TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Mara ADR
The TC aimed to support the Youth Workers (YWers), working w Young People (YP) w/fewer
opportunities and improve their wellbeing at personal&professional level, so they feel supported and can better influence YP's activities in daily life.
Project Objectives:
- To create a support network of youth workers,
- To discuss difficulties faced in the profession and opportunities to overcome them;
- To explore and learn methods and tools to overseen overall wellbeing in youth work, at emotional, physical, mental and emotional level;
- To develop strategies for self-awareness, self-management, self-regulation, empathy, social skills and intrinsic motivation;
- To develop strategies to promote sustainability of wellbeing and youth work, which ensure effectivity in daily activities with young people.
The target groups agreed were the follow:
- Youth workers, educators, pedagogues, youth leaders, project coordinators, 18+ with the follow characteristics;
- YWers w/influence&understanding/experience in work with YP;
- YWers w/facing geoographic disadvantages, facing geograpical&social obstacles;
- YWers working w/ YP NEET, fewer opportunities (facing social, economic&geographic obstacles);
- Actively involve in NGO work;
- Interested in the topic and willing to spread and implement the knowledge from the TC afterwards in their work or in the
organizations;
- Aware of the reality of YW and YP's needs;
- W/experience in YW at NGO or institutional level;
- Motivated to gain knowledge, attitudes and new skills in the topic to deliver to the local reality and have impact at local level;
- Willing to contribute for YW improvement.
The TC gathered youth workers from: Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain.
The following methods were used:
1) Wellbeing, to understand the concept and its importance - discussions, meditation and role playing;
Methods to work on the strenght of wellbeing:
2) Yoga; 3) TRE; 4) Mindfulness and Vipassana; 5) Gong and Tibetam bowls concert. All activities were developed in contact with nature, to promote awareness of our ecosystem.
Sessions&Aims: Sessions adressed topics such as:
- Wellbeing in youth work: Understanding realities of youth work practice in the partner countries, Discussion of wellbeing and its influence in YW; Overcome difficulties to achieve wellbeing - partnership based approach - Mindfulness Understanding and practicing Mindfulness - COACHING AND MENTORING Understand the methods to support YWers and empower young people; Discuss wellbeing and its influence in YW, Overcome difficulties to achieve wellbeing - partnership based approach - PSYCHOLOGY BASICS ON YOUTH WORK Understand how our brain works/ mindsets, shift of energy levels and its influence, develop habits, w/positive influence in all areas of life, understand thoughts, feelings, moods/ mental states/ emotions. - PSYCHOLOGY SUPPORT IN YOUTH WORK Positive psychology, risk prevention. - PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR WELL BEING ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR WELL BEING PROMOTION OF YOUTH WORK This block was filled w/the contribution of participants' or extra support given by the trainer and facilitators. We worked on wellbeing balance in a risk prevention approach and awareness, maintenance and vigilance of own needs, contributing to overcome difficulties which can cause professional burnout in youth work, mental health disturbs or, in a last level depression.
Working methods: The TC days were divided, first in a very general way, into morning sessions and afternoon sessions; and then, setting the thematic of the workshops. Morning was set upon Morning Breafing and starting, Silence
walk, Break - Free Time and/ or participants' space , Thematic Workshop I (everyday a different workshop - d1: Integration, personal and professional development; d2: Introduction to youth work profession and sustainability; d3: Wellbeing in Youth Work and values-based learning. Different sectors of wellbeing; d4: mindfulness; d5: Basics of psychology. Menthal health check up. Positive psychology. Coaching/ Mentoring.; d6: Strategies for future work support. Future cooperation). Afternoon had the follow content: Thematic Workshop II (related to the topic of the day); nature walk, Discussion Time; Meditation. Meeting w reflection group and peers. The methods were based on a mix of sessions between Training Course and Seminar - finding the best balance of work. There was space for participants to share knowledge or skills, related w the topic of the TC. Morning breaks will be done in the form of intercultural exchange, instead of intercultural evenings, supporting the intercultural learning of the TC.
Photos and a video of the TC;
Opne shared feedback from the participants;
Materials acessed openly;
A toolkit with refelections shared;
A social xapaign of wellbeing, created by the participants.
Main trainer: in charge of the creation of the agenda, devliver skills, knowledge, attitudes (competences) relted to wellbeing, support facilitators within yoga, TRE and gong and tibetan bowls workshops.
Support learning and facilitate workshops. Coordinate the workshops week.