TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Rodrigo de Melo e Castro
The training course had the duration of 6 days, where participants with the support of a team of 4 experienced experts in non formal education and youth participation spaces experienced an intense learning process that enabled them to develop the competences to efficiently introduce new working methods into local youth councils, youth fora and/or other spaces of permanent structured dialogue at the local level.
The activity aimed to reach the following specific objectives:
- Raise the awareness of the importance of building environments where participation is enhanced based on NFE approaches and methods;
- Develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes of actors developing youth platforms for local decision-making (youth councils, fora, others strcutures and instruments);
- Developing facilitation SKA’s and methods for managing efficient meetings among youth leaders and authorities officials;
- Developing and sharing knowledge of different settings and procedures for setting co-management systems;
- Develop participants’ on core features and principles concerning NFE methodologies and on methods that can be used to address youth participation in structures such as youth council, youth foras among other.
- Providing the space and guidance for the development of action plans to introduce or develop further existing youth councils based on non formal education methodologies;
- Identify and develop instruments based on NFE to overcome obstacles and challenges in the development of such structures of youth participation.
The participants team was composed by youth workers and stakeholders from the local municipalities, from Poland(CAT), Romania (ATI and the Local Council Slobozia), Malta (Aġenzija Żgħażagħ), Estonia (Haaslava Municipality), Latvia (Center of creative services of Eastern Latvia) and Turkey (Habitat and Euromed Youth Center).
The programme was structured with a balanced combination of introductory plenary discussions, round tables and working groups supported by invited experts on the different fields approached during the five working days.
The use of non-formal education methodologies will ensure the active participation of all individuals involved. Working groups and active methods was also used in order to create an environment that encourages a dynamic involvement of all participants. The diversity of approaches was used in order to addresses the group various ways to better engage and contribute to the discussed topics. The presence of experienced facilitators and moderators during the all programme definitely contributed to create a productive and efficient working environment.
During the training course we start to create a draft Tool kit booklet with relevant information about youth participation, youth policies, training tools, key concepts, etc. We also develop a draft of a Quality charter - list with the principles that such a structure of youth participation should achieve in order to have a standard of quality. One of the most relevant achievements was that, during the training, youth workers and local councils had the opportunity to start working together in a strategical plan to promote youth participation at local levels and understood the importance of involve young people in the processes of decision making.
Full time trainer and co-responsibe for the training curriculum.