TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Atanas Genkov
The aim of the TC was to create a possibility to explore new ways of how to use and integrate new media in youth work and to exchange existing knowledge on the topic. Also to experience how media can be used in order to express opinions and create a free, democratic, tolerant Europe.
The themes were developing & sharing knowledge, participation & inclusion, creativity & challenge through exploring how new media can be used in youth work.
The main objectives were:
-to create a structure for the participants that gives them the opportunities to create media, receive feedback, and continuously improve their skills.
-to give a practical experience with youth work by a field work activity: organising workshops for 5 days for kids aged 8-14 about media.
The goal was to enable participants to:
- Learn new media by creating media
- Learn about participatory methods using digital media
- Develop their skills in youth work by experimenting with participatory methods
- Discover what their personal visual culture is
- Create a mental & physical state that supports their learning style
- Be equipped with basic audiovisual and group-work competences
- Experience how they can use all this in practise when working with young people
The target group:
- People aged 21+
- Coming from: Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Croatia, France, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Georgia, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary
- Media experts interested in using their knowledge when working with young people
- Youth workers, teachers, peer educators interested in integrating media in their work
- Young people interested in youth work and new media
Various methods from the area of NFE were used. Mostly focusing on the interactive methods - Interactive games, simulations and presentations, ice-breakers, work in small groups, discussions, self-reflection sessions, outdoor games, methods for sharing impressions, role-plays, field-work and more. A specific tool that was implemented was the Forum-theatre.
The TC was an experiment, as we combined media and youth work in a way it was not done by now. The outcomes are numerous: dozens of short films, filed work experiences, impact in the local community, new experiences, knowledge, friendships and partnerships, tools, very positive feedback and ideas for future developments. Here is one example - a short film that was made during the training and that documents both the media work of the participants and also their filed work with the local children in a Hungarian village: http://vimeo.com/53904473
I was responsible for the media track of the training, and assisting the media teams in creating their projects.