TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Marzena Ples
The Transformers training course aimed to empower youth workers to better support young people with migration backgrounds by developing inclusive and practical approaches to social integration. The main goal was to turn challenges related to migration into opportunities for participation, competence-building, and employability. Specific objectives included understanding the roots of social exclusion, identifying the competences migrants naturally develop through mobility (such as resilience, flexibility, and intercultural sensitivity), challenging harmful stereotypes, and promoting active participation of migrants in civil society. The training also aimed to explore youth work methods that can strengthen professional skills and prevent reverse exclusion.
The project gathered youth workers from a diverse mix of countries, including Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Georgia Estonia, Italy, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine.
The training was based entirely on non-formal education methods, emphasizing experiential learning, group reflection, and role play. A key method used was a two-day immersive simulation—a survival-style role-playing game where participants assumed the identities of fictional migrants navigating exclusion and displacement. This powerful activity allowed participants to deeply experience the emotional and social challenges faced by migrants. Other methods included teamwork, storytelling, problem-solving tasks, peer-to-peer sharing, conflict resolution and intercultural communication workshops.
Participants left the training with a stronger understanding of the processes and consequences of migration and social exclusion. They gained practical tools for working with young migrants and developed greater sensitivity toward the cultural, emotional, and structural barriers faced by displaced individuals. The simulation game and group reflections helped participants build empathy, identify hidden competences developed through mobility, and reframe migrants not just as beneficiaries but as contributors to their communities. The training also resulted in the development of methods and tools to be implemented locally and included in a shared Handbook, encouraging continued impact and exchange among participants.
I was responsible for shaping the content and implementation the training course. I facilitated sessions on exclusion, intercultural communication, and youth participation, and co-led the two-day simulation game experience. I supported participants in connecting personal learning with practical applications and helped guide the development of the Handbook of Good Practices. My role also included ensuring that the programme remained participant-centered, flexible, and responsive to the group’s needs throughout the training.
I confirm that Marzena Ples was a full-time trainer during the "Transformers" training course held in Bakuriani, Georgia from 4–11 August 2015. She played a key role in developing the educational programme and facilitating impactful sessions, especially in the areas of exclusion, intercultural communication, and youth participation. Marzena brought strong expertise, creativity, and sensitivity to the group dynamics, and her co-leadership of the immersive simulation game was especially powerful and transformative for participants. Her commitment to non-formal education principles and her ability to connect theory with practical tools made her a valuable member of our international team. I highly recommend her as a trainer in the field of youth work and non-formal education and not only