Training course: Tuning In: to Learning and Youthpass

Location: Germany

Dates: 6-11 June 2016

Number of participants: 24

What is the learning potential of youth work, what kind of competences can young people develop?

How can we support that potential, the learning process of the young people that participate in the Erasmus+ Youth in Action programme, and also beyond?

What is our approach, what is our role as youth workers, trainers, mentors and coaches?

And – how can we support it that the learning outcomes get documented and formulated in a way that will be beneficial in the future?

There is a lot of learning taking place in youth work. There is also growing attention on how to make better use of that aspect of youth work, in the view of the societal develoments affecting young people and the shifting views on learning and education as such. The facilitation of learning has become an increasingly important topic, with more and more youth workers facing the questions outlined above.

The main aim of the training course ‘Tuning In: to Learning and Youthpass’ is to contribute to the development of quality in youth work, with the focus on learning. The framework of the course is the Youthpass process that helps to reinforce the learning process in youth activities and to highlight the learning outcomes. During the training course, the Erasmus+ Youth in Action projects are being considered, as well as the wider youth work context.

The objectives of the training course are:
– To discuss the potential of learning in youth work;
– To help to raise young people’s awareness of learning in youth work projects;
– To develop ideas and practice tools on how to support the learning process;
– To give practical support to document and formulate the learning outcomes.

These objectives will be addressed from the perspective of the participants themselves as learners, as well as in their role as facilitators of the learning processes of the young people they work with. Participants will explore and experience a wide variety of methods and tools around learning, reflection, peer-learning, competence development and formulating learning outcomes. We will look into the evidence about competence development in youth work; insights and ideas about how people learn will challenge us to rethink learning and the facilitation of learning.

The target group of the course:
– Youth work practitioners (youth workers, mentors, trainers, etc., working with young people professionally or voluntarily), interested in developing the learning aspect of their work with young people;
– Able to use English as a working and learning language;
– Available to commit oneself to the whole duration of the training course.

The team of the training course consists of SALTO Training and Cooperation Resource Centre and three trainers with long-term experience in the training of youth workers and of trainers, on a wide array of topics: Mara Arvai, Mieke Neven McMahon and Paul Koosterman. The preparation and implementation of the course is supported by the German National Agency for Erasmus+ Youth in Action.