TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Gabriel Brezoiu
RefugeE++, a 6-day youth workers mobility, aimed to create for youth workers from partner organizations, a professional intercultural space to develop competences, share best practices and network, regarding how to efficiently communicate, make visible and disseminate results of E+ projects dealing with refugees/migrants issues, both online and offline.
The objectives we pursued through the project were:
O1 - Developing youth workers' competences to design, plan, implement & evaluate a communication strategy for projects dealing with refugees/ migrants
O2 - Empowering youth workers with practical skills in order to increase the visibility, dissemination and exploitation of results of E+ projects focused on migration
O3 - Increasing digital communication skills of youth workers dealing with refugees/ migrants
O4 - Fostering collaboration in the field of communication between NGOs dealing with refugees/ migrants at European level
RefugeE++ involved 13 organizations (including the applicant), which were carefully selected according to their expertise, background and motivation to work together with migrants and share the knowledge by disseminating the results of this training course. Some of them were already in our network, others were selected to expand our connections. Thus, besides Freeminds in action [IT, applicant], which is actively locally and internationally on the issue of refugees/ migrants, organizing meetings with local reception centers of refugees/asylum seekers and collaborating with local institutions on various aspects of integration, running seminars to raise awareness of the phenomenon as well as initiatives directly aimed at immigrants, there were 12 partners that added value to the project through their experiences and competencies, as follows:
Asociatia GEYC [RO] brought their experience in project management and communication, as well in Human Rights education;
Mladiinfo Austria [AT] added their experience in working for youth, having expertise in organizing social and entrepreneurial projects promoting social change, social inclusion and active citizenship among young people, including refugees;
Jugend Bildung und Kultur JUBUK [DE] contributed with their experience in running national and international projects for youth workers, trainers and facilitators specialized in working with minorities and refugees;
Youth Line [EL] brought expertise in creating projects for youth, including cultural or religious minorities (Syrian refugees, Roma people, Israeli community etc);
Association Mojo de Caña [ES] brought their experience in communication campaigns through social media and organizing projects that target social, economic and geographical excluded, fostering their integration and active participation;
D'Antilles & D'Ailleurs [FR] added their expertise in implementing social projects especially for women and young people with fewer opportunities, promoting social inclusion;
Kulturális Kapcsolatokért Alapítvány (Institute for Cultural Relations Policy) [HU] added expertise in scientific education and public discourse regarding cultural relations policy, with focus on refugees;
Culture Clash4U [NL] brought their expertise in dissemination, as it organizes cross cultural dialogues, events, creates films and theatre, awareness campaigns for youth, including minorities and marginalized groups;
EUROMED EVE Polska [PL] added value through their competences to develop projects for different social groups, including refugees and disabled youth;
Föreningen Framtidståget [SE] was replaced by Euromed EVE Ireland [IE], adding value to approaching various disadvantaged groups from their community;
Youthfully Yours SR [SK] added their expertise in working with people with disabilities, with fewer opportunities, problematic family backgrounds, suffering of violence, alcohol and drug consumption;
Art Nicomedia Culture and Art Association [TR] contributed through their expertise in communication and DEoR activities targeting local youth.
We used the non-formal methodology, with a very diverse range of activities, addressing all types of learning style, including energizers (at the beginning of every session), name games, ice-breaking and getting to know each other games (Act.0,1,7), creative presentations (Act.8,16), speed-dating (Act.18), field visit (Act.13), open space (Act.11), Hunger games (Act.5), Casino (Act.20) and different types of tools to assess the day during reflection groups (Act.6), such as Dixit, Blob tree, Five fingers, weather report, high and low, headline. The activities were mostly done in mixed sub-groups which changed constantly so we ensured a good dynamic and intercultural exchange within the big group, but was occasionally requiring individual reflection (Act.4,20) and discussion in the plenary as well.
However, thanks to the daily feedback and the on spot observations of trainers, the pedagogical team was able to adapt the methods so the learning needs of participants were met. Thus, we have introduced the Round table with stakeholders (Act.3), which was not initially in the schedule, but was considered appropriate in order to improve DEoR by connecting various key actors from the community and fostering communication and cooperation with stakeholders. Also, instead of the human library, pax were split into two groups (Act.13) for a field visit to the Refugee Center in Agrigento, where they implemented activities for the refugees (name games, getting to know each other, team building activities) as we observed it would be more beneficial to them and the community. Moreover, as pax wanted to find more about local contexts, we decided to allocate 2 sessions for Act.8, instead of one as we planned at first. Also, we introduced the Identity activity (Act.4), because participants had their own stories they wanted to share and explore. Moreover, we have switched the freetime afternoon to Sunday, when the weather was better and they had the chance to visit for free the Temples of Agrigento. In addition, we integrated more outdoor energizers and also changed the setting of some activities (Act.16) because they felt they needed more movement and natural light.
Regarding the communication with partners and stakeholders, these complied with the initial agreement we have made before submitting the application, namely: each partner selected the pax and passed them the needed info, facilitating the communication between organizers and pax, GEYC also contributed with part of the pedagogical team. The other stakeholders we can mention are: the ones in charge with the Refugee Center in Agrigento, who allowed us to come and make activities with the refugees in their space, as well as Her Excellency, Ms Fatima Baroudi, the General Consul of Morocco in Italy (Sicily - Calabria - Puglia), Mr Gerlando Riolo, City Councillor in the City Hall of Agrigento - in charge of Social Solidarity and Mr Salvatore Montalbano - General Secretary FNP CISL (Agrigento, Caltanissetta and Enna), who joined the Round table (Act.3).
RefugeE++ awareness campaigns created by the pax (Act.16) and shared online with the hashtag #refugeeplusplus: Your opinion matters (https://goo.gl/w2DzDT), I AM F.A.I.R (https://goo.gl/UJC31J), Can you tell the difference (https://goo.gl/Qx8XWr), It’s not a matter of power, but one of cooperation (https://goo.gl/Ut7kCZ)
Round table event (Act.3), shared in the media: https://www.siciliaonpress.com/il-console-del/?fbclid=IwAR3Wj69otOilSMOjKaJ2CjMyzUtJS_NCW4aDkv1b2BV2hz1wVfuZT5AO_e0, https://www.facebook.com/FreeMindinAction/posts/2176458845975455, https://www.facebook.com/events/352811315459968/
Infographics, videos and photos created daily by the pax during Hunger games activity (Act.5) shared in social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) with the hashtag #refugeeplusplus: https://goo.gl/X2DFx6, https://goo.gl/Y7vQJF, https://www.facebook.com/cultureclash4u, https://goo.gl/Ln7qSW, https://www.facebook.com/thehyf/, https://photos.app.goo.gl/Qv6JoLDuHbDdJ48g9, https://www.facebook.com/harryspringershow/, https://www.facebook.com/Travel-Champion-180117278702113/, https://www.facebook.com/2103festival/, https://www.facebook.com/After-Work-Lounge-222528507765931/, https://www.facebook.com/groups/117696495004543/, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1879885318922047/, https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=345610109346167&id=100016915422451, https://www.facebook.com/100000023928723/posts/2160254647318645/, https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=345704172670094&id=100016915422451, https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1917701371657962&id=1917673291660770, https://www.facebook.com/100016915422451/posts/345780222662489/, https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2160254647318645&id=100000023928723
A tool to use in order to map the facilities offered by refugees centers in various countries, an idea initiated after the round table with stakeholders: http://bit.ly/mapping-refugee
Intercultural night (Act.12) video: https://goo.gl/vhNKLF
RefugeE++ Video: https://goo.gl/BsqjsG
I was a full time trainer.