TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Georgia Sotiropoulou
Train2Game was a training course aiming to empower participants to use games for social change and educational purposes by playfully unlocking their creative potential. Participants learned through playing how to create their own games for their organizational needs and/or for creating social change. The program guided participants step by step
not only through technicalities like mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics and theories about player types and human desires but will also provide them with knowledge and skills in the fields of creativity, innovation, improvisation and storytelling. Through a variety of creative methods, interactive games, simulations, role plays, group and individual tasks, videos, art and drama activities, case studies, discussions, reflection time and brief theoretical inputs participants discovered, understood, developed, innovated and in the end created their own games.
Trainers from Slovenia and Greece.
24 active members of organizations including youth
workers, youth project managers, youth leaders, board members, peer educators and teachers from Belarus, Latvia, Rep. of Moldova, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine.
During the course participants had the chance, using different tools (such as a feedback box and a midterm evaluation) to influence content and methodology of the course. Reflection time allowed them to summarize their learning and express their ideas creatively.
Besides the sessions about main themes of the course also intercultural learning activities and discussions on innovative ways of learning and creative approaches to active citizenship and youth participation were included. Trainers observed group dynamics and upon need energisers and team building exercises were used in order to ensure safe, cooperative, supportive and energetic group atmosphere.
Life-long learning competencies:
A.Communication in mother tongue:They learned techniques to better express and interpret opinions and thoughts in written and verbal form. Storytelling and improvisation made them feel more comfortable interacting creatively and adjusting their message according to their target group.
B.Communication in foreign languages:As the working language was English, participants were given the chance to practice it.Through active participation they developed abilities related to understanding and interpreting languages in different cultural contexts.
C.Mathematical competence:By playing strategy games that require problem solving skills like Othello,and games based on logical thinking they improved these competences and learned how to use them in their everyday life.
D.Digital competence:They were asked to document their learning process in a blog and in facebook using music,performing arts, literature and visual arts. Through this process they learned how to creatively express themselves and how to use digital tools.
E.Learning to learn:They had the opportunity to reflect every day on their learning,summarize their learning outcomes and share them with the society through online media.They learned to collaborate with others in the learning process and use their resources effectively. By the end of the course they were aware of their personal learning style.
F.Social and civic competences: Since participants were working in teams,they learned to build partnerships,respect other opinions,accept feedback,work toward consensus in decision-making,contribute to the team goal,lead when appropriate,motivate for high performance,be accountable for actions taken and resolve conflicts.Thus,they improved their personal,interpersonal and intercultural competences and they expanded their social and professional network.
G.Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship:They had the opportunity to turn their ideas into action by creating innovative games which bring social or educational change.In this way they improved their entrepreneurial skills which make them more competitive in the labor market and increase their chances to find a job,matching their skills or start their own entrepreneurial activity.
H.Cultural awareness and expression:The course gave participants the chance to explore international cultural heritage via face-to-face communication and interaction with the participants.
Before the implementation of the TC: Regular meetings with the trainers team; set objectives and share responsibilities; creation of the activity timetable; adjustment of the activity timetable given the participants profiles.
During the TC: sessions on of opening and closing; group dynamics; team building activities, expectations and fears; facilitation of reflection groups; meetings with the team of trainers to see if any adjustments were needed.
After the TC: Meeting with the Trainers team to give and receive feedback and assess our cooperation.