TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Darko Mitevski
- Know-how - To provide the participants with information on how some things
are done, why some things are done in particular way, what
- Improve participants soft skills such as public speaking, presentation skills, self expression skills etc
- Provide tools for delivery of workshops – such as simulations, team building games, brainstorming, creating learning environment, creative environment etc
- Provide hard copy materials (guidebooks and written materials)
- Provide coaching and mentoring. It is important to understand which things participants can improve and you realize this with our guidance.
We were 6 countries of participants(CYprus, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Romania, Slovenia). We were 14 nationalities there (Macedonians, Bosnians, Americans etc). The trainers were also from the above mentioned countries.
We used so many menthods that I would need a page to write them all so I would just mention few:
- Learning by doing - we would give basic information about the topic(example presentation skills), we would give tips, and then we would give a task to deliver a speech, and the trainers to feedback each participant.
- Simulations - we stressed the need of creating a group dynamics and creating a culture within a group. Then we did it all together, separating them into groups and developing identity over the period of 8 days. This hyped up the energy in the project and everyone got to know eachother so fast and we became oen big family.
- Listening skills - Big part of being a good trainer is being able to listen. But not only listen to others, but also listening to yourself, and the environment around you. We made listening to your senses workshop.
- Fun games like(gossip box, secret friend, sugar cubes, morning plenary etc)
- Personal goal setting (long term plans, short term plans professional and personal, values reassessment etc)
- Generally many mothods, many creative and non common ones...we wanted to do as many as possible in order to show to our participants
We successfully transferred the know-how to the future trainers and we got a highly motivated group of future trainers. We didnt just simply gave them information(which comes by default), but the added value of the project was that we guided the participants to pick the information they need and to challenge us as exprienced trainers to share the "secrets" that are not written in any book and they come from specific and personal experiences. We showed them different styles from different backgrounds of trainers(business, NGO, university backgrounds). We also pushed their limits to deliver since one big part was delivery and they had to deliver things - deliver speeches, participate in debates, develop workshop - and all this - onsite.
I was the program responsible and leader of the trainers team.
- Responsible to assemble the team of diverse and experienced trainers
- Responsible to lead the development of the program and workshops adjusting it to the needs of the participants
- Responsible for preparation of the trainers team and their motivation
- Delivery of 1/4 of all the workshops(creativity in training workshop, Methods and tools for training workshop, self-expression skills workshop, public speaking and presentation skills)
- Responsible for personal goal setting and mentoring of the participants