TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Harut Mirzakhanyan
The training aimed to help youth workers better understand migration and the challenges young migrants and refugees can face when trying to feel included in a new community. Through discussion, intercultural exchange and practical activities, we explored discrimination, barriers to inclusion, and ways youth work can create more welcoming spaces. This fitted closely with both YDC Armenia’s focus on inclusion and youth participation and ALDIC’s work around intercultural dialogue and social inclusion. The project was an Erasmus+ mobility activity for youth workers, officially funded through Luxembourg’s National Agency.
The training brought together youth workers, educators, NGO staff, young migrants, and community activists from Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Luxembourg, and Portugal. The group included people already working on migration, human rights, inclusion, and intercultural dialogue, so participants could bring very different local perspectives into the discussions. This international mix was a big part of the learning process, especially because we could compare migration realities and youth work approaches across five countries.
Of course, we used non-formal learning methods throughout the training, with a lot of group work, open discussions, debates, storytelling, reflection, and peer-to-peer exchange.
Instead of just presenting information about migration, participants worked with real-life situations, shared experiences from their own countries, challenged stereotypes, and discussed possible responses together. We also used intercultural activities and small-group tasks, so people could learn from each other and connect the topic directly to their youth work.
The training gave participants a better understanding of migration and inclusion, but more importantly, practical ideas they could actually use in their youth work. By the end of the week, participants had exchanged approaches from five different countries, worked through real migration-related challenges, and built connections that could continue beyond the project. For us, the level of participation, the final reflections, and the ideas participants developed for their own communities were good signs that the training had achieved what we hoped for.
The activity is documented through the project post on Instagram and also through ALDIC website.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DZLBjMMDYr8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TYISZVgf_PkiNkukSZEhTKPQkgCK9Jc0/view
I worked as a facilitator throughout the training and was involved in both preparing and delivering the program. I facilitated sessions on migration, inclusion and intercultural dialogue, guided group discussions and practical activities, and supported participants during reflection and group work.
I also worked closely with the rest of the team to adapt the program when needed and make sure the learning process stayed engaging and participant-focused.