I am part of several organisations that with different hindrances holding back either members from being more active, their services underused, long-term aims unreachable or current processes flawed. Initially my main reason to take part of the TC “Impactor” was to eventually make my own local project idea come true within my sending organization, but during it my motivation shifted to improving the organizations where I am working and volunteering.
First of all, main non-formal approaches used during the TC were suitable for deeper learning – lots of reflections, modelling of different situations, use of coaching tools, various team work methods, professional and caring trainers as well as incredibly awesome visual facilitation for all sessions. Thus it was quite tiring and I worried I will not remember anything after it ends, but now a few months later I understand that I actually remember influential bits and pieces from almost every session. Especially because I can re-check handouts and flipcharts from the resource folder later shared to all of us.
Most powerful sessions for me took place on the fifth day where we learned about how to make people welcome in our organisations. We learned about different levels of youth involvement, visualization to understand our target groups, mapped out our organizations and practiced coaching tools to support both each other and youth. These lessons I have already started to implement within all my organizations.
So in conclusion, nowadays we often emphasize on reaching more and more people without taking our time to develop meaningful connections between us and the aims we have set out to reach. Before TC “Impactor” I felt a bit hopeless regarding all that, but now I have the tools and examples on how to do so. I have shifted my goals from just doing more stuff to bringing more value into things already happening
Liis Kuusik
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While reading the addressed problem in the infopack: why sometimes Erasmus+ projects don’t create the expected impact on the young people to participate in youth activities, this quest encouraged me to apply for the training course. On 1st of April, three participants Naweed, Erika and Liis from Estonia were selected by Shokkin Group to attend this training course. The objectives of the training were to improve the capacity of youth workers in local and international project development; more specifically in youth exchange participant selection criteria, communication skills for youth involvement, organizational mapping and making strategy for youth involvement, utilization of digital tools in E+ projects, and dissemination of learning and knowledge of training to young people.
All the activities and sessions were organized with visual presentations along with necessary theoretical information. Whole training was equally balanced with theoretical knowledge, brainstorming ideas, practical team work, identifying problems and working on solutions, cultural and outdoor discoveries, interactive energizers and breaks.
Key areas of learning for me were working with teams on particular issues, theoretical knowledge about Erasmus projects, tips to improve public speaking, stages of youth participation, steps of youth exchange cycle, organizing a workshop for young people and engage them in non-formal activities, and analyzing partner organization through mapping all areas.
It was very interesting to meet participants from diverse cultural and geographical backgrounds and stay with them under one roof for eight days. After receiving theoretical concepts i.e. (Erasmus + trainings and youth exchanges, key competences, youth participation), participants started to exchange their ideas in teams to discuss the challenges in youth involvement. After highlighting all key factors, it was the time to fold the cuffs and make strategy of where we are, and where we could go, along with an action plan of how to get there, through organizational mapping of respective organizations.
In addition of planning and developing strategies, participants were also provided an opportunity to organize interactive workshops for young people to practice their learning in real time. Along with that, a focus on improving individual competences was also taken care by confidence building activities such as public speaking through pitches and personal success and failure stories. Utilization of digital tools in Erasmus activities supported the digital and flexible learning pathways. In the midst of training, we explored the half day trip of beautiful mountainous & historical Sinaia city.
Almost all participants were associated in volunteering their respective organizations. Everyone got chance to know each others’ local and international activities and stories. There was lot of exchange of cultural information among participants in societal behavior, youth participation, language, cuisine, and national facts.
The training program was very informative and important for youth workers who want to initiate their own Erasmus projects in the future. Working within these teams was so encouraging and exciting. I personally learn a lot from other participants in teamwork, as much as I learnt from fabulous trainers. All team members were trying to give their best and performed their tasks diligently. After receiving theoretical information, most useful learning part in the training for me was to apply those methods directly in practical activities to use it in another context, such as organization mapping, by which we can evaluate our organization’s current status, and can determine where we could take it in future.
Naweed Shah
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During the project we visualized the target group of each organization, we communicated and put up future plans in cooperating between each other, we also used our knowledge and did workshops by ourselves for young volunteers from the hosting organization. To be honest, after these workshops, my thinking and understanding of this world has changed. I was so inspired by how motivated and emotionally amazing young people came to our master classes that I realized that we can now change a lot and make young people interested through non-formal education was not so difficult and even fun.
Erika Krusman
Check the summary video of the project here.