Re-Think and Re-Create

Aims & objectives

To raise awareness of youth workers about environmental issues particularly waste
• to provide a ground to meet and learn new and creative ways for recycling waste, that is created by our everyday actions
• to equip youth workers with the tool of creative recycling and media tools to be able to react on environmental issues in an innovative way and transfer it to their work and reach wide public
• to empower youth workers to become active citizens, through sharing of critical knowledge and understanding of a sustainable way of living
In the network of the partner organisations there was a need of innovative elements and methods to use in non-formal education. Therefore we presented and used in practice the method of creative recycling. Participants are still using the method and developed some ideas even further after the training.

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

Target group of the training course were youth workers, trainers, volunteers of youth associations and NGOs, peer educators, youth trainers, mentors and coaches. Countries involved were: Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Lithuania, Romania, and Latvia

Training methods used & main activities

Training methods used were:
- learning by experiment
- creative recycling workshops
- team building processes
- open space
- outdoor activities
- setting a value statement
- reflection groups
- coaching and mentoring
- sharings
- group challenges
- sustainability workshops
- media workshops
- creative open event organized by the participants in the end of the training course

Outcomes of the activity

The biggest success of the training was what the group of participants created all together: in the end of the training using all what they have learned int he first days of the training they created and organized an open event in Bratislava for youth. In the event they shared the creative recycling techniques to the audience. The event itself was a big success, with many visitors, and many local young people involved. The combination of creative recycling and media workshops were a great chance to involve creativity into visibility. Many participants from the training started local social and environmental initiatives after the program, and some of them is running a social enterprise since then. 5 of them returned to other trainings as assistants. ReCreativity is still in cooperation with Mladiinfo Slovakia who organized the training course, since then another program for entrepreneurs was organized in the same cooperation.
Online magazine:
http://www.joomag.com/magazine/recreativtiy-social-enterprise/0924195001445261050?short

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

I was responsible for the organiser team.Took the team coach & supervisor role.
- To guide their learning
- To facilitate evening sharing sessions
- To prepare them for each activity mentally and physically
- To organize their time schedule
- To organise their practical tasks
- To support them by asking questions and active listening
- To facilitate small group discussions
- To do body movement with the team
- To evaluate their learning outcomes

I worked on this training for 9 days as a full time trainer.