TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Areg Tadevosyan
The General Aims of the project were:
A. To organize an in-deep journey (pilgrimage) to the core of Non Formal Education, Creativity and Art, in order to develop/establish a new quality of educational aspects in projects organized within the framework of the YOUTH programme
B. To foster exchange and cooperation of people and organizations from different cultural and social backgrounds in the European Union, Eastern Europe and the Caucasus Region – in order to overcome existing fears, prejudices and stereotypes, and instead to establish the feeling of a common European Identity
Target Group:
Participants of the TC were youth workers and trainers from EU and partner countries interested in non-formal education and concerned with some tendencies within that field. They were also experienced and/or motivated in regard to the development of projects under Actions 1, 2, and 5 of the YOUTH Programme. They havel directly benefited from participation in this TC, will raise their qualification in the organization of international training activities. They will serve as multipliers and will transfer the knowledge and skills gained during the TC to their respective organizations and target groups.
Intercultural Dimension:
All the activities of the TC have been directed towards the topic of intercultural learning and dialogue. We had a wide selection of participants from different cultural backgrounds involved in the event, and much of the learning will come from the group itself through sharing and experiencing activities. The programme included some special activities directly related to intercultural learning, tolerance, overcoming of prejudice and stereotypes, and intercultural communication. The process of intercultural learning also included presentations on respective countries and cultures, national evenings (cuisine, music, clothes, folk and contemporary youth songs, games etc.), and a lot of informal communication.
Methods used:
A team of experienced international trainers have implemented the programme of the TC, ensuring the facilitation of a successful learning experience. We have used non-formal experiential learning methods based on mutual learning situations, combining the training modules and formal presentations through the use of a wide range of activities, such as working groups, practical skills workshops, reflection groups, interactive exercises and an attractive social programme. Active participation, group and team work and learning-by-doing hve formed the methodological foundations of the course.
This TC have been an interactive, experiential and intercultural event exploring the concepts of Non Formal Education, Creativity and Arts. Acting as methodological framework outdoor activities as well as open space technology have been used during the course - as a possibility to touch in the depth of the subjects in which the participants are interested in (e.g. issues of personal development and their link to team work, different techniques of training etc.). The team have provided the main framework and have facilitated the activities in open space.
Outcomes: A wide range of non-traditional new ways of training organization were tested and summarized by the participants. The programme contributed a lot to the personal development of the participants and their trainer competences. A set of methods of work in outdoor education settings were developed, tested and summarized by the group.
My Responsabilities: Co-organizer (hosting organization) and Trainer