“Y-work for peace?” study session

Aims & objectives

More about activity can be read in the report that I wrote.
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/youth/Training/Study_sessions/Study_sessions_reports_en.asp#TopOfPage

The aim of the activity was to improve the life of young people and in particularly those living in conflict
affected communities by raising the quality of youth work and in particular non-formal educational
activities addressing peace building issues.
The objectives of the study session were:
1. To raise participants awareness about youth work (including activities of non-formal education)
realities in various countries (in particular in conflict affected communities)
2. To explore the key concepts related to peace building and reconciliation and their relevance to
daily reality in conflict affected communities and youth work
3. To motivate participants to develop initiatives aimed to improve the daily life of young people in
particular in conflict affected communities
4. To familiarize participants with the key values of the Council of Europe, its approaches, materials
(in particular T-kit 12 on conflict transformation) and tools of youth work and non-formal education
5. To strengthen the communication and cooperation process within the WostAYN network

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

The participants of the study session were youth workers, activists, youth leaders, members of WostAYN
network and partner youth organizations from across Europe (especially from post-conflict areas). During
the selection we took into account the level of involvement in the local organisations/communities and
commitment to act as a multiplier after the study session.
The study session brought 26 participants from 18 countries who were:
- coming from conflict affected communities or/and actively working with them or/and willing
to implement youth projects related to conflict transformation or peace building;
- working with young people through non-formal education and other tools and ways;
- willing to join and contribute to the development of the network and its strategies;
- willing to become involved in the initiatives within the areas of work of the Network;
- able to work in Russian and/or English;
- preferably under 30 years of age (the exceptions from this rule were possible);
- able to participate in the whole duration of the study session.
The countries represented during the study session covered countries of Council of Europe and beyond:
Armenia, Ukraine, Cyprus, Georgia, Kosovo,
, Turkey, the Russian Federation, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
France, Belgium, Hungary, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Denmark, Great Britain, the
Netherlands and Kazakhstan. The age limit was from 18 till 30 years old, 4 participants were over 30.

Training methods used & main activities

We followed the methodology of non-formal education.
The methods used
1) working groups - participants shared their experiences and realities, discussed in smaller groups;
2)
- Activities from Compass (a manual on Human Rights Education with young people) and Bookmarks
(a manual on fighting hate speech online) were presented, used and explained with the
view of their further possible implementation

Outcomes of the activity

By implementing this study session we developed the network of youth organizations as well as
competences of young activists, leaders and youth workers who are dealing in the field of peace
building and conflict transformation. We helped our member organizations to learn how non-formal
education can be beneficial for conflict affected communities, how youth work can contribute to peace
building. We also had lots of reflections about specificity of youth work in general in conflict affected
communities. And we created a lot of space for personal informal and formal networking.
A couple of participants were more qualified than the majority of the group – so their educational expectations
and learning needs were much higher and sometimes even more specific. As a team we
had to make our choices but orientation to the majority did not fully allow us to address the requests of
the advanced participants. But for the rest we had a feeling that their educational needs were fully
met.
In brief we can confirm that:
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1. The networking processes within WostAYN were re-activated. The willingness of cooperation
and mutual project implementation became much stronger.
2. The first mutual project (a flash-mob dedicated to the recognition of Genocide) was prepared
and done during the study session.
3. The members of the network improved their competences in youth work including nonformal
education related to peace building. They are more competent now in dealing with diverse
groups of participants, running non-formal educational activities, project management
and other fields. Participants also improved their social and civic competences such as team
work, communication skills, tolerance to ambiguity, active citizenship.
4. Participants raised their awareness on existing international documents to be used in their
youth work related to peace-building.
5. Ideas for projects were developed by participants during the activity and were finalized after
the study session. The participants plan to implement them. Specific long-term consultancy
was suggested to support the implementation of youth activities and projects related to
peace-issues. High level of inspiration to multiply the experience, knowledge, projects and
approach as such was very noticeable.
6. Clearer vision of values and approaches of European youth work became new measurement
for participants – new understanding what youth work can be like and can do in conflict
affected communities.
7. Information about available resources of the Council of Europe, SALTO etc. and initiatives in
field of peace building was shared and will be used.
8. Participants got better understanding of realities and youth work particularities in countries/
regions of Europe.
Follow-up activities
A range of different follow-up measures were taken up by participants and the organisers of this study
session, including:
1. As a follow up we envisage to organize series of non-formal educational activities (prepared by
participants). We also expect that participants will get involved in online activities of the Council
of Europe on peace building and conflict transformation. They have participated in a workshop
on “No Hate Speech Movement”, developed some ideas that are planned to be elaborated
further.
2. A Facebook-group was created and will be kept to hold cooperation and exchange information.
3. Supporting participants in project development and personal learning is planned by the team
of the study session and WostAYN.
4. We plan to post the report on our web-page and share useful resources that can be interesting
for participants and other interested parties.
5. Participants got better understanding of the situation in different regions and countries and
the role of youth work in the field of peace-building.
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6. Training courses will be organized by WostAYN in order to satisfy the learning needs of its
members as well as other organizations that would like to be involved.
7. Resource materials are suggested for participants to explore. Assistance will be provided in
adopting the tools and approaches of NFE for the local context.
8. Facebook group created during the study session will be kept and administrated by participants
themselves.
9. A number of local educational activities were developed during the activity. WostAYN will
support to implement these activities on local level in different countries.
10. Due to the study session participants of the program have a better understanding about
situations and realities in different countries now. The programme gave them an opportunity
to meet representatives of various organizations from different countries and create network
for future cooperation as well as broader picture of existing initiatives.
List of Mass Media making programme visibility
English  
1. http://armenpress.am/eng/news/784486/pan‐armenian‐y‐work‐for‐peace‐launches‐in‐
budapest.html
2. http://en.hayernaysor.am/%D5%A5%D5%B2%D5%A5%D5%BC%D5%B6%D5%AB‐
%D5%B3%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%A1%D5%B9%D5%B4%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%B6‐
%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B2%D5%B2%D5%BE%D5%A1%D5%AE‐
%D5%A1%D5%AF%D6%81%D5%AB%D5%A1‐%D5%A2%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%A4%D5%A1/
3. http://wostayn.net/implemented‐projects/pan‐armenian‐y‐work‐for‐peace‐launches‐in‐
budapest.html
4. http://wostayn.net/implemented‐projects/armenian‐youth‐hold‐action‐for‐genocide‐
recognition‐in‐budapest.html
5. http://www.erit.am/index.php?id=26922&lang=2
Armenian
1. http://www.hraparak.am/?p=67400&l=am/budapeshtum+meknarkel+e+eritasardakan+ashxata
nq%D5%9D+hanun+xaxaxutyan+hamahaykakanvo%D6%82sucoxakan+cragiry
2. http://www.ankakh.com/article/7113/yeghyerrni‐tjanachmann‐ughghvats‐aktsia‐
budapyeshtum
3. http://henaran.am/news_view.php?post_id=50740
4. http://www.aravot.am/2014/11/23/518330/
5. http://topnews.mediamall.am/?id=102838
6. http://slaq.tv/arm/news/231418/
7. http://wostayn.net/news/%D5%A2%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%A4%D5%A1%D5%BA%D5%A5%D5%B
7%D5%BF%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B4‐
%D5%B4%D5%A5%D5%AF%D5%B6%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%AF%D5%A5%D5%AC‐%D5%A7‐
%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%AB%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%BD%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%A4.html
8. http://edmonmarukyan.com/?s=%D5%B8%D5%BD%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%B6
9. http://news.am/arm/news/240071.html
10. http://orer.eu/%D5%A2%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%A4%D5%A1%D5%BA%D5%A5%D5%B7%D5%BF
%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B4‐
%D5%B4%D5%A5%D5%AF%D5%B6%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%AF%D5%A5%D6%81‐
%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%AB%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%BD%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%A4%D5%A1%D5%
AF/
11. http://times.am/?p=101639&l=am/budapeshtum+meknarkel+e+eritasardakan+ashxatanq%D5
%9D+hanun+xaxaxutyan+hamahaykakan+cragiry
12. http://www.aztagdaily.com/archives/216294

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

I was a course director and full-time trainer trainer.

I worked on this training for 7 plus preparation meeting 4 days as a full time trainer.