AIM & OBJECTIVES:

The course aims at contributing to the preparation of the staff members to manage, lead and execute daily tasks related to the management of the youth center, including leadership and organizational skills, financial and human resource management and necessary European dimension.

Specific objectives:

• to develop youth worker competences of the staff and volunteers of youth centers and youth clubs

• to encourage and support young people coming from different social and cultural backgrounds in the process of becoming engaged in leadership roles in youth centers and youth clubs

• to explore good practice for working in youth centers and youth clubs

• to present diverse set of tools and methodologies available - to be used by the youth workers in their everyday work in the youth centers

• to support the youth workers’ learning process in better dissemination of results from Erasmus+ projects in their local community through activities in their youth centers

• to present to the youth workers the different learning opportunities on European level that are offered by the Erasmus+

DESCRIPTION

The training course "YOUTHIFICATION of Youth Centers 2017" was the second edition of the set of training courses for youth workers named "YOUTHIFICATION". The training course took place from 23rd - 30th November 2017 in a small village called Leysin on the Alps in Switzerland. There were 32 youth workers, representatives from 10 different partner organization from abroad, coming from 11 countries: Armenia, Czechia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, N. Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

This training course offered many different tools, methodologies and techniques for working with young people within different type of youth centers, youth clubs, youth offices or any other youth structures. The youth workers who took part, shared their best practice from their countries and communities where they are actively engaged. Same as last year, the approach in this training course was process-based with significant emphasis on the Learning to Learn concept.

The activities followed a logical flow that was compatible to the target group and provided platform for exploring the issues in a safe learning environment where mistakes are allowed to be made. The project was based on non-formal learning principles, approaches and methodologies. The participants were encouraged to analyses, reflect on and develop learning from every aspect. During and after activities there were time-out periods where the participants were challenged to analyses dynamics, to explore what is going on in the group, to understand their own actions and reactions. There were inputs and theories, case studies, coaching sessions, role play & simulation activities, experiential learning, exercises where participants practiced and developed new skills and used different tools.