„Facilitarium 2“

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„Facilitarium 2 – art of visual facilitation of learning“

Summary:

The following project idea was inspired by numerous conversations with fellow trainers, facilitators, youth leaders and those responsible for organising learning/teaching/training spaces. To be more precise, the inspiration came from such simple comments as: ‘I am not very creative’, ‘Sorry, my handwriting is not very good’, ‘I hope you are able to read that’ (comment of a trainer after completing a rather messy flipchart), etc. Working with colleagues from around the world we have already heard many of these. This, in turn, made us reflect on why many of us, facilitators of learning, prefer to complain and come up with excuses, rather than work on our teaching/training/facilitating capacities?
Do we really believe that we are not creative at all or enough and that there is no hidden potential deep down underneath our overall competences?
The answer to the question became clearer once we discovered so called ‘visual facilitation’ – a way of combining graphics, text and all types of images so as to convey meaningful and goals-oriented messages. Want to know more? Simply google visual or graphic facilitation and you will be blown away 😉
AIM and OBJECTIVES:
Facilitarium 2 will see the implementation of a highly practical, hands-on training course aimed at improving the quality of communication and educational activities of youth NGOs by means of providing their staff with a set of tools and practices for enhanced visual facilitation when organising educational or informational activities in the youth field (training courses, seminars, partners meetings, study visits, exchanges, presentations, meetings etc.).
In order to reach the project aim, the following objectives have been set:
— to explore and better understand the need for visual facilitation of learning in the youth activities nowadays (note: it is important that each of the organisations and participants engaged in the course discover the context in which VF can be used in their own everyday work)
— to equip participants with the variety of tools and methods applicable in visual facilitation and mapping of educational and informational activities in the youth field
— to develop practical skills in using important components of visual facilitation (e.g. shapes, colours, composition, hand-writing, visual metaphors, analysing and summing up of information
— to set up the basis for further development of these skills on individual and organisational level in order to ensure the exploitation of newly gained knowledge for the benefit of NGOs and a variety of learners we work with.
EXPECTED IMPACT:
The proposed project offers a great learning and capacity building potential for participants involved, partner promoters as well as target groups we all tend to work with back home. These are typically young people, as well as occasionally children and adult learners. Here, those attending will be provided with the unique opportunity to develop a set of highly creative and by far innovative competences in visual facilitation of learning. As such, the skills and knowledge gained can be used broadly across various fields, encouraging creativity within meeting rooms, board rooms, workshops, training courses, classrooms and any other places, where visual facilitation of learning is deemed
useful. This means that the effects of our joint work are likely to not only target direct partner involved but may stretch out to our local communities as well as any other work carried out by the partners at the regional, national and international level.
We expect that also the proposed project will have significant impact on the participants and partner promoters, thus leading to new ideas and future projects being planned. Here, the process of taking next steps after the project shall be skilfully facilitated and will be incorporated in the training course daily timetable.

Participant`s profile required:

• English level ( at least Medium level speaking and writing);
• Youth workers;
• Committed to contribute to the follow up of the project;
• Gender Balance have to be followed as much as possible (1 Male and 1 Female participant per country);
• People who are able to build new partnerships and cooperation for future projects within Erasmus+ and others programmes in the field of youth with disabilities;
• People who are interested and committed to apply and develop new projects in view of the next Erasmus+ deadline (october 2017 and january 2018);
• Be interested in developing competences and implement follow-up initiatives;
• Be aware of the characteristics of the learning environment (non-formal education);
• Work regularly on the youth field;
• Some priority will be given to youth belonging from minority groups or facing economic difficulties, coming from rural areas or with other disadvantaged backgrounds.

Venue:

All participants will be accommodated in basic triple rooms (single sex) at the Travelodge Hotel, situated in the very centre of Worcester. Please visit: http://www.travelodge.co.uk and check the photos of the hotel. Additionally, all meals will be provided at the hotel or other workshop venues, depending on the daily programme.
The address of the hotel:
Travelodge, Cathedral Plaza
3 High Street
Worcester, WR1 2QS
United Kingdom
Tel: 0871 984 6277?
Fax: 01905 22584

Preparation before training:

Since one of the objectives of the training is to create networking and also to develop an image of the
situations in other countries you will have to prepare:
1. Research, collection and preparation of data about European Union opportunities for inclusion of young people with disabilities and especially about Erasmus+ and other programs where youngsters can be involved and prove their different abilities;
– research regarding the national and regional regulatory framework linked to the opportunities and hardship related to the inclusion of young people afflicted with disabilities;
– research about the best practices/activities implemented to promote inclusion for young people with disabilities in the field of education and employability opportunities in their respective country.
2. A presentation of your NGO (all promotional materials are more than welcome , brochures, leaflet, stickers, booklet, etc.).
3. A presentation for the intercultural evening (traditional food, music, dances, close, games, pictures
etc.).

Required dissemination activities:

All of the participants will have to follow the foreseen activities:
BEFORE THE ACTIVITIES:
1) make a list of relevant stakeholders that could be interested in our project and its results and that will facilitate the dissemination at each local level (for example: other youth NGOs, specific faculties, specific training schools, specific departments/agencies of each regional/national government, the National Agency, networks of youth organizations…);
2) create an appropriate space on the webpage of the organization that will contain information about the project and its evolution, news and outcomes produced;
DURING THE TRAINING COURSE:
3) Meeting with local authorities and other local NGOs;
4) Shooting about the Contact Making Event;
5) News about the project and shared (facebook & websites) by all the partners involved;
AFTER THE TRAINING COURSE:
6) Organize a meeting with local policy makers, health public bodies, trade associations and media in cooperation with the participants;
7) Make a selection of photos taken during the whole project and during the multiplier events to be after all uploaded on the facebook page of the project and on the dedicated pages of the partners webpages.
All participants have to be actively involved during the development and implementation of the follow up and dissemination activities.
During the project all participants and partner organisations have to use the hastag #evenhanded17 to facilitate the project promotion on the social network. Please keep in mind this hastag while sharing in-formations, pictures, during the dissemination activities etc. related to the project.

Working methods:

The working methods of the training will include typical non-formal education methods, focused on individual and group exercises, workshops, live presentations, discussions, quests for experience and tests for skills, by which we are going to cover all the components of visual facilitation process. Most importantly, though, training course is a hands-on activity which means that project’s agenda includes a lot of creative practical tasks allowing participants to reveal their talents and master facilitation skills.

Travel Costs:

100% of the participants‘ travel costs will be reimbursed within the valid budget sums calculated according to the official rules of Erasmus+ programme. If a sum exceeds the limit, the excess will be paid by the participants themselves. The reimbursement limit is 275€ per participant from Bulgaria.

Financial support:

Project is supported by “Erasmus+” program. Accommodation, meals, program and travel cost (based on distance) are covered from grant. There is NO participation fee.

Insurance:

The travel insurance is not mandatory but it is highly reccommended. It costs 1 BGN/day and covers all the common injuries during projects up to 5000 Euro. Our organization is not covering insurance, it is individual, but we are going to support you to obtain a proper insurance for the duration of the project. For more information about the insurance, contact us.

YouthPass:

Every participant is individually entitled to receive a Youthpass Certificate, which confirms participation and
validates the non-formal learning (NFL) experience of Training course project. Validating the learning experiences of participants is important in itself and the document can be of benefit in terms of the educational or employment future of the participant. Through Youthpass the European Commission ensures the Training course activity is recognized as a non-formal learning experience.
(*For more information on Youthpass you may click on this page to check it online)

Applicants MUST:

1. Have a vilidе ID/International passport.
2. Possess valid European Health Card.
3. Fill in THIS APPLICATION FORM and send it to: stanimir.chukov@gmail.com.
4. Fill in and sign this participant agreement. (after his participation to the project is confirmed)