Training of Trainers (ToT) for European Youth in Action Projects

Deadline: 31 May 2011
Open to:  experienced trainers from Austria, Belgium – FL, Belgium – FR, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey
Costs: Vary by country

The ToT is a long-term training course on developing good quality training projects in the context of the Youth in Action programme.
Specific objectives with respect to the trainees of the training course are to further develop and improve the following competences of participants:

• The competence to plan educational activities in line with the values and purposes of the Youth in Action Programme.
• The competence to develop and make explicit an educational approach which incorporates the key-concepts, values and consolidated practice of non-formal education.
• The competence to direct one´s own learning (Learning to Learn)
• The competence to deal with ambiguity and change.
• The competence to understand and facilitate learning of others.
• The competence to design, implement and evaluate training programmes.The competence to co-operate in international teams of trainers/facilitators.

The major aim of this training course is to train trainers who have the competences and the motivation to contribute to the improvement of the quality of projects within the Youth in Action Programme of the European Union.

Participants should be familiar with the aims and priorities of the Youth in Action programme before coming to the course as described in the Programme Guide.

This Training of Trainers lasts a year and consists of

• three residential seminars
• an international training project you design and run with some other participants
• ongoing e-learning
• ongoing mentoring with one of the course trainers as your mentor
• learning commitments

The dates for the three residential seminars are:
– 1st seminar 7-16 October 2011 in the United Kingdom
– 2nd seminar 20-29 January 2012 in the Flemish speaking community of Belgium
– 3rd seminar 26 June – 4 July 2012 in Bulgaria

This course requires a considerable time investment from the participants: in total you should plan at least 57 days:

• 30 seminar days (including travel)
• 12 days overall for the training project (preparatory work, prep meeting and the course itself)
• 15 days (on average 1-2 days per month) for following the personal learning commitments, the online work, peer learning, mentor talks etc.

The 7 essential ToT-competences

Within this Training of Trainers course (ToT-course) participants have the chance to further develop their competences as a trainer. The ToT-courseconsiders the following 7 competences to be essential when working as a non-formal education trainer within the Youth in Action programme:

• The competence to plan educational activities in line with the values and purposes of the Youth in Action Programme.
• The competence to develop and make explicit an educational approach which incorporates the key-concepts, values and consolidated practice of non-formal education.
• The competence to direct one´s own learning (Learning to Learn)
• The competence to deal with ambiguity and change.
• The competence to understand and facilitate learning of others.
• The competence to design, implement and evaluate training programmes.
• The competence to co-operate in international teams of trainers/facilitators.

Eligibility

Participants have to be recruited by one of the National Agencies for the Youth in Action programme covering the expenses related to the participation in the course (travel, board and lodging, etc.).

Participants are expected

• To have been already involved at least three times in a team of trainers designing, implementing and evaluating a training course  in the framework of Non-Formal Education.
• To have had international experience in the youth work field with a function of responsibility (not only as a participant) – organizing international youth projects, leading a youth exchange, mentoring EVS volunteers, etc.
• To have the potential and need to develop training competences and act after the course as a trainer for European Youth in Action projects and/or for training courses organised by the National Agencies of the Youth in Action programme.
• To show initiative and willingness to self-direct their own learning process.
• To be prepared to reflect on and question their own beliefs and approaches as trainers.
• To be able to run training courses in English.

Applicaiton

You can apply online by registering HERE. The application deadline is 31 May 2011.

The Official Call For Applicants

The Official Webpage