TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Karlo Brunović
The main objective of the training was raising awareness of partners' youth workers about their role in prevention
of radicalisation and violent extremism by providing them theoretical framework and practical tools
for reaching out to vulnerable groups in their communities, such as refugees, asylum seekers and
migrants. Specific objectives included equipping youth workers with intercultural skills and newly
developed non-formal tools essential for addressing the needs of youth susceptible to RVE,
promoting shared EU values of freedom, democracy, human dignity and respect, thereby fostering a
culture of dialogue, mutual understanding and social cohesion. Partners expressed a keen interest in training their youth workers to successfully approach vulnerable youth groups and contribute to a safer and more tolerant Europe. Partners were interested to share best practices and create new methods and activities for youth work on national and European level.
Participants were youth workers from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, France, Italy, Romania and
Spain.
I used World Cafe, Group Dialogue and other non formal methods. For example, I used an exercise "Guess who's coming to the party" (role play) to foster participants' understanding of the mechanisms of discrimination that exist in society and understanding dynamics of inclusion and exclusion. For mid-evaluation I used the method "My symbol, my learning" where participants needed to find nearby objects that depict their learning process and outcomes, and to explain the link between the learning and object.
Furthermore, I used a well-known exercise "Take a step forward" to foster an understanding of possible personal consequences of belonging to certain social minorities or cultural groups and questioning of prejudice. I also used the exercise "Get into the circle" (A group of participants was standing on one side of the room. The rest of the group then formed a close and tight human circle. The volunteers were given the task to get into the circle. The session was useful in bringing into awareness dynamics of exclusion and inclusion and in emphasising the importance of non-violent communication.).
24 youth workers were provided with theoretical framework and practical tools for reaching out to vulnerable groups in their communities, such as refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. Training results, namely, digital brochure on the non-formal approach to preventing radicalisation and violent extremism among youth (available on Salto) was used in partners organisations, and disseminated among partners' network to spread the impact further and influence more youth workers. Ex post evaluation showed increased familiarity of participants with core European values and the importance of youth work and non-formal education in prevention of radicalisation.
Info available at Udruga Prizma website: http://www.udrugaprizma.hr/free-mind-and-european-values.
Besides conducting training sessions, I was responsible for coordinating communication with partners and participants. I was also making sure that the team is performing in accordance with the specified deadline of the project.