TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Panayiotis Theodorou
The aim of the course was to provide trainers members of national pools with an
opportunity to develop skills and competencies in order to become more confident,
independent and knowledgeable within YiA and promoters of self-directed learning
within the wider youth community.
To focus on delivering quality in trainings contents incl. solidify YiA knowledge,
further skills development and encourage pro-active attitude to non-formal
learning;
To bridge the gap in pools (experienced vs. newcomers) by providing newcomers
with opportunity to catch up in YiA, NFE, L2L etc domains;
To stimulate learning process (self-directed for the trainers themselves + improve
the ability of trainers to direct others’ learning processes as resource people)
To improve the cost-benefit ratio for TCP budget of participating NAs by allowing
more trainers to undergo topical ToT on various themes and levels offered
several times within a calendar year;
Trainers newcomers to national pools with no or limited background of the Youth
in Action Programme;
13 participants from 5 different countries. Bulgaria,Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Slovakia
Non Formal Methodology was followed and implemented within the workshops and activities:
- topic inputs
- small group works
- discussions
- practice by participants in developing sessions
- debriefing
- open team meetings (Anonymous hitchhikers meetings)
- role plays
With regards usefulness and level of satisfaction, 92% or 12 out of 13 respondents said
they found the training useful for their current job as trainers in national pools. 11 people
thought they obtained new knowledge and 10 believe the methods used were definitely
adequate for the setting and group composition. Below one can get an idea of some of
the comments on the most beneficial part of the program according to the participants:
…presenting the different tools for designing a training - like PEMS, MB model,
etc. Also the moments of sharing and the discussions with the option to ask
questions..
…team group - cooperating with different personalities, deal with them and
accept…Performing of results from team work /topic: preparation of tool,
sessions…Debriefing and getting feedback from performed activities…Getting
information - learning theories and models…Sharing tools…
…the tool fair, various methodology presented and used by trainers, the small
group work and especially presentation of objectives / training methods…
When asked what other topics NAs should focus to develop the competences of their
national pools, participants mentioned areas that are already included in the coming
modules in Czech republic and Croatia, such as:
- Communication and facilitation skills;
- Conflict management;
- Promoting the internalization of trainers;
- YiA in the wider EU policy.
A comment worth consideration is the request for NAs to provide more job shadowing
opportunities for members of national trainer pools to exchange experience and see
where they stand in a wider international context as well as the idea “…to invite skillful
trainer(s) from abroad to make thematic workshops for the domestic pool of trainers,
what should to become regular practice…”.
To sum it up, the first module of the Hitchhiker’s series of ToTs has proven to be a
productive attempt in offering knowledge and insight into the world of NFE and YiA for
trainers newcomers in national pools. The TC contributed to the objective of bridging the
gap between different trainers in pools and it definitely increased the cost: benefit ratio
for some of the participating NAs offering an opportunity for 4 trainers at once to
undergo targeted professional training in a week time.
As a trainer i was responsible for designing, and implementing the activities with my co-trainer. Taking care of the participants learning process and eventually preparing evaluation and report for the national agencies involved