TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Sandra Gojić
Background and theme of the training course
With the gradual multiculturalization of Europe and current migrant crisis, youth workers and organizations across Europe face everyday challenge of understanding and supporting young people coming from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The added challenge rises up when youth workers face the invisible minority within these groups – Young People of diverse sexual and gender identities. Therefore, organizations now have to operate in context where sexual/gender identity and ethnic/cultural affiliation are sometimes in conflict, and they need to develop appropriate skills that will allow them to effectively support this group of Young
people. As a response to these challenges, we believe youth workers should discover, develop and promote best youth work practices by creating international network of organizations working on this issue.
Need:
Youth workers and different community organizations play a crucial role in creating diverse and inclusive environments that support integration of young people coming from diverse
ethnic/cultural backgrounds and sexual/gender identities. In order to do that, they need to cultivate new capacities and nurture intersectional approach when supporting young people
coming from these backgrounds. We found that there is a need to raise awareness of sexual/gender identity & cultural/ethnic diversity and how they intersect when working with young people. But there is a greater need for cooperation on a European level between organizations working on these topics, and a need to share, learn and develop sustainable approaches in tackling these issues.
Overall Aim:
The overall aim is to improve capacities and empower youth workers to work effectively and
respectfully at the intersection of sexual/gender identity and culture/ethnic diversity. Furthermore this TC aims to develop the skills necessary to engage with individuals different from themselves with an open mind by accepting diversity and encouraging young people in their capacity to do the same.
Objectives:
● To raise (self) awareness and understanding of sexual/gender identity & cultural/ethnic diversity
● To recognise and challenge stereotypes that exist in European societies
● To promote Intercultural learning
● To support participants in cultivating capacities that are transferable to their own environment
● To explore and develop soft skills and competences in combining both sexual/gender and cultural diversity perspectives
● To create space for sharing good practices around sexual/gender identity and ethnic/cultural diversity
● To support participants in identifying common challenges, opportunities and solutions in this area of work
● To learn more about the Erasmus+ program and its actions, and provide space for creating new partnerships and new projects
Target group: Youth workers, individuals and organizations who work with young people and are interested in the intersection of ethnic/cultural diversity & sexual/gender identity.
Participating Countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Poland, Romania and Belgium
International Team: Ireland, Belgium, Italy
Open Space, Theatre, Human Libraries, SDL, Working in pairs and small groups, discussion, sharing, intercultural activities, workshops developed by the participants, role plays, theory and practice, reflection.
New partnerships, new ERASMUS+ projects, Local actions, Inclusive attitude within participating organisations.
Project Coordinator and Trainer. Development of the training programme and the activities and delivery of them together with a co-facilitator.