Step Towards Meaningful Youth Participation

Aims & objectives

The project "Step towards meaningful youth participation" consists of a Study Visit to Armenia, the Training of Youth Workers in Zakopane and the phase of implementation of acquired skills and knowledge (follow up workshops and creation of realistic action plan per organisation for increasing youth participation on local and/or international level).
The objectives of the Study Visit to Armenia is:
- to get acquainted with the activities of KASA SWISS HUMANITARIAN FOUNDATION, especially its youth centres in Yerevan and Gyumri, and to learn about its good practices
- to provide space for the exchange of experience and good practice between participating organisations,
- to raise awareness of the importance and benefits of youth participation in the lives of young people, adults and local communities,
- to recognise the challenges and struggles common and specific to the participating organisations in the context of youth participation,
- to reflect on a common definition of youth participation, its levels and theory

The objectives of the Training course in Poland are:
- to learn practical tools, exercises and measures to strengthen youth participation
at local, regional and international level,
- to learn to analyse the needs of young people, to design and facilitate common
activities (adults-youth)
- to equip participants with knowledge about Youth Rights,
- to provide a space to talk about values in youth work, and in support of youth
participation,
- to prepare participants to develop sustainable action plans for the local
communities of participating organisations based on the principles of meaningful
youth participation.

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

Youth workers from Poland, Armenia, Italy, North Macedonia, Estonia, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Spain and the team of facilitators from Armenia and Poland.

Training methods used & main activities

The whole process was organised in non-formal education methods: discussions, group work, simulation games, peer education, study visits to KASA Swiss Humanitarian Foudnation and other local institutions for better understanding the processes of youth participation happening in Armenia.

The training course in Poland was organised in non-fprmal education methods as well: discussions, group
work, simulation games, simulations, drama, open space technology, team building, getting to know each other games, peer education, interactive games,
tasks to stimulate creativity, reflections, reflection groups. Formal elements were used with short mini-lectures.

Outcomes of the activity

Participants got to know participarion ways and forms and how to support youth participation in their communities, as well as organised dissemination workshops and campaings back home about the concept of better youth participation.

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

I was coordinating the hosting procedures of the Study Visitcomponent, organsiation the meetings in KASA Foundation offices and project presentations, local youth institutions, as well as facilitating group meetings with the facilitators team of the porject.
In the second component of the project, training course in Poland, I was co-trainer with my Polish colleagues.

I worked on this training for 3 days as a full time trainer.