TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Anastasia Tasoula
The "Step into a (dis)ability" training aimed to:
❥ Develop Empathy and Understanding: Encourage participants to experience and understand the challenges and societal obstacles faced by disabled individuals.
❥ Challenge Stereotypes: Break down misconceptions and prejudices about disability through immersive activities and direct interaction.
❥ Promote Inclusivity: Foster an environment where young people of all abilities could collaborate, communicate, and create together.
❥ Empower Participants: Equip participants with the knowledge and skills to advocate for disability rights and inclusivity in their communities.
❥ Raise Awareness: Spread awareness about disability as a societal construct and highlight the need for systemic changes to promote accessibility.
Which needs did the training address?
1. Marginalization and Social Barriers:
❥ Addressed the exclusion of disabled individuals from social, cultural, and economic opportunities.
❥ Tackled the stereotypes and stigma associated with disability.
2. Inclusion and Accessibility:
❥ Provided tools and techniques for participants to create accessible environments.
❥ Focused on making inclusion a priority in educational and social settings.
3. Empathy and Social Awareness:
❥ Created opportunities for participants to experience life with a disability, fostering greater empathy and compassion.
4. Community Engagement:
Empowered participants to lead workshops and initiatives in their own communities, spreading awareness and promoting inclusion.
How did the training activity fit the goals of the organizations?
Be Visible Be YOU:
❥ Aligned with the organization’s mission to challenge stereotypes and promote inclusivity through non-formal education.
❥ Advanced its goal of empowering youth to lead societal change, particularly in areas of accessibility and diversity.
Partner Organizations (Association Strive, Windmill Tree Foundation, Madrid Outdoor Association, VVI Bulgaria) :
❥ Strengthened their shared objectives of fostering inclusion, acceptance, and community development.
❥ Allowed organizations to explore innovative non-formal education methods and collaborate on impactful, accessible projects.
Erasmus+ Priorities:
❥ Supported key Erasmus+ goals, including inclusion, diversity, and participatory learning.
❥ Promoted European values of solidarity, equality, and respect for human rights.
The "Step into a (dis)ability" project brought together a mixed-ability group of 31 participants aged 18-30 from Greece, Spain, Poland, Croatia, and Bulgaria, ensuring a rich international and inclusive environment. The target group included disabled individuals (mobility, visual, hearing, and chronic impairments), those facing barriers such as discrimination, economic challenges, or geographical isolation, and professionals like psychologists, accessibility teachers, and youth workers committed to fostering inclusion. Participants were carefully selected for their motivation to engage in activities promoting accessibility and diversity.
The "Step into a (dis)ability" training used a variety of non-formal education methods to engage participants and foster experiential learning. Examples include:
❥ Simulations and Role-Playing: Participants experienced the challenges of various disabilities, such as navigating with mobility or visual impairments, to build empathy and understanding.
❥ Workshops and Group Discussions: Led by individuals with disabilities, these sessions explored topics like inclusion, accessibility, and dismantling stereotypes.
❥ Experiential Learning Activities: Tasks such as hiking and swimming in mixed-ability groups required participants to collaborate and find solutions to accessibility challenges in real-time.
❥ Reflection and Feedback Tools: Structured techniques like Feelings-Findings-Feedback (FFF) and People-Progress-Product (PPP) were used daily to help participants process their experiences and consolidate learning.
❥ Creative Expression: Participants created videos, posters, and installations to document their learning outcomes, share their perspectives, and advocate for inclusivity.
❥ Most important, it included the "Step Into" Methodology that we invented through a hard proccess with the organization to support the stimulations of another shoes with a focus on systemic change afterways. This methodology is used with disability, health and organ donation topics till now.
These methods emphasized active participation, experiential learning, and collaboration, aligning fully with non-formal education principles
The "Step into a (dis)ability" training achieved significant impact across multiple dimensions:
❥ Empathy and Understanding: Participants developed a deeper understanding of the barriers faced by disabled individuals, shifting their perspectives and reducing prejudices.
❥ Skill Development: Improved participants' abilities to work inclusively in mixed-ability groups, enhanced communication and facilitation skills, and fostered leadership and advocacy abilities.
❥ Community Impact: Inspired participants to create workshops and initiatives in their local communities, raising awareness about accessibility and inclusion among over 10,000 individuals.
❥ Organizational Growth: Strengthened the capacity of partner organizations to work on inclusive projects and foster international collaboration.
Participant Feedback:
❥ Positive evaluations from participants emphasized personal growth, increased empathy, and a commitment to inclusion. Change in their personal and professional life when it comes to attitudes and actions for accessibility.
Community Engagement:
❥ Local workshops and initiatives demonstrated participants applying their learning to advocate for disability inclusion.
Broader Reach:
❥ Social media engagement and video testimonials highlighted the widespread impact and resonance of the project.
Unexpected Outcomes:
❥ Participants self-organized activities to overcome accessibility challenges, such as assisting wheelchair users during hikes, demonstrating the training’s transformative influence.
Publications and Websites Documenting the Training
❥ Social Media:
Facebook and Instagram pages of Be Visible Be YOU and partner organizations featured posts, photos, and video testimonials.
Participant-created content was widely shared.
❥ Media Coverage:
Articles published in Greek outlets such as Athens Voice and News24 highlighted the project’s impact and methodologies.
Example: Athens Voice article: https://www.athensvoice.gr/epikairotita/ellada/833629/step-into-a-disability-anastasia-tasoula-kai-be-visible-be-you/
❥ Project Resources:
Videos and documentation uploaded to partner websites and the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform for broader dissemination.
As a full-time trainer for the "Step into a (dis)ability" project, I brought my expertise in inclusivity, accessibility, and graphic facilitation, ensuring the training was tailored to the diverse needs of all participants and visually engaging for everyone. My responsibilities included:
1. Designing and Facilitating Activities:
❥ Created and led non-formal education activities such as simulations, role-playing, experiential workshops, and group discussions.
❥ Integrated inclusive practices into every activity, ensuring they were accessible to participants with disabilities and those facing social or economic barriers.
2. Inclusivity and Accessibility Expertise:
❥ Adapted methodologies to address various impairments, such as using audio descriptions, accessible routes, and alternative communication methods.
❥ Facilitated group activities that emphasized collaboration between participants with and without disabilities, promoting mutual understanding and breaking down barriers.
❥ Supported participants in creating their own inclusive practices, which they implemented in follow-up workshops in their communities.
3. Graphic Facilitation:
❥ Used visual tools and illustrations to enhance understanding and engagement during sessions, especially for participants who preferred visual learning.
❥ Created visual summaries of discussions, daily reflections, and workshop outcomes, making complex concepts easier to grasp and more memorable.
❥ Designed accessible visual aids, such as large-font posters and color-coded diagrams, to accommodate participants with visual impairments.
4. Participant Support:
❥ Provided continuous guidance and tailored support to participants, particularly those with disabilities and fewer opportunities.
❥ Fostered a safe and empowering learning environment, encouraging active engagement, collaboration, and the sharing of personal experiences.
5. Facilitation and Reflection:
❥ Guided daily reflection sessions using structured tools like Feelings-Findings-Feedback (FFF) to help participants process their experiences and consolidate their learning.
❥ Facilitated discussions on sensitive topics such as stereotypes and societal barriers faced by disabled individuals.