TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Anastasiia Shulha
The progect's goals were:
- Increasing social inclusion chances and providing
equal opportunities for NEET youngsters from the EU, WB and EaP region.
- Improving the competences of 30 youth
workers’ in developing efficient programs by
using Erasmus+ and ESC as tools for the
inclusion/integration of NEET youth.
- Promoting NEETs inclusion and youth
opportunities among local youngsters by
learning how to write project applications.
- Enhancing the capacity of 10 NGOs to empower
youth in becoming active citizens in their local
communities by developing common
international projects.
The project gathered 29 participants from 16 countries, including European Union as well as Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries. The training course specifically targeted youth workers (long-term volunteers, social workers, educators, social pedagogues, community development facilitators, counsellors, trainers, facilitators, and other related staff implementing non-formal activities), who are actively involved in promoting NEETs inclusion and youth opportunities. By composing such an international group, the project created a space for intercultural dialogue and mutual learning, promoting the exchange of innovative practices, and strengthening professional networks.
To achieve its goals and objectives, the training course used non‑formal education methods. Our daily program was divided in four 1,5 hours sessions, 1 hours reflection/evaluation and inter-cultural evenings. In terms of NFE methods (indoor-outdoor), we have used it in a holistic approach, including:
- Energisers before each session;
- Plenary inputs by trainers/experts;
- Guest speakers/study visits - opportunity to listen and observe how ‘others do it’;
- Presentations of participants;
- Digital content creation sessions (videos, posters, e-guide);
- Topic-related board games;
- Team-building, ice-breaking activities;
- One-to-one, group work based on discussion, debates, brainstorming, sharing ideas;
- Learning by doing - especially when testing the tools and undertaking practical exercises;
- Role-play, world-café, forum theater;
- Study cases, problem solving scenarios;
- Cultural awareness activities;
- Open spaces sessions where participants choose their topics of interests;
- Thematic board games;
- Daily reflection/evaluations of the learning process.
Through this mobility, participants strengthened key competences promoted by Erasmus+, including collaboration, communication, intercultural sensitivity, networking, advocacy, and the ability to design impactful programs and campaigns. To document the learning process, the project also maintained its own Facebook page, capturing the experiences of the participants (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583451304537). As a concrete outcome of the training course, the participants produced 8 drafts of project proposals including training courses as well as youth exchanges.
Within the team, my responsibilities included co‑creating the program and co‑facilitating non‑formal learning sessions addressing intolerance and discrimination. In addition to the educational components, I also contributed to the facilitation of energizers, ice‑breaking activities, team‑building exercises, and intercultural evenings. Furthermore, I was responsible for ensuring the comfort of participants by welcoming them at the venue, providing assistance, and maintaining a safe and inclusive space throughout the training.