TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Mkrtich Dallakyan
The overall aim of our training course is to increase the quality of EVS projects by giving the new-comers in EVS necessary competencies on how to prepare for EVS well and avoid possible problems. Main objective of the training course was to support the motivated youth organizations in their efforts of getting involved in EVS and provide them with information, tools and skills for successful implementation and realisation of such European Voluntary Service (EVS) with and in the partner countries of EECA.
The Training Course gathered participants with knowledge and those who were interested in EVS. The participants were from Eastern Europe and Caucasus and European counties. Some of the participants will for the first time meet people from another European country they knew very little about before. And what they knew or what they had previously heard might only have been clichés or prejudices or some superficial headlines from the mass media. In addition such activities as excursions, national evenings and also free times will be conducted in order to give opportunity for participants to get to know more about their traditions and cultures. Understanding the differences and similarities between our traditions and ways of thinking will create an idea of uniqueness of all cultures and, on the other hand, will promote equality of all nations.
The methods we used throughout the training course were rather non-formal, non-frontal and participative. The methods were chosen in a way to allow for a maximum of substantial learning effects, meet the needs of the group and encourage a high identification and ownership of the participants with the content and process of the training. The contents conveyed and the capacities that were built during the training were tangible and directly applicable. An important consideration for us when designing the materials and choosing the methods were also the middle- and long term applicability and transferability of the results (knowledge, skills, tools, competences, partnerships, …) of the training course once the participants return home. One important tool for this long-term effect is a personal and professional development plan, that the particpiants had an opportunity to elaborate during the TC, both in individual as in coached sessions. Also, the participants elaborated written plans for future co-operation and follow-up activities.
The training course was about European Voluntary Service, which itself highlights the sense of European Citizenship and the role of youth for future Europe. Participants were from EU and EECA countriesParticipants thus insured diversity of presented realities and opinions, through planned activities which encouraged country and culture presentations.
Many activities which underlined importance of cooperation through understanding similarities and differences of rural youth realities and necessity of common efforts and sharing best practices.
In one sentence, youth workers from many European countries, having rural development as a common concern, united in their effort to come up with tools and solution that could be "fitting needs of every European rural community". Participants have learnt to great extents what are the funding elements and core values of European Citizenship as a value-based identity rather than race, ethnicity, religion elements that characterised the formation of nations in the last centuries.
In a large view, one could say that this training course especially strengthened young people’s active participation as European citizens, and civil society in general, as it is aimed at empowering NGOs and the young people filling the NGOs with life with their commitment, enthusiasm and work. Furthermore, the training course aimed at building up attitudes and values related to entrepreneurship, life-long learning and solidarity, which are clearly European concerns.
I worked on this training for 7 days as a full time trainer.