TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Marzena Ples
The main aim of the training course was to equip youth workers with tools and methods that will help them promote their work, engage young people in their
activities and bring attention of a wider public to the social issues of their local community and country.
The specific objectives were:
-To show youth workers mechanisms present in the social media that appeal to young public and can be used in the youth work;
- To build strong social campaigns (both in social and ‘traditional’ media);
- To create and innovative ways of promotion that are relevant both for NGOs and in business sector;
- To introduce gamification as a method for engaging youth and stakeholders;
- To give show participants tools to visualize and express concerning issues and to determine solutions; such as: social media, photography, videos, fairs, flashmobs, city games etc.
- To introduce technical tools in photography and videography;
- To share experience and knowledge on social issues between participants from different countries and initiate future partnership;
- To stimulate the sense of entrepreneurship and responsibility for their work among participants;
Thirty youth workers from Armenia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Spain, and Ukraine took part in the training course.
The Super Social training course used a variety of non-formal education methods to foster learning through experience, creativity, and collaboration. Participants engaged in interactive workshops, including photo and video production, role-playing, and group brainstorming sessions. Methods such as design thinking, gamification, and storytelling were used to explore communication strategies and campaign planning. The training emphasized learning by doing, with participants actively producing their own social campaigns and visual materials. Reflection sessions, team-building activities, and intercultural evenings further enriched the learning process and supported personal and group development.
As a result of the training, participants improved their understanding of how to use social media and creative tools to engage young people in meaningful ways. They developed skills in campaign design, content creation, and promotion—applicable both in youth work and professional contexts. The course empowered them to connect youth work with entrepreneurial thinking and professional communication, fostering innovation in how social issues are addressed. Participants also formed new partnerships and laid the groundwork for future collaboration between their organisations. Overall, the training strengthened participants’ sense of initiative, creativity, and responsibility in their roles as youth workers.
As a full-time trainer and co-programme designer, I was responsible for developing the overall structure and content of the training course, as well as facilitating sessions throughout the entire programme. My role included guiding participants through the learning process, ensuring the methods used were engaging and impactful, and supporting their personal and professional development.
The programme was implemented together with Paulina Opiełka and Tomasz Mazurek.
Marzena is a highly professional trainer, combines experience of both non-formal and formal educational methodologies, and is pleasant to work with. I highly recommend her for any training within her scope of expertise.