AIM & ONBJECTIVES:

Most youth organizations are engaging in developmental youth work with young people, this is not just about building relationships but also about equipping them with skills and competencies for their journey into adulthood, through workshops and training activities. Many young people involved in youth work become volunteers themselves and take on responsibilities and in time are expected to run workshops, Erasmus Plus Programme activities, teach others the skills of youth work and so on. The skills and tools related to being a trainer are rarely taught. This project provided basic skills and tools for young people who want to develop their trainer competencies.

The project’s objectives:

• to encourage young potential trainers to review and enhance their competencies in the non-formal setting,

• to develop basic training competencies, group dynamics, communication and presentations skills and to get them to practice and build on existing skills,

• to provide safe space for learning where participants will be learning by doing, while being supported in the process by experienced trainers,

• to facilitate the process of building strong relationships among young people from different cultures and creating feeling of solidarity and empathy,

• to promote the Erasmus + Programme and the possibilities that it offers.

DESCRIPTION

SUBKULT cooperated with AIESEC Zurich student organization and together have organized the "Training of Trainers - Skills & Tools 2015" in Switzerland. The training course took place in Leysin, Canton of Vaud, starting from 6th – 14th September 2015. The 15 countries involved were: Switzerland, United Kingdom, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Montenegro, Estonia, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Spain, Portugal and Greece.

This was 9-day training course for 32 participants from the partner organizations from these countries. The participants were inexperienced trainers with no or very small experience as trainers. 2 professional trainers were leading this training course: Nik Paddison and Hranush Shahnazaryan. It was themed as Skills and Tools and was focusing at the practical development of training skills and tools for young youth work inexperienced trainers, it covered the basics of training, the exploration of work with groups as a trainer.

The subjects were covered using a combination of inputs, process work and practice. Each element covered was practiced in order to practically enhance the skills of the young trainers. The project was using non-formal education/learning as the basis of learning.

Throughout this project we informed the participants and brought them closer the Erasmus Plus Programme opportunities, motivating and encouraging them actively to engage as youth leaders, trainers and entrepreneurs in the processes for bringing positive changes in Europe, which will cause decreasing of the current high rates of youth unemployment, will bring innovative approaches in the youth work field and will open new perspectives for the young people’s career building.

The project had strong impact on the young people's behavior and attitudes towards the youth work and non-formal education, as a direct result of the practical aspect of the training course that put the participants directly into the role of a trainer, leading workshops and learning by doing. At the end of the training course, the participants were committed to transfer their knowledge to their organisations once they go back in their communities.