TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Mila Lukić
The aim was to empower young people to create safe(r), brave(r) and inclusive societies where intersectional experiences are lived and valued through multi-faceted respect for diversity. The need addressed was lack of young people from different backgrounds and underrepresented communities actively claiming, exercising and defending their rights through participation.
Objectives:
1. RAISING AWARENESS & KNOWLEDGE: To increase participants’ awareness and knowledge about the concepts of antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred, ableism and other forms of discrimination, including the work of the Council of Europe in these fields.
2. APPLYING TOOLS: To familiarise participants with different tools and instruments to fight all forms of discrimination through human rights education and advocacy.
3. COLLABORATIONS: To enhance cooperation and leadership between young people from different cultural backgrounds and countries.
4. BECOMING CHANGE AGENTS AND MULTIPLIERS: To encourage participants to act as multipliers by sharing knowledge and skills with their peers and local communities to promote inclusive activities.
Group was composed of 23 young people with physical and mental disability, youth from religious and ethnic minorities, LGBTIQ+ community and other vulnerable groups, coming from 16 different European countries (i.e. Council of Europe member states, thus incl. non-EU).
Team was international and it was composed of 6 people (1 educational advisor, 1 course director and 4 facilitators) who all acted as trainers/facilitators during the activity.
Non-formal education: interactive and participatory approach, open-ended learning methods, energizers, ice-breakers and team-building activities, experiential learning activities, daily reflections with different methods (Blob tree, Dixit cards, other), debriefing activities, formative evaluation of training;
Human rights education: learning about, through and for human rights, via discussions, critical reflections on prejudices, biases and stereotypes, and experiential learning;
Intercultural learning principles: prioritising respect for diversity and zero tolerance for discrimination and racism, to ensure safe space for everyone;
Throughout the training, I used Council of Europe's COMPASS - Manual on human rights education with young people and the Education pack - All Different All Equal.
1. Participants explored different forms of discrimination and critically reflected on their own biases and prejudices to understand underlying causes of discrimination and intolerance.
2. Participants developed their competences (knowledge, skills and awareness) in tackling different forms of discrimination through human rights education and non-violent communication.
3. Participants explored intersectionality to better understand what are and how to create safer and braver spaces.
4. Participants raised awareness about the concept of allyship as foundation for creating safer spaces in non-formal educational (and other) settings to empower others to raise their voices.
5. Participants kicked off development of three outputs: Calendar of Allyship, Open Language (inclusive language) Manual and Factsheet on creating intersectionally inclusive events.
Support the team of 5 facilitators with coordination of developing the programme, preparing session outlines, proposing specific activities from CoE manuals and specific reflection methods; delivering parts of the programme focused on human rights education and intercultural learning, supporting overall evaluation of the activity.