E-Motions

As youth workers implementing ESC projects, we face different kinds of situations daily that affect us emotionally (such as various conflicts, moments of sadness, anger episodes, moments of different types of fear, etc.).

It is not easy to manage our own emotions but even less to deal with the feelings of others. It is inevitable to handle different emotional scenarios of others within a project duration.

Developing our competencies to deal with participants’ or volunteers’ emotions is an added value for any project manager within the European Solidarity Corps programme, therefore this activity consists of fostering effective management of different emotional scenarios that can occur during the life of a European Solidarity Corps project, with particular emphasis on long-term volunteering projects.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To explore participants’ backgrounds at an emotional level to increase the understanding of their own emotions.

2. To improve participants’ ability of emotional grounding as facilitators with particular emphasis on emotional education activities.

3. To provide methods and tools for participants that foster their empathy, as a way to promote higher group dynamics.

4. To offer keys and tips about creating a safe space that contributes to a healthy group atmosphere.

5. To train participants about how to facilitate and deal with emotionally triggering situations in youth work activities and training.

6. To give participants resources and tools to take care of themselves at emotional and physical levels during youth work activities

METHODOLOGY:

There will be a balance between more theoretical concepts, practical learning, and dealing with specific techniques related to Emotional Education and essential for developing participants’ learning process.

More theoretical sessions will be combined with very experiential activities, to facilitate the acquisition of solid learning based on a holistic approach, where mind, body, and emotions get aligned.

The main methods we will work with are self-awareness exercises, guided visualizations, debates, small group work, improvisation and movement, theatre-therapy improvisation, mindfulness, meditation, art therapy exercises, etc.

These activities are essential to raising awareness about personal needs, a better understanding of the relationship with our emotions and different aspects of ourselves. Through developing a deep inner connection with ourselves, we can nurture better self-acceptance by providing infinite resources to continue well-being on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level.

In the practices, we will invite our curiosity to the process and try to understand our behavioural and emotional patterns better. Such as habits of interactions with others, solving problems more creatively and efficiently, communicating our needs in teams of facilitators, or how we can “host” and listen empathically to participants’ needs.

Expected results: By offering a self-experience, participants will gain an increased level of awareness about personal needs, a better understanding of the relationship with emotions and different aspects of mental health & well-being. The training course will also provide mentors with resources to continue well-being on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level.

PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS:

• Youth workers, Trainers, Mentors, Youth Leaders working with ESC projects, young people on a regular basis
• Above 18 years old
• Able to communicate in English (basic English knowledge)
• Previous international experience is not a must