Project dates: 14th – 22nd of April 2020
Project place: Modra (near Bratislava), Slovakia
Deadline for applying extended to: 3rd March 2020
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Are you involved in community actions and would you like to get new skills to support compassionate environment within the group you work with?
Do you want to learn new empathy-based and embodied methodologies of working with youth/community groups?
Do you want to gain tools to improve and maintain personal wellbeing thus contributing to developing resilience in yourself and young people you work with?
The main aim of the project is to create a foundation to build more caring, supportive and healthy communities/youth groups by providing a safe space for the participants to connect with their emotions, share experiences, develop positive attitudes and acquire the tools to respond to the challenges of social issues effectively and with compassion.
Methodology
Through dialogue, group and self-reflection, bodywork, mindfulness, stillness, movement, dance and play we will journey into our personal stories and experiences, learn from each other and create a shared understanding of what is necessary to bring more compassion, support and empathy in youth work.
Learning dimension
Participants will gain more self-awareness, develop capacity to communicate in compassionate and non- violent manner, listen mindfully, and lead from the heart and mind alike, as well as learn to motivate and bring out the best in themselves, the people they are working with and communities they are part of.
During the 7 days, participants will develop greater awareness of their bodies, feelings, emotions and inner processes to form safe, empathic and authentic connection with youth and create inclusive and brave spaces – based on trust, openness and support for people to be curious explorers of various truths expressing themselves in diverse realities, and daring to challenge their own truths while hearing the truth of another.
Participants will also gain tools and strategies on how to improve and maintain wellbeing thus contributing to developing resilience in themselves and young people they work with.
Practice
Practice will be a key aspect. Thus participation in this course also means slowing down and giving yourself an opportunity to experience, give and receive compassion. To notice what is really going on in and out of ourselves in order to be able to be present for the rest of the world.
What to expect?
The course will be divided in two parts.
We will spend 6 days in the countryside where we will journey into this topic and understanding of communities and compassion and wider reasons why it is interesting and meaningful for us.
Then we will move to Bratislava to be in a bigger community and enlarge both our vision and practice towards wider community, both getting to know the work of host organization Bystro and sharing with their community ideas on how to create compassionate community cultures.
PARTICIPANTS’ PROFILE
- Age over 18;
- Actively engaged participants willing to do deep work and commit to making change in their lives and those around them
- Youth workers, social workers, educators, trainers, community leaders – working or volunteering with youth or community groups
- If you are rooted in your community and see your possibility to make a difference and you are willing to bring more empathy and compassion into the community practices
- Commited to participation in the online preparation process – materials provided by trainers and full participation in the programme
- Willing to promote the project and its outcomes and transfer the competences developed at this training course to further youth workers, teachers, trainers, facilitators and community leaders
- Able to ensure the wider impact of this project by implementing concrete follow-up activities and providing opportunities with and for young people in their regions and countries.
ACCOMMODATION and FINANCES:
All costs related to accommodation and food will be covered.
Travel costs will be reimbursed up to 275 EUR according to Erasmus+ rules. It will happen upon collecting all tickets and invoices and calculating all costs.
Participation fee: 30 EUR
Sending fee: 500 MKD