. During the seminar, different methods were used including plenary and
small group work:, role play games, open space technology, wall writing, working and cluster groups, different kind of brainstorming, simulations. During the training participants also designed multiplying activities in order to involve other young people at national and local
level in partnership actions. By working in groups participants experienced peer education and support to become actors of their self-development. The training comprised of four main parts.
Part 1
Assessing Needs and Planning a Partnership Strategy helped the participants to understand key concepts and characteristics of partnerships followed by a self-assessment to help the participants
appreciate their needs and capacities as a potential partner.
Part 2
Generating Partnerships examined how to search for and choose the right partners, localizing WAGGGS global alliances as strategic partners for funding, human resources and other support.
Participants explored what was needed when approaching potential partners and what this meant for their own organization. A session on funding highlighted what the participants needed to consider when
developing a proposal to fund their partnership; there was also an opportunity to present their current partnerships and a round table where invited guests from the Food and Agriculture Organization; the
Forum Nazionale Giovani; and WAGGGS members in Italy, the AGESCI cattolic scout association and CNGEI lay/open scout association took part in a round table to share their approaches to partnerships, from the international to the national and local level.
Part 3
Working Together examined the partnering process from how to identify objectives and develop a project to project monitoring and evaluation techniques. Human resource knowledge, skills and attitudes including intercultural learning issues, working in teams and conflict management and resolution were also discussed.
Part 4
Celebrating Success and Future Planning looked at evaluating a partnership and how to decide whether to renew or end a partnership. Throughout the seminar, participants were encouraged to find solutions to their own problems/challenges by working with other participants to be empowered to share their experience
and learn, discuss and create plans for future action and cooperation.. Working groups were rotated regularly
to maximize networking opportunities, and the participants also formed small patrols or groups in which they carried out a daily evaluation, led by members of the planning team to ensure that the programme was
meeting their expectations and needs, so that the programme could be adapted as necessary.
A final evaluation took place at the end to of the event, and participants were also asked to identify any future needs
they may have in following up the outcomes of the seminar which will supported by the leadership team.
In general:
- established partnerships at local,national level. Example:WAGGGS member from Georgia estabilished a partnership with IAA participant which led to a project started in February 2012.
- Each participant identified its partner/s and more than 60 % of them used the benefit which WAGGGS has developed at global and regional level.
- Young leaders and youth workesr supported in assessing needs and planning a partnership strategy.
In one of the final sessions of the seminar, participants discussed how they would follow up the outcomes of
the seminar and keep alive the partnerships they had developed during their time together. As well as of course implementing the projects developed, the participants pledged to keep in touch through the facebook group which was created; to use the files in the dropbox folder set up; while members of the planning team will also support the development of the participants‘ projects through the small groups or ―patrols which were established during the seminar.
http://europe.wagggsworld.org/en/news/21519
I was whether member of the planning team and trainer responsible also for TSO contents.
More specifically I was delivering sessions such as: team building, partnership definition, values in partnerships, how to identify your partner, communication and human resources management, self development and leadership, project design and presentation, evaluation and follow up.