26 youth workers from 11 different countries (Greece, Croatia, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Italy, Romania, UK, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia met in Kalamata, Greece from the 7th to the 15th of March 2015 to participate in the transnational training course, under hte ERASMUS+/KA1 youth programme, with the title “Facilitate the Progress: Non formal education as a means to Social Inclusion and Empowerment”. The training course was organised by the youth organisation K.A.NE. Social Youth Development.
Through a well designed programme and using mainly non-formal learning tools and methods (work in groups, simulation exercises, round table discussions, creative presentations, and more), the participants exchanged ideas and experiences regarding the reality and the challenges the young people are facing in the different countries, exchanged good practices regarding the use of non-formal education in order to empower young people, and especially young people with fewer opportunities, developed skills in using and designing methods and tools to facilitate and support personal and professional development of the young people they are working with and designed common follow-up activities.
Apart from the sessions of the training course, the participants had the opportunity to visit the KETHEA-KYTTARO community for people with substance abuse problems, as an example of an excellent practice/programme supporting people with fewer opportunities. They also visited the Youth Centre of Kalamata, a voluntary youth structure, open to all of the community that offers learning opportunities, as well as cultural and social activities, and took part in the traditional dance and the theatre workshop that take place in it. Finally, they visited important historical and cultural parts of the city and enjoyed the Greek hospitality.
Leaving from Kalamata, the participants took with them new experiences and competences, collaborations in the youth field, tools and methods that they can use during their work with young people, a renewed enthousiasm about their work, but also the best impressions about Kalamata, its beauty and its hospitality.
This project is part of the activities implemented by Social Youth Development that aim to promote non-formal education, the profession of the youth worker as well as the importance of lifelong learning, adult education and the improvement and capacity building of youth structures, through the training of people working in the youth field. .
Watch the video with moments from this training course, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9nDSToBroA
View photos from the project here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.426321244202361.1073741840.268424913325329&type=3
This training course was funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
