TOY - Trainers Online for Youth
This is a reference for Darko Mitevski
- Know-how - To provide the participants with information on how some things are done, why some things are done in particular way, what is behind the scenes of a good organized project, to peek into the decision making process, in the preparation.
- Improve participants soft skills such as public speaking, presentation skills, self-expression skills listening skills etc
- Provide methods and tools for delivery of workshops – such as different types of simulations, team building games, brainstorming, creating learning environment, creative environment etc
- Provide hard copy materials (guidebooks and written materials). We would have online library (which is already set up from the previous Its up to me 1 and 2) and is continuously upgraded with other materials from other groups.
- Provide feedback to the participants. It is really important to receive feedback and do it again, so we would see the growth of the participants during the project.
- Show them different styles of trainers. We will have four trainers from different backgrounds and professions that have very different styles that will help the participants see different approaches and ways of working which would lead to finding their own unique style in future.
- Coaching and mentoring. Apart from the mentoring and feedback during the project, for this edition we are introducing 6 months mentoring process in 2-3 online sessions for all participants after the project until their first/next training experience.
- Self-assessment. Sometimes young trainers are not aware of the qualities that they have and things that they know. Sometimes they think that they know everything and there is nothing new to learn. We will provide a self-assessment opportunity for the participants to evaluate which things they know well, which things they still need to learn and set a learning plan according to that assessment.
- To offer opportunities for quality training experiences. Organizing joint projects, creating pool of trainers, getting shadow-trainer opportunities.
We were in total 42 people from 7 different countries: Norway, Macedonia, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Italy and Spain.
Youth leaders, Presidents of NGOs, project managers, trainers, people who want to become trainers. Basically the project is targeting all people that are responsible (or will be in future) for transferring the knowledge within the organization and organizing activities or workshops and delivering projects.
There were many many methods used during these days, all non-formal, mostly designed by the trainers themselves - different sort of simulations, debates, guided meditation, challenged tasks forces, spaces, reflection, personal self-assessment, goal-setting etc. As important as the tools and methods are, probably even more is the design of the workshops and the flow that is contributing to the group dynamics
We created 36 very capable trainers that will design and develop projects across Europe that will be really good designed and organized. This will make much more opportunities and better quality ones within the network of Erasmus+ and also other programs.
I was leading the team of trainers, supporting them and what they need so their workshops would be really great and participants happy. I created and delivered 1/4 of the intense program during the training. I was also coordinating with the logistics team that did really good job of making sure that everyone is focused on the learning. I was coaching and mentoring the participants, answering all their questions and challenges.