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Dreams taste better when you bake them yourself
Dreams taste better when you bake them yourself
Start date: Jul 1, 2015,
End date: Dec 31, 2015
PROJECT
FINISHED
"Dreams taste better if you bake them yourself" is a 10 day training for trainers for 38 trainers from 9 EU and Partner countries that will take place in or near Berlin in autumn 2015. The participating countries are: Germany, Palestine, Egypt, Macedonia, Poland, Slovenia, Armenia, Italy and Georgia.
The training is based on the 'School of Freedom’ method, which was developed in the Loesje network, to organize activities in a group in a way that enables vast exchange of knowledge and skills. It inspires participants by an exchange of practices and strengthens the capabilities and self-confidence of the participants as well as share responsibilities between them. 'School of Freedom' is a non-formal education method that inspires participants to get involved, to spread knowledge and to strengthen skills and self-confidence of the participants, by putting focus on sharing what they can do and by learning new skills others are offering to share. Here everyone is a participant and everyone is a workshop giver! This means that each participant can suggest, as well as wish for workshops, lectures and other activities. As far as ideas go, the sky is the limit. The program is created from these suggestions and at each workshop slot the participants (the ones who at that time are not giving a workshop) will chose between 3 different workshops. The workshops are chosen on basis of the interests of the group, but also other factors are taken into account: the activity level of the workshop (so there is something active and something calmer to chose from); the variety of topics; the variety of workshop givers (all participants should have a chance to give a workshop and one person should not give too many workshops, otherwise they will both get stressed, not have time to enjoy the workshops of others and not give room to other people to give workshops).
The 'School of Freedom' has been used in yearly international Loesje Summer Camps since the end of the 1990'ies and has developed over the years. This training is an attempt to adapt this method into a form which could be used in a more structured way in trainings, seminars, youth exchanges and so on. The participants will learn the method by experiencing it and through this would also help to shape it and later on practice it in their surrounding. They will also document what they are doing through the film 'Dream of Freedom' and 'Handbook of Methods' so that that future participants & workshop givers more easily can understand and work with the method. From our experience in the network, the 'School of Freedom' really enables young people to find their strengths and to develop also in fields they need to improve. Shy people can practice to lead or take place in a group; people who are not used to showing feelings can practice to share these in a group; people not used to moving their body can get a free space to do so. The 'School of Freedom' is a open and allowing way to develop new sides of oneself, it is an allowing and free atmosphere where people have a chance to experience things normally hard to achieve. The 'School of Freedom' has fostered many active Loesje members who have, inside and beyond the Loesje network, have afterwards realised things they did not think possible. Some of them are today very successful in their respective fields, and most chose to come back year after year.
The training is designed for trainers from Loesje groups around the world, from new as well as more experienced groups. The participants will learn how to (re)shape/translate their inner capabilities (professional, personal), knowledge and creativity into a workshop, discussion or other activity. They will learn how to plan, present and execute this kind of activity. Therefore the beginning of the program is aimed at practicing these skills. The participants will live together, cook on their own and share responsibilities for cleaning, program and fun. This also has added value for those who normally don't cook, who are not used to clean or take other responsibilities for themselves or a group.
One of the aims with the training is to spread the 'School of Freedom' method so that more Loesje groups will be able to use it and strengthen their participants through it. The participants will also all get trained in the values and creative writing methods of Loesje, so they can act as multipliers in their home organisations. We see the long-term goals of the training to invest in the capabilities of the youth trainers in our network and to strengthen the cooperation of the network. In the long run this will effect not only the local communities and our own network, but also society on a wider level, making more citziens believe in their skills and daring to make use of them.