TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Marija Wazi
Story to tell project had a purpose of sharing methods to increase literacy through creative writing and storytelling, using personalizing and motivated involvement in learning process.
Objectives:
-to improve the quality and accessibility of mobility throughout Europe of individuals involved in adult education and to increase its volume
-to improve the quality and to increase the volume of cooperation between organisations
involved in adult education throughout Europe
-to assist people from vulnerable social groups and in marginal social contexts, in particular
older people and those who have left education without basic qualifications, in order to give
them alternative opportunities to access adult education
-to facilitate the development of innovative practices in adult education and their transfer,
including from a participating country to others
-to support the development of innovative ICT-based content, pedagogies and practice for
lifelong learning
-to improve pedagogical approaches and the management of adult education organisations
The goal of association is to guide young people in their educational and formative social seeking
and one of the main aims of organization is to increase literacy of its clients. Other objectives
then were:
- Integration of youth with disabilities, depending on the particularities of each person in the education table.
- Involvement of children and young people with disabilities, especially those with psychomotor disabilities, in social life of the community
- Participation of young people in various activities and performances aimed at raising
community.
- Collaboration with experts from the country and abroad.
Direct target group were persons working with disadvantaged young people or adults facing lack of literacy in their lives, concretely social workers, teachers, trainers and any other staff connected to the area and subject of literacy willing to contribute to its increasing.
There were 10 participants from the countries involved: Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey, Slovakia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania
Indirect target groups benefiting from our workshops results were first of all the people participants of the workshops are working with back home (former drug addicts, minority members, unemployed people with low literacy, drop outs from school, young adults with physical disabilities etc) as they were the ones getting into one day workshop organized by participants and benefitting from the new methods and tools brought to them.
The main concept was learning by doing, meaning through personal experience. Participants first use methods offered during workshops themselves, test them, and then decide which they want to bring for the people they work with, which they want to improve and how.
To bring a proper background for such an experience, we provided participants with lectures and presentations from trainers, coaches and an art therapist, exercises and games.
Regarding communication skills necessary for developing methods and a book as an outcome, we worked with such elements as self-guidance and teamwork, co-operative decision-making, group dynamics, leadership, setting up goals and objectives and problem solving. This approach was connected to the specific needs of individuals and the level of learning of the participant at that moment, to which we also adjusted the program.
Evaluation and self-assessment played an important role in our program constructing, also we used the method of non verbal communication - through art and pictures. Within this we offered various activities, ways where are opportunities to experience, learn, evaluate and develop new adjusted, skilled, powerful
action plans for further development activities. We started with teambuilding activities and their personal interests (making the subject their own as well – by including favourite book, character, story, writing genre etc) and continuing with more sophisticated methods, as creative writing, expression through connected word and picture etc.
There were also workshops of creative writing, group and expressive reading, photography and
video making, brainstorming for a story to tell in their own common book.
The involvement of ICT in this project was in a direct form. Meaning participants learned how to use camera and video camera, the basics of editing pictures and video, how to upload those on internet space, how to communicate via internet in effective way and how to share and keep in contact by using ICT technologies (social networking in particular).
Learning in outdoor was also an approach we have a very good experience with, and here participants had couple of days spent outside interacting with locals and doing tasks in outdoor environment.
There was sharing, evaluating and feedbacking didactical approach included. We practiced with participants, how to open up topics, how to go through what was achieved and to learn from results and how to give and receive feedback in a constructive way.
Important connecting concept was art therapy part. Art therapist facilitator leaded participants through the way of images and carefully pointing to their hidden meanings. Learning of a new art technique let participants experience a sense of achievement and strengthen their self-confidence, as well as provided them with some simple tools to connect people they work with to their skills and competences.
It consisted from practicing diverse methods, which participants can further on use in teaching and contributing to the growth of literacy in their countries. Particularly they learned how to use:
- comprehensive and critical reading and following debates over chosen topics and literature characters in inspirational materials (by using method of questioning and creating a logical link)
- expressing one`s own ideas verbally and nonverbally (with creative writing tools, pictures and photography, for this we will have graphics and media workshops)
- communication skills in connecting with a learner (there will be tasks for the whole group,
preparation teams and individuals)
- outdoor activities (getting inspired by nature for clarifying the tasks and learning goals)
- effective working with objectives (setting goals, going through implementation phase, reaching and evaluating results)
An outcome was a brochure containing a story which participants put together, and a set of used methods for creating this product. This served as a study material for the workshops they organized back in their countries and also for their future work within the area of literacy.
Participants increased their general understanding of literacy through shared knowledge and practice and also through practicing their own dealing with written word in terms of analyzing and personalizing it. This way they learned how to support other learners in better understanding of
texts, help them connect obtained information and present a critical and reflected on summary.
They learned different creative techniques of using words and written text, art and media
techniques.
The impact on organizations was then one of contributing to the quality of provided services
through improved skills of participants of the workshop, additional materials for improving literacy in general and international experience of their workers and contacts they established with the representatives from other countries.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6uiMpuKOSlESkw2bkdaQ1prckE/view?usp=sharing
My task of a head trainer was to design a program and deliver it. I was also in contact with participants prior the TC and after during the follow up. Daily, I was guiding reflections, giving assignments, reacting to needs expressed in open sharings and partly taking care of logistics of the program. I was also constantly cooperating with organization team and co-trainer, with whom we also made changes in program where needed.