YDCA

Aims & objectives

The training aimed to equip youth workers with critical thinking and creativity skills, practical methodologies, and NFE tools to support disadvantaged young people’s employability in the cultural business sector. It addressed high youth unemployment (NEETs) in Southern Europe and North Africa by fostering trans-continental cooperation and improving participants’ ability to analyse workplace problems and develop creative solutions. The activity directly served the project’s goal of building youth operators’ capacities to increase youngsters’ social integration and job-market readiness.

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

16 youth workers in total (educators and leaders), with 4 participants per partner organisation from:
• Italy (MVNGO)
• Spain (AJ Intercambia)
• Greece (STIMMULI)
• Morocco (MFF)
• Algeria (AIN SEFRA / YCDA)
• Egypt (TWB)

Training methods used & main activities

Non-Formal Education (NFE) methodologies, including; simulations, round-table discussions, case-study analysis, practical exercises, participatory presentations, study visits to local cultural businesses, and expert external contributions.

Outcomes of the activity

The courses generated TC Report, compiled from trainer observations and participant questionnaires. Feedback from both courses fed into the “Creativity and Critical Thinking” Handbook, published as an Open Educational Resource on the project website. Success was verified through daily evaluation groups, participant self-assessment, and the subsequent integration of tested formats into the project’s e-course and local workshops.

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

The training courses formed part of Research phase and Handbook development. As a TWB representative, my role has included contributing to the development of one training module, organising local technicalities (pre-departure meetings, logistics), and co-delivering and supporting the NFE-based training alongside the consortium. Each course gathered 16 youth workers (4 per partner) to test the project’s training formats.

I worked on this training for 14 days as a full time trainer.

Testimonial of the reference person

As LEAR of Training Without Borders (TWB), I confirm that Michael Gendy served as a core team member throughout our Erasmus+ project “Youth Development through Cre-Action” (YDCA), Grant Agreement No. 101051779 (2022–2024). Michael led TWB’s national research, co-developed training modules, coordinated and trained youth workers in the international Training Courses in Egypt and Morocco, and managed the local workshops for disadvantaged young people in Cairo.

He also represented TWB at transnational partner meetings, facilitated our Job Shadowing exchange in Greece, and ensured all reporting and Arabic translation deliverables were completed on schedule. Michael proved to be a reliable, culturally competent professional with strong expertise in training, non-formal education and EU project coordination. I recommend him wholeheartedly for any future role in international youth work or project management.