Training course: “Cherry on the cake” - Youth Exchange in the context of long term work with groups of young people

If you have already led a Youth Exchange -at least once- you probably know that it can be a life-changing experience for the participating young people. Not only that, organising an international Youth Exchange with partners from other countries has the potential to upgrade your local youth work practice and take it completely to a new level! 

Would you like to discover what makes a Youth Exchange the “Cherry on the cake”?

This training course emphasises the importance of involving young people in the entire process of organising a Youth Exchange – all the way from the first ideas what it could be about to the last steps of communicating its results to the relevant stakeholders. Active engagement of young people throughout the journey ensures that they acquire valuable competences and experience first-hand how participation makes a difference. 

The role of a competent group leader is crucial in facilitating the process. This training course will look at the potential and challenges of preparing and implementing quality Youth Exchanges from the perspective of a group leader, who is involved in local youth work or does regularly activities with young people at the local level.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of the training course is to promote Youth Exchanges as a tool for non-formal learning in long-term work with young people.

The objectives of the training course are to:

• explore the potential of Youth Exchanges for motivation, learning and empowerment in long term work with young people;
• highlight the importance of involving young people in all phases of the Youth Exchange and tailoring it according to their needs;
• increase the participants’ understanding of the role of the group leader in all phases of the Youth Exchange;
• develop the participants’ competences to recognise the potential for learning in all phases of the Youth Exchange and support the learning processes of those involved;
• increase the participants’  understanding how to use digital tools and spaces to enhance the quality of the Youth Exchange;
• network between the participants, identify the challenges brought by the international setting of Youth Exchanges and reflect on how to approach them.

TARGET GROUP

The training course brings together 25 participants, who:

• are involved in youth work at the local level or do regularly activities with young people at the local level;
• have implemented at least one Youth Exchange within the Erasmus+ Programme as a group leader;
• are interested in leading Youth Exchanges in the future;
• are capable of working in English;
• are at least 18 years old

The training concept is based on the publication "Cherry on the cake" -Advice for quality planning of Youth Exchanges

TEAM OF TRAINERS

The training course will be run by two trainers with extensive experience in the field:

Laimonas Ragauskas, who has been training and facilitating for more than 18 years in Europe and beyond. Recently his main interests and passions have been related to recognition of non-formal learning with Open Badges, quality of mobility projects, strategic partnerships. digital youth work, digital facilitation of online courses and events. 

Vojislava Tomić Radivojša, working as a trainer for 20 years in the Western Balkans and at European level being involved with very different groups, approaches and topics. Her fields of work were often related to conflict transformation, intercultural learning and to recognition of non-formal learning and youth work. 

VENUE

The training course will take place in Lura Agroturism in Novo Brdo/Novobërda in the East part of Kosovo. Lura Agroturism is a complex including mountain houses for accommodation, conference facilities, restaurant with quality food in cooperation with local farmers, wine and brandy cellar, outdoor terrace with summer kitchen, orchard, vegetable greenhouses , tennis court, children’s playground, and other recreational areas. According to the Erasmus+ Programme's priority on environment and fight against climate change, Lura Agrotourism emphasises the coexistence and harmony with nature and cooperation with the community.

TIME INVOLVEMENT

The selected participants will be asked to carry out few introductory tasks before attending the residential activity.

The programme will start in the evening on 11 September and will end in the evening on 14 September. The departures are foreseen on 15 September. 

PROGRAMME OF THE TRAINING COURSE