“E-mpower V-olunteering for S-uccess” European project was successfully implemented by Youth Alliance AISI.
The project was Training Course that reunited 27 participants from 9 countries: Georgia, Germany, Czech Republic, Armenia, Italy, Moldova, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine. Each organization was represented by three participants.
The training gathered EVS Coordinators and mentors in order to discuss issues related to the coordination and mentoring of EVS projects. The meeting took place in Kobuleti, Georgia. The main aim of the Training Course was to empower EVS coordinators in the field of mentoring and supporting volunteers, give them a platform for networking and exchanging good practices, as well as, preventing their premature professional burnout. A further aim was to increase the quality of EVS projects and ensure higher participation of the Neighbouring countries in them. The methods used during the training were based on non-formal education.
Participants were actively involved during the whole implementation of the programme. Every day, participants were taking part in reflection groups where they had to reflect on the learning process of the day. Participants were also actively contributing during the workshops with their opinions, active participation, questions and comments. During last phase participants had to work in future project ideas and started cooperation in other youth activities.
The agenda approached topics like understanding of the volunteering activities in a globalized concept, EVS management tools, dealing with challenges that volunteers can face, intercultural aspects of EVS.
The program was based on a wide range of non-formal education methods: brainstorming, open group discussions, small working groups, simulation exercises, role plays, debate, power point presentations and simulation exercises. Trainers involved all participants as much as possible using different type of methods providing something for all the different learning styles.
Trainers team used the toolbox of non-formal education and experiential learning, targeted the participants in a holistic fashion: head (cognitive, knowledge), hand (practical, skills) and heart (emotion, social, attitude).
The participants were encouraged to disseminate the gained knowledge within their organization, as well as, plan new projects with other participants of the training.
The project was implemented by AISI team members together with the collaboration of the following partners: “Armenian Progressive youth” from Armenia, CULTURE GOES EUROPE (CGE) – Soziokulturelle Initiative Erfurt from Germany, Tmelník o.s. from Czech Republic, A. O. Generatia Tinerilor from Moldova, YouNet from Italy, Nature and Youth / Fältbiologerna from Sweeden, Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı from Turkey and Львівська міська молодіжна громадська організація «Інститут ук from Ukraine.
“E-mpower V-olunteering for S-uccess” was financed by European Commission under Youth in Action programme.