Learning Playground in Volunteering

Who are (all) the learners in an ESC volunteering project? What are the learning spaces that they can utilise? What makes an encouraging and safe learning environment? How do we (co)design learning environments and what do we need to consider in this process? To which extent can we prepare learning spaces in advance? How to use, variate, mix, change, connect learning spaces in one volunteering project? These are just some of the questions that we are hoping to raise and address during our training course! 

If you are a host, organiser, mentor of an European Solidarity Corps volunteering project and would like to discover more about learning environments and ways to (co)create them, then this is the right training for you!

Wait, did we say “training”? What we mean is: this is the right playground for you! We would like to offer you a chance to play with us and discover spatial aspects of learning environments, experiment with (co)creating empowering learning spaces and explore their potential in fostering learning. 

More specifically, we offer a space to:

• become more aware of the importance of the quality of learning spaces of a European Solidarity Corps volunteering project;
• get familiar with the physical/spatial aspects of learning environments;
• be able to look more systematically at learning in European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects and needs of different learners;
• reflect on possible ways to (co)create learning environments and develop your competences further;
• understand how learning environments foster the Youthpass learning process.

Our playground is built around a dynamic programme, which, among other things, includes

• a special ‘campfire’ where you can explore expertise offered by architect András Cseh;
• a lot of ‘caves’ for individual reflection on past and current experiences in (co)creating learning process and learning environments;
• ‘watering hole’ that invites you to share and create with others, including bringing you on a journey to explore empowering experiences of local organisations.

And, above all, provides you with a lot of opportunities to see the learning landscapes from different perspectives, play, create, re-create and re-play on your own and with others! 

Should you be interested to join this playground, it is important that you are involved in (or soon you will be) supporting European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects (as a host, mentor, organiser, etc.) and that you are keen to elevate learning experiences for all those involved by developing competences to (co)create encouraging and safe learning environments! A fairly good knowledge of English is necessary, since it will be your way to communicate and get around in the playground. 

If you want to know more about the flow of the project, take a look at the attached draft programme. 

Your host of the playground will be Vanda Kovács, Snežana Bačlija Knoch and András Cseh are looking forward to welcoming you!