Let’s TRAIN with our neighbours: Peace Education

Intro

Despite hundreds of theories what peace actually is, we would like to aim this long term training course at very practical development of competences that youth workers need for peace building.

"Let's Train with our neighbours" belongs to the long term cooperation between the Regional SALTO Resource Centres (SALTO EuroMed, SALTO South East Europe and SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus) fostered by the European Commission together with French, Slovenian and Polish National Agencies of the Youth in Action Programme:

• In 2007 "Let's MEET our Neighbours"
• In 2008 "Let's WORK with our Neighbours"
• In 2009 "Let's EVALUATE with our Neighbours"

Let's Train with our Neighbours is a new step into the cooperation. In fact, this year, each Regional SALTO in cooperation with a thematic SALTO developed a specific topic relevant for the Region. There were unique 3 parallel training curses involving participants from all Neighbouring Regions:

• SALTOs EuroMed and Participation focused on Civil Society, Participation and Democracy
• SALTOs South East Europe and Training & Cooperation focused on Recognition of non-formal learning
• and finally SALTOs Eastern Europe and Caucasus with SALTO Cultural Diversity focused on Peace Education.

Dates, venues and overall process

This activity was a long term training course based on a "learning by doing" approach and divided on 3 different steps:.

• 1st step: Training course - Georgia, 3rd to 10th October 2010 (3rd and 10th are travel days)
• 2nd step: Coaching Phase started straight after the training course and was last until the evaluation in 2011
• 3rd step: Evaluation Seminar of all the Let's Train participants - second half of 2011

Organisers and partners

This activity is organised in cooperation with SALTO Cultural Diversity within the framework of the cooperation between the 3 regional SALTO resource centres (SALTO EuroMed, SALTO South East Europe and SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus) with the support of the Polish National Agency.

Working language: English

Aim and Objectives

To support development of competences that youth workers need for peace building, we would like to set following objectives for the training course:

• to explore youth work experiences and developments in conflict areas/situations (social, economical, political, intercultural, etc.);
• to increase skills and abilities in peace building through youth work;
• to create partnerships for future projects within Youth in Action Programme in peace building;

The training run in context of:

• European Neighbourhood Policy - ENP (Eastern Europe and Caucasus, Meda);
• EU Enlargement (South East Europe);
• Youth Policy in the regional contexts;
• Youth in Action regional specificities and technicalities (Euromed Youth Programme, Balkan Window, Eastern Partnership opportunities);
• Networking and cooperation within the ENPI framework;
• Non-formal learning and Youthpass;

Methodology

The methodology provided participants the possibility to tackle the content with the support of experienced trainers. It was also serve as a vehicle to facilitate the sharing of experiences between participants. It was based at active participatory methods.

Target group

The course was for 24 youth workers and youth leaders (12 from Programme Countries, 4 from EuroMed, 4 from SEE and 4 from EECA countries) who are:

• experienced in Youth in Action Programme (or Euro-Med Youth Programme);
• open to share and develop competences regarding peace education;
• committed to co-operate during the preparation phase before the implementation of the training course according to the team of trainers' requests (preparing short articles, making researches, etc.);
• supported by organisation and have a concrete interest in implementing a youth project on the issues addressed;
• able to communicate and work in English;
• committed to attend the Long Term Training Course for its full duration (coaching phase and evaluation seminar in 2011);

The Team

The training was implemented by 2 experienced trainers:

• Giorgi Kakulia from Georgia
• Lorenzo Nava from Italy

Additionally the team was strengthen by Karolina Suchecka (Polish National Agency of Youth in Action Programme) and Tomasz Szopa (SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus).

The training was supported by Marina Gautier (SALTO Cultural Diversity).

Financial Conditions

• Polish National Agency of the Youth in Action Programme and SALTO EECA provided board and lodging for all participants,
• Travel costs of participants from Neighbouring Parter regions were fully covered on the basis of original tickets and invoices,
• Travel costs of participants from Programme Countries were covered by relevant National Agency on its own principles.

Selection Procedure

The selection was carried out by the relevant National Agencies of Youth in Action Programme and SALTOs responsible for the regions. Selected participants would be informed directly by 20th August 2010.