TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Charis Charalambous
This was an experiential training on Global Citizenship Education, co-funded with support from the European Union through the projects “Bridge 47 Building Global Citizenship” and “Make the Sustainable Choice”.
The workshop was developed with the following objectives:
(a) Develop knowledge and competences (tools and methods) in the field of GCE,
(b) Exchange practices and ideas, especially in regards to personal and social empowerment and citizen mobilization,
(c) Improve sustainability and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) practices in work contexts,
(d) Networking.
Fourteen persons (from Cyprus, Turkey and Australia) living and working in Cyprus attended the training. They represented a number of fields related to formal education, NGO management, training delivery, management of a Foundation on Sustainable Development, public policy, health, environmental research and protection and environmental activism.
The selected training space had a serene mountain environment, which allowed for a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces. The training methodology included energizing and team-building activities, plenary discussions, individual work, pair discussions and small group tasks, to allow for peer learning, active participation and interaction on various levels.
The training program was structured on 3 pillars (Activism, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Creation of synergies) and included 9 different sessions:
1) The internet of people – Getting to know each other.
2) Feel the ground – What is already taking place, good practices in active citizenship.
3) Name the Demons – What are the challenges to sustainability? What are the challenges to our work? What feels unsurpassable? What are we up against?
4) Look even closer – The elements of each Sustainable Development Goal.
5) Take a bigger view – How the SDGs relate to our work and daily life.
6) Walk the walk – Evaluation of current practices.
7) See nature – growth needs the right conditions to exist, relaxation and connecting outdoors
8) Notice connections – Possible synergies in our work. What will happen next? – Next steps and plans.
9) Thank you – Evaluation and Closing
From the evaluation given by the participants, it was obvious that their expectations (i.e. find inspiration, gain knowledge about the SDGs, connect with nature, acquire new material they can implement in their work, meet new people, plan further actions, relax and escape the routine, share experiences with others, create enthusiasm to multiply the SDGs in society) were met to a satisfactory or high degree.
Among the most useful parts of the workshop, the participants identified the content, learning what others believe in topics that matter, earning new knowledge, the team building and self-reflection activities, the theoretical and practical information on the SDGs, the group discussions and sharing of ideas, listening to experiences from experienced educators and members of the NGO society, and learning how to take the SDGs into consideration when making decisions.
In the days following the workshop, the participants received electronic copies of the material used in, as well as links to useful online information related to the themes of the workshop.
I was fully involved in this training's preparation, delivery, evaluation and reporting. Namely:
- Preparatory meetings with FOE Cyprus and NGO Support Center officers for coordination
- Preparation of the activity plan
- Communication of important information to the participants
- Conducting of the workshops and facilitation
- Preparation of reports including: activity plan, description of implementation, compilation of material used, communication to the participants of links for further information
I worked for this activity for 5 full days as a trainer.