Project place: Veliki Gaj, Serbia

Project dates: 18th – 29th July 2022

Deadline for applying: 08.06.2022

 

 

IJGD team has identified and shared some of the same concern with partner organisations regarding the challenges we find in youth work. Most of the challenges that were not related to the technical side of our job were narrowed down to one single point – lack of selfcare and self-support tools and mechanisms which would support our own well-being, empower us and allow us to avoid the burnout and emotional breakouts. Furthermore, the same concern has been identified in regards to organizations we work for – the lack of capacities, skills or knowledge of the tools that would allow us to have a support needed for the psychological and emotional recharge in situation of conflicts, work in stressful or emotionally overcharged settings, work with young people who require our full attention and devotion or simply work overload and long working hours in constantly changing contexts of the youth work. With an aim to address this challenge, IJGD plans to gather trainers in nonformal education with particular set of skills in self-development, psychotherapy, meditation and mindfulness, to develop a programme which will address this issue and support youth workers themselves in how to process high demands educational programmes have in regards to emotional and psychological support of the participants, especially among those coming from vulnerable groups and how to self- regulate stressful elements of their work, in order to provide and create more attentive, empathetic and emotionally supportive learning environment for their beneficiaries, as well for themselves and their colleagues. Afterwards, we plan to organize a youth exchange, so to try to transmit the said practice to the field. AIM of this project is to provide more quality emotional support to young people involved in youth work programs of partner organisations, through empowering of youth workers to take care of their own and their participants’ emotional well-being.

 

ABOUT THE YOUTH EXCHANGE IN SERBIA

 

The youth exchange will gather 24 participants plus 6 leaders (one for each group) from Serbia, Finland, Macedonia, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Slovenia, for a 10-day program. The program and methods will be prepared together with leaders of each group, also taking into consideration needs and interests of young participants.
Educational and training content and methodology:
– non formal education
-learner centred
-experiential learning
– exercises aimed at stress release and relaxation
– peer sharing and support
The methods that will be used are experiential, used in non formal education contexts of learning: games and energizers/brainergizers, exercises, icebreakers, team-building games, movement exercises, discussions, work in groups, role play, timeline, norm critical approach, image theater, living library, photo voice, community journalism.

 

PARTICIPANTS’ PROFILE

  • Youth workers, trainers, volunteers, active in the NGO sector
  • Are at least 18 years old
  • Able to communicate in English
  • Able to attend the whole course duration
  • Motivated to participate in the training course and share the knowledge in their own organization

 

 

ACCOMMODATION and FINANCES:

All costs related to accommodation and food will be covered by the hosting organization

Travel costs will be reimbursed up to 180 EUR.

Participation fee: NONE!

Sending fee: 500 MKD

 

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