MPOWERING U2 LEAD UTH - Italian Edition

Aims & objectives

Objectives of this training course:
1) To assist participants in the personal self-development of their leadership competencies.
Helping them to identify the competences necessary to be a good leader, as well as to evaluate which of these competences they already have and which ones they must acquire or still improve.

2) To enable participants to understand and trust their own ability to inspire young people.
Through experimentation, group work and reflective process, to help them to become aware of these skills and to put in practice with the rest of participants during the training.

3) To provide participants with good communication and group dynamics skills.
Through communication and conflict activities, reflection and theoretical input about communication, as well as with a practical communication session in front of the rest of participants.

4) To explore the participants' organizational skills and how these can be used to support young people in becoming more involved in extra-curricular activities in their community.

5) To discover the value of the Erasmus+: Youth In Action programme as a tool for the development of young people.

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

32 youth workers from:
- Italy
- Spain
- the Netherlands
- Greece
- Romania
- North Macedonia
- Montenegro
- Portugal
- Latvia
- Estonia
- Poland
- Malta
- Serbia

Training methods used & main activities

WORKING METHODS:
The working methods that we will use will be those of non formal education, including group work, discussions, interactive workshops, exchange of experience, simulations, open space, creative process and experimentation in the training environment, self reflection process in pairs and in groups.
The team believe in the "learning by doing" approach and in offering a training that is centered in the learner and promote the participation.
During this course, the participants will explore their own experiences as leaders, as active members of their organisations, and as active and responsible agents for their own learning. They will develop skills, attitudes and strategies that leaders need to make a positive impact in the lives of the young people.
Through experimental and reflective learning, as well as through individual learning in pairs and small groups, the participants will learn from each other. Also we intent to use methods and creative activities to support the learning exercises.

In order to help the participants to recognise and document their learning during the course, as well as their personal development and their application to the other, participants will use a learning diary to set goals and record their learning.

Divided in different sections, the modules of the programme allow participants to gain awareness of their thinking, feeling and acting in specific situations.

In relation to the planning of activities, three modules will be covered:
@ Leadership
@ Empowerment (empowering oneself and empowering others)
@ Team and Project management (with the implementation of a practical activity).

The following topics will be covered in the above modules (please check the timetable template for more info about the activities and their methods)
- Welcome, Getting to know each other, Introduction to the course and overview, Teambuilding activities
- Introduction to leadership, Leadership styles, Leadership in Action, Leadership competences and communication
- Reflection time, Learning Outcomes and youthpass
- The learning walk, Discover the leader in me, Empowering me and creativity, Empowering Others
- The Walt Disney Strategy (introduction, preparation, feedback, implementation, conclusions)
- Intro to international project management, Erasmus+: YiA, Future projects, Action plan
- informal periodic evaluation activities, Final evaluation and closing
- Guess my passion, Organisations market, The "G" night
- Free time, visit, farewell party

Outcomes of the activity

Understanding own approach to leadership and the responsibility on own your learning process.

The training course empowered participants to take responsibility for their own learning and development and to:

@ become more actively involved in their organizations and their local community
@ transfer newly acquired skills to the young people and community they work with through local initiatives.
@ maintain friendships and professional contacts with course participants and share good youth work practice
@ share and learn tools and working methods introduced during the course (Facebook, Skype, etc.)
@ engage in future projects with participants from other countries, e.g. EVS, youth exchanges, training courses, etc.
@ introduce intercultural work at home and build more respectful and united communities to reduce social exclusion.
@ gain skills, knowledge, experiences and contacts that will help them to improve as leaders.
@ become more aware of their role and identify new possibilities in their organizations.

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

- Co-creator of the project application
- Selection and communication with the partners
- Logistic and administrative coordination
- Co-trainer
- Evaluation and reporting

I worked on this training for 8 days as a full time trainer.