Тraining course "Bridges for ideas and practices" - unforgettable experience for youth workers from Eastern Europe

 

 

 

 

21% of the European youngsters suffer from some communicative problem. It could range from a usual stuttering, through some speech-language and hearing impairments and articulation disorders, to an inability to read and understand texts. The communication disorders have a strong negative psychological impact on young people - low self-esteem, fear, anxiety; or the opposite - hatred, aggression, tendency to negativity. The affected self-assessment, possibilities for socialization and daily living activity result in failure to integrate into the local communities' life. And here youth workers have a very important mission - they have to support young people in overcoming communication disorders and also to help their more active and successful inclusion into the educational system, labor market and social life.

Led by a sincere desire to support youth workers in their struggle, YMDRAB in partnership with another 4 organisations from different European countries implemented the project "Bridges for ideas and practices". The main project activity was an international training course for increasing the capacity and quality of work of youth workers who are involved in non-formal education of youngsters with communication disorders in rural areas of Eastern Europe. It included their professional training and development of their cooperation for innovation and exchange of experience, skills and best practices.

The training course took place from 22nd to 31st of August, 2014 in the St. St. Constantine and Helena Resort, Bulgaria. It brought together 50 youth workers and experts from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania and Bulgaria, who actively support the social integration and career development of rural youngsters with speech and language disorders in their countries.

The training was conducted by an international team of trainers. The activities were entirely based on the methods of non-formal education. They included presentations, working groups, workshops, group discussions, field visits, group games and others. Through them, the participants learnt about the essence and applicability of the latest methods for non-formal education and systems for work with young people with different communication disorders - hearing impairments, stuttering, specific comprehension impairments of oral and written language, dyslexia and others. During the training they exchanged ideas and experiences and acquired practical skills for encouraging inclusion of the youth with disorders to the educational system and labor market. The course stimulated their cooperation for innovation and best practices, aiming a better quality of the services offered by them in benefit of young people with disorders.

An important part of the training was presentation of the opportunities offered by the "Erasmus+" Programme to the organisations which work with rural young people with fewer opportunities in Eastern Europe. Generating ideas for further interaction and cooperation among the partners also took place.

Of course there were many funny activities for intercultural learning – sightseeing, thematic evenings, art workshops, movie night and others. The participants also took advantage of the proximity to the Black Sea and they enjoyed many summer seaside entertainments together.

The training course improved the professional competences of the youth workers and increased the capacity of the partner organisations for international team-work. The project activated the exchange and collaboration between them for development and integration of new tools and approaches for work with youngsters with communication disorders. And last but not least, the project outcomes are already being applied in practice through the daily activities of the participants with young people with speech and language disorders at local level. At the same time, the project results are being disseminated at international level through the membership of the partner organisations in various European youth and professional associations.

Please find our Brochure.

All participants really liked very much this event and we are strongly motivated to plan our next joint project.

Thank you very much “Erasmus+” for this unforgettable summer experience!

This project was funded with support from the “Erasmus+” Programme of the European Commission, administered in Bulgaria by the “Human Resource Development Center”.

 

Projects 2015:

Project “The magic to communicate” №2015-1-BG01-KA105-013472 has been funded with support from the “Erasmus+” Programme of the European Commission, administered in Bulgaria by “Human Resource Development Center”. This website reflects the views only of the author, and the European Commission, “Erasmus+” Programme or the HRDC cannot be held responsible for any of the contain or its use.


Project “Stronger Together: Youth Collaboration for interreligious solidarity” № 6471.2.PA.2015 is implemented with the support of the European Youth Foundation, Council of Europe. This website reflects the views only of the authors, and the Council of Europe and the European Youth Foundation cannot be held responsible for any of the contain or its use.


Free Joomla Templates by JoomlaShine.com