TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Karlo Brunović
The aim of the activity was to increase the quality of
youth work of partner organisations in promoting
critical thinking through three
specific objectives:
● increasing knowledge and skills of partners' youth
workers related to critical thinking and conspiracy
theories;
● equipping youth workers with non-formal tools to
foster critical thinking through youth work;
● exchanging experiences of participating
organisations on how to use non-formal education
in promoting critical thinking among youth.
Participants were youth workers from Bulgaria, Netherlands, Croatia, Serbia, Spain, Poland and Latvia, working with youth with fewer opportunities.
Firstly, I used World Cafe to spark an initial discussion on critical thinking among the participants. I followed this with a specialized "Solution Fluency" workshop to help youth workers develop structured problem-solving skills. I also conducted a dedicated workshop titled "Checklist for Reasoning" to provide a practical framework for evaluating arguments.
To make the learning process more interactive, I used the "Percipio" game and a dedicated "Critical Thinking Card Game" to explore different social perceptions and associations. Moreover, I organized a session on "Logical Fallacies" to ensure participants could identify common errors in reasoning.
To explore conflict resolution, I used a role-playing method where participants had to navigate a conflict situation. Furthermore, I facilitated the "Four Corners" method to give everyone a chance to practice their argumentation on complex issues.
Throughout the week, I also used "Open Space for Exchange of Good Practices," which gave participants the opportunity to share their own successful tools and experiences for fostering critical thinking in their local communities.
Finally, I supported the participants through self-assessment tasks for their Youthpass certificates and concluded the programme with a formal Youthpass Ceremony.
Participants significantly increased their knowledge and practical skills related to critical thinking. They successfully learned how to avoid faulty reasoning and mental biases in their daily work. These practical tasks directly resulted in youth workers being better equipped with non-formal tools to foster critical thinking when they return to their local communities.
Moreover, participants developed the specific competence to spot fake news and approach conspiracy theories when discussing them with youth. The "Open Space" sessions and role-playing exercises led to a successful exchange of experiences and good practices between the partner organizations, strengthening the overall quality of youth work across the network.
To ensure a lasting impact, the results were prepared for dissemination through the partners' networks to benefit a wider range of disadvantaged youth.
General info on the activity, including a digital guide "Critical Thinking Unlocked" is accessible on Udruga Prizma's website:
https://www.udrugaprizma.hr/razor-2025.
I was responsible for overall preparation and implementation of the training course, including design of training programme and meetings with partners during their preparatory visit.
Besides conducting core training sessions, I also contributed to reflection sessions, including mid and final evaluation by motivating participants to share their impressions and reflect upon their learning.
After the training, I was responsible for producing a a digital leaflet containing basic introduction to fostering active citizenship among youth. Moreover, I was in touch with project partners to follow-up on their dissemination and evaluation activities.