TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Karen Pong
The activity aimed to bring together active young people from different parts of Europe to explore gender-based violence and discrimination, and how to address it in conflict transformation and peacebuilding activities.
Objectives:
to develop knowledge and understanding of gender issues and its importance;
to increase the ability to deconstruct conflict from a gender perspective;
to examine forms of gender-based discrimination, its root causes and ways of gender sensitive reactions;
to provide consultation from European experts and different initiatives regarding gender perspective in peacebuilding projects in order to ensure gender equality in youth activities;
to create a database with the manuals, websites, institutions, practices which applies gender lens in peace building and build up competencies of the participants to use them in an effective way;
to develop follow-up actions on gender issues in conflict transformation and with gender sensitive approach
to involve non-YPA members in the actions of the network to establish future cooperation and spread knowledge about the network and its mission
to develop a gender-sensitive approach in local and international actions of the YPA
Network and its partners.
The need addressed was the fact that it had been noticed that the terms gender, sex, gender identity were commonly used, but many times with different understanding. Therefore, YPAN gathered young activists to discuss the complexities of gender-based discrimination, the importance of gender equality, as well as propose effective ways to ensure a gender-sensitive approach in the peacebuilding activities of the Youth Peace Ambassadors and its partner organisations.
25 active young people from the member states of the Council of Europe. Half of the participants were invited from outside the YPA Network. Participants came from 16 Council of Europe member countries (Poland, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Kosovo, Russia, Greece, France, Georgia, Serbia, Turkey, Former Republic of Macedonia, Sweden, The Netherlands, Germany, Bulgaria.
Participants’ profile:
- be aged between 18 – 30;
- be involved in activities for social change and/or peace building;
- be interested in gender issues;
- committed to community development;
- be willing to cooperate with Youth Peace Ambassadors Network in the implementation of the projects/actions for peace
- be able to use the English language independently in both written and oral communication;
- be curious, open-minded and appreciate diversity
The methodology of the training seminar was based on the principles of non-formal education,
focusing on experiential and intercultural learning as basis for addressing gender issues,
human rights, conflict transformation and peace-building. NFE methods included discussions, forum theatre, small group work, inputs by experts and marketplace with the local organisations with the agenda of fighting gender-based violence and discrimination in the context of conflict. Educational resources of the Council of Europe’s youth sector were used, in particular, Compass and the T-Kit on Conflict Transformation.
Before the seminar participants completed some preparatory tasks on the e- learning platform for the youth of the Council of Europe. In addition to an online unit, each participant had to prepare an analysis of the local conflict in their country in a gender sensitive way and collect good practices, manuals, interesting websites, articles on combating gender-based discrimination related to the youth work, peacebuilding and conflict transformation fields in their communities.
From the evaluation, it was noted that the objectives had been met to a large extent. Participants were expected to implement their learning into practice by initiating activities in their community that promote. Some participants did and even cooperated with YPAN in future projects. The activity also helped to reinforce the actions of the network and allowed us to enlarge our network and gain new partners for future projects. https://www.facebook.com/groups/549462515102928/
Plan (drafting the application for funding), organise and prepare - logistics and technicalities involving participants - recruitment, screening and selecting, coordinating arrivals and departures, managing Facebook group, draft Call for Participation and information package for participants Prepare e-learning, a facilitator in workshops, final evaluation and final report.