“Have you ever considered becoming an incredible youth leader? If yes, ‘Lead It like You Mean It’ has to be a ‘must’ project in your to do list! Recently I was lucky enough to become a part of an inspiring and extremely motivating Erasmus+ training course held in Brandbu, Norway by Shokkin Group Norge and Shokkin Group International. The project aimed to equip participants with essential group leader’s knowledge and skills that could be thereafter utilized in the youth work and related projects.
As for the person who had never lived an Erasmus+ experience, it was hard for me to frame exact expectations and learning goals. The only thing I was certain about was that I needed the course to be challenging learning-wise and deeply attaching to the group. To say that I have achieved it is to say nothing. The variety of the learning methods, engaging activities, constructive feedback, self-developing challenges and intercultural connections that I have acquired made me feel ‘the real emotional and learning satiety’ I was looking for so long.
Each day we discovered new ways of getting, sharing and passing the knowledge. Starting from theoretical flipcharts, topic tied group games and personality tests we were moving towards the statement debates, group brainstorming and real facilitation incubators. Each day was a small step towards becoming a better version of ‘us’ that knows how to direct, motivate and inspire people around. Each day was a new ‘tick’ for learning something important. The great process of learning supplemented by the real examples – it was a scenery pleasure to observe the talented trainers throughout the whole project. Trainers who are passionate about their mission and use all their creativity to cover each and everyone by the invisible ‘inspiration net’.
The biggest gift that we were all lucky to receive, though, was the dream team. I could never imagine that the group of 20 strangers may become so close within such a minimal amount of time. Therefore, we were using each spare moment to enjoy the company of each other – small talks between the sessions, board games, evening debates, forest walks, canoe rides, karaoke night – every minute together counted. I think the biggest footprint we can all leave is the one that is in the hearts of people around us. This training course was a project with a heart. A project that did affect my life and my entire perception of very many things. It still makes me smile every time I think about it.”
Katia Sitnikova
“During the week 29th June-7th July I was part of the Estonian team who participated in a training course about leadership in beautiful Norway. The topic was specifically about the role of a leader in the context of international youth projects and the main aim was to develop participants’ competences to become group leaders in youth exchanges. The week was a blend of theory and hands-on activities, of inspiring informal chats, long nights of international fun, fun, fun and learning at every level.
The charming Norwegian nature, Pavel and Ucha’s interactive training style, Olalla’s amazing visuals, Marit & Camilla’s 24/7 support and group’s high level of involvement made the week a real pleasure for everyone and created the perfect learning space. We went through a journey where we started with simple activities to form the group and to create connections with newly met people and we continued with some ‘planned’ storming where we reflected on how different styles of leading can influence the group feeling and performance. After the first days of interaction we went through a norming stage where we became comfortable with our position in the group and we realised how we are part of a complete puzzle but we are naturally closer to some people than others.
The biggest highlight of the week was definitely the fact that we got the chance to prepare and facilitate our own nonformal session on a chosen topic. It was the perfect hands-on opportunity to try out our ideas in a safe ‘experimental’ space where we could get valuable feedback from the others and the trainers themselves. This was our performing stage and it was eye opening to experience such a variety of methods people tried out, from very informative sessions to more experimental ones, tapping on different emotions.
It was amazing to see a bunch of (mostly) beginners in the art of facilitation taking this role very seriously, thoroughly preparing to create the right atmosphere and leading very interesting sessions through a whole day. The last day was about adjourning with empowering talks about what we learnt from each other and what memories we will leave the course with, with saying our emotional goodbyes and singing together during a chill karaoke night.
PS.: In Italics you might notice the stages every group would go through to become a team (which we totally were in Norway).”
Jegor Mljavov
“Before the project I thought that this week would be again filled with a bunch of emotions and new knowledge about leadership. I thought that I could become more of a leader than I am and find new abilities in myself. Naturally, that was how it turned out, but I couldn’t even think that from the first days of the project I would be able to think: ‘Maybe I should write my own project too.’
I really didn’t think about it before, and in principle such an idea didn’t occur in my head, because I’ve only been in my country organization for two months. But after this project, I felt so experienced and so charged with new beginnings and coming up with new ideas for the projects. And yes, of course I don’t know everything, because there was no real experience yet, but this project gave me at least a push and new contacts of people who think like me. This is wonderful and for the sake of such projects it makes sense to move on!”
Erika Krusman