Piece of Peace in Piispala

"Be the change you want to see." Do youth workers have a role to play in peace building? Does "radical youth work practice" have relevance to peace building? Can we define radical youth work as a tradition within youth work, of workers committed to and consciously working with young people in order to try and create a more just and better society? How can we all become Agents for Change? We tend to think that conflict and peace building is related to major international issues, however by understanding the dynamics and patterns of conflict and peace building we can relate these concepts to our local situations. Peace can also be built piece by piece. This training will build up understanding of conflict and peace building and will push personal boundaries around the challenges of youth work practice and the contributions that this can make towards social change in our local communities. The aim is to bring together youth workers and peace builders to learn from each other. The training will help you to define ‘what change do you want to see in the world?’ and help you explore ‘how can you be the agent in that change?’. The Objectives Are: - to build up the understanding of the dynamics and patterns of conflicts and peace building - to raise the awareness of the role of youth workers as actors in peace building - to recognise the skills required for youth workers as agents of change - to create a space for networking and future co-operation. Who should participate? - youth workers who are interested in reflecting their own role as actors of change and peace builders in their society - civil society/ community activists who wish to engage and share their experiences of peace building with youth workers and those working in youth sectors Our Team Approach The methodological approach is heavily influenced by the theories and practices of Paolo Freire and Mahatma Gandhi. The programme is highly participative with self-reflective and action oriented approaches to change included in the daily programme. The venue The training is organised in the youth centre of Piispala in Central Finland. Piispala is a haven of peace located in the countryside about an hour away from the closest city. The arrival and departure point of this training course is the city of Jyväskylä (4 hours from Helsinki). You should also be aware of the fact that winter in Finland can be very cold: you will need warm winter clothes & shoes in order to take part in outdoor activities and move from one place to another. Participants from countries neighbouring the EU SALTO Resource Centres / Hosting NA covers the travel costs of the selected participants according to the conditions communicated along with the selection results. For any questions regarding the participants selection or financial impact, please contact: see@salto-youth.net (Western Balkan region) eeca@salto-youth.net (Eastern Europe & Caucasus) euromed@salto-youth.net (MEDA countries)