Article by Stella Saratsi, from Goethe-Institut Athen / image: Biodiversa
On Sunday, the 7th of July, eighteen (18) youth workers travelled from Italy, Germany, Greece, and other areas from within Spain, to Asturias, to meet an international team of three (3) trainers, already waiting for them at Monasterio de Santa María de Valdediós.
The training, which was organized by the non-governmental, environmental organization Biodiversa aimed to train youth workers from LOCALY’s project partner countries on a tailor-made toolkit, produced by NaturFreundeJugend, Berlin.
Although the travels have been long, the place has been so rewarding that made everything worth it. Surrounded by the exceptional landscapes of Asturias, we started our learning journey together. Having the goal to enhance the ability to guide and support youngsters, so that they are then empowered to design and implement self-initiated, community-based environmental projects in the context of their local communities, everyone immediately submerged into the process of learning.
As in every training, there was a thinking behind and a story to tell. Participants, through guided learning by experience, have been invited to take part into sessions, following the process which they will adapt while implementing environmental projects with their own group of young people in their localities.
During the first day, the rules had been set, and community care groups had been formulated, so everyone could feel included, and each person could actively take care of the other community members. Moreover, the learning principles had been shared, for the maximum possible space to be created to extract the maximum from what happens within and between us. Group members had the chance to share what they need, what they expect form others, and with what they can contribute. Later, the community had the opportunity to work out which were for them the most outstanding and important values: Inclusivity, Transformation, Responsibility, Love, and Empowerment. Towards the end of the day there was the opportunity to explore the locals and the hidden secrets of the surrounding areas. Last, an excellent routine has been introduced, the reflection groups, a safe space for everyone to close the experience of the day, in comfort and acceptance.
The second day started with a process where each person had the chance to identify her/his/their personal drive that brought them to this training, at this exact moment in time and space. Afterwards, the space was created for everyone to identify and reflect upon the feelings and emotions emerging inside of us from the climate crisis and the current state of the world, and the ways feelings as such are interconnected with our value systems. Further on, the group was gradually invited to explore through movement and reflection the main and core principles of systemic thinking, and how this approach can be applied into youth work, and community-based interventions in particular.
Focusing on community building and learning, what was left aside and yet there to explore was to get a glance of what was right in front of us. Therefore, at day three, after completing the morning ritual of the care groups, most of the members went for a visit over to the actual Monastery. Gathering again, refreshed and with new perceptions, the learning of that day focused on the different roles we undertake and/or we are requested to perform in the context of climate related human driven actions, activities, and decisions.
Day four and day five focused almost exclusively on how to conduct youth work with a group of young people in such a way that diversity is acknowledged, and particular characteristics of each individual are taking into account while designing a bottom-up, community-based initiative. Participants were divided into groups and through a two-day process have been guided by the trainers towards discovering their own internal confidence and potential which they will set into action, once the training is completed and everyone is back with a group of teenagers, ready to explore possibilities to create impact and bring positive change forward.
Beyond all the learning experiences, the main gain remains that through this training LOCALY’s core team significantly expanded itself. And now, we are happy to feel part of a network of youth workers, among the different countries, consisting of people who care enough to move outside what they know with the wish and the hope to contribute, even a little, to a better tomorrow.
