Violet project

Aims & objectives

The Violet Project was a 6 days training course on the topic of violence
among youngsters. As studies in the field reveal, there is an increasing
number of incidents of violence in the European context. It is said that
this phenomenon will deteriorate due to the global economic crisis.
The aim and the learning objectives were to
 Increase knowledge, change attitudes, beliefs and values at the
individual level.
 Create / empower personal, social and communicative skills, necessary
for violence prevention,
 Ensure better community functioning and effective problem solving
 Develop and maintain appropriate peer relationships
 Contribute to the formulation of health policies,
 Train youngsters and professionals on learning by experience
(participation) methodology, so as to act as multipliers at national and
international level,
 Reinforce the positive role that the participants can take on to the
preventive policies against violence,
 Reinforce mutual respect among the participants,
 Create the incentive for further cooperation among the partner
organizations
The main organizer - AENAO comprises of members and educators in health issues, health living and active participation. Among the goals of the organization is giving trainings on issues which are essential to be taken for consideration in society. Thus the topic of combating violence open new interest to the goals of the organization

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

It was addressed to 22 youth workers from 7 EU countries (Italy, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Greece, Sweden) and Turkey who became peer educators/ multipliers, in their countries.

Training methods used & main activities

The training was also based on the experiential learning methodology but it was based on non-formal education, a learning
and training process, operating outside the routines of formal
educational system. It was based on the learning by participation
methodology, taking into account the participants’ needs and
interests. Training was not neutral, invisible process, but it was
flexible, combining experience and theory. It encompassed
involvement, exchange of experience This methodology provides to the
participants the skills and the ability to act, and aims to cultivate
empowerment and growth. It involved also Forum Theater method and the Non violence communication method.

Outcomes of the activity

The training was focused to empower and present via various methods the role of communicative methods for tackling violence. The participants learned how to use the appropriate techniques in order to avoid violence in various settings. All of the methods were successfully implemented and led to interesting impact and debate. We are sharing tools on the topic up to now.
More info on the project can be found here - http://aenao.org/wordpress/violet-project-4-3/

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

The training was led by two trainers. I was responsible on the Introduction of the training - Ice breaking games and tasks, and to set the topic of violence within the context of the whole training, the Forum theatre and the
Non violent communication methods.

I worked on this training for 6 days as a full time trainer.