TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Sashka Vitanova
The project “The Planet of the Little Prince” was a training course on the topic of environmental sustainable development. The primary goal of this training course was be increase the awareness, competence and engagement of the participants concerning one of the pillars of the Sustainable development – the environment, and to enhance their knowledge on new ways and tools for communicating the topic with their target groups.
The participants in the training course were 20 youth leaders, representing organizations from program countries Bulgaria, Greece, Portugal, France, Spain, Italy and Turkey, from Mediterranean partner countries Egypt, Israel and Jordan, and one country from South-eastern Europe - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; 3 trainers - Sashka Vitanova (F), Bulgaria, Zhelyazko Mechkov (M), Bulgaria, Miguel Pinto (M), Portugal; 2 outdoor experts - Alexandra Iotsova (F), Bulgaria, Petya Petrova (F), Bulgaria for the outdoor activities days
The activities during the course were focused on the knowledge of the recent conceptions about the responsible behaviour and the good practice for the solution of the problems with disturbed ecological balance, on the provoking creativity, initiative and activity among the youth leaders and their organizations in the searching and implementation of new solutions in this area, on building skills to develop and implement successful projects and the establishment of lasting cooperation and partnership based on intercultural understanding and shared values. Variety of interactive methods including researches, learning through experience, role plays, round table, theater, one day outdoor activities, building a sundial, and others, as the leading edge during the entire training course was the philosophy in Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s book “The Little Prince” and the responsible attitude, which the Little prince has about his planet and the life on it.
Examples:
1. the group of participant watched the movie the "The story of stuff", after that the participants had the task to identify 5 parts in the process sequence, divided in 5 small groups in which to produce solutions on the problem and to create a play in the big group.
2. 2 parts round table with local representatives - producers, owners of guest houses, the maer of the village, representative form a local NGO, in order to get in the local reality, to share their experience and to create contacts.
3. Human rights simulation game - each participant got an individuality, afterwards all participant were set in line as a starting point; the facilitator was giving a situation and question to which the participants had to respond through the individuality they got. The simulation was followed by debrief.
4. visit of the Rojen observatory where got a lecture of the longevity of the sun and had to prepare their own dinner in the forest.
5. Session devoted on the differences of non-formal and formal education delivered as a quiz with discussion, with accent on the precognition of non-formal education and discovering of youthpass.
Strong group building with a long lasting partnerships. 8 potential project identified. One project as a training course realized in Turkey, e.g got funded by the Youth in action program. Participant from Italy and 2 participants from Spain used the program Youth in action for their organizations. There was a publication on Helios club website, and on the website of the Ideas Factory association. Was created a facebook page of the participants
http://www.facebook.com/groups/154768227933578/?fref=ts
I was the leading trainer, since the beginning, the organizer of the trainers' team and the responsible for the communication. Helped to the host organization with the application process, with the program design, with the communication with the partners and with the participants. In the trainers' team had the responsibility for leading half of the sessions, in preparation of materials and handouts, and in some of the preparation of the places regarding the needs of the program. Was responsible for the trainers report.