TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Jonathan Robertson
To work together and develop our awareness-raising skills and tools in order to sensitize our team members and volunteers towards active citizenship AND increase the number of participants involved in our projects.
Each year, we find a significant number of youngsters (individually or in groups) interested to get more information regarding citizenship involvement and volunteering. Through this seminar, we would like to share, enhance and diversify our methods and awareness tools, for different target groups and in different contexts (festival, classes, fairs, ...), to promote the values and objectives of active citizenship activities, in particular workcamps and other international volunteering projects.
Our contact making seminar must gather organisations interested in exchanging experiences and know-how about awareness tools. It should enhance our collaboration and partnerships on these projects, by creating a common frame for qualitative animations/awareness sessions, as well as a toolkit of animations used by the different partners attending the event.
20 youth workers/staff members from 14 organisations. Most of them came from organisations of the ALLIANCE of European Voluntary Service Organisations. Countries included: France, Belgium, Finland, UK, Italy, Macedonia, Greece, Czech Republic and Germany.
This event used a range of non-formal educational methods relevant to the participants that attended. We developed rotating working groups amongst participants to devise and present new ideas for the SenCitizenship book. We used an artistic mural activity to help participants understand the Alliance network and the interconnections. We used experiential learning methods in giving space for participants to practice their new ideas for real on the streets of Marche-en-Famenne. We also had a strong emphasis on reflection - bringing together reflection groups each evening.
One of the most tangible outcomes of the event is an IdeaBook created throughout our days together, bringing within 2 covers the ideas that were generated by the organisations and participants involved. This will be a valuable resource and proof of the creativity and learning that was experienced during the event.
Furthermore, through reading the evaluation forms at the end of the training, participants built their understanding of the Alliance Network, their knowledge of non-formal educational and promotional processes and also increased their confidence in developing and delivering new ideas that they come up with.
My central role was in co-designing and co-delivering this event with my co-trainer from Compagnons Batissuers. I also contributed to the design of the IdeaBook.