- Type of event: Citizens action training
- Dates: 19-21 April 2013
- Organisation: YAP Youth Action for Peace Italy
- Country: Italy
- City: Bologna
Description of the event:
25 participants took part in the two days long training course on leadership and active citizenship for future coordinators of international voluntary service projects. The main aim of the training was to provide the participants with concrete tools and methodologies of work with local communities, international volunteers and young people on intercultural dialogue, non violent conflict resolution, group dynamics, team building and local development.
Together with Luca Cantelli, YAP representative at EC4LA conference in Athens (21-25 February 2013), the participants reflected on the impact of voluntary service on local communities. For future campleaders this specific focus of the training was extremely important because they became coordinators of international voluntary projects during summer period and had the opportunity to implement this newly acquired knowledge. The were instructed about how to manage the relations with local community, how to explain to local people the importance of voluntary engagement and how to involve them in the voluntary programme activities which is fundamental for the success of each project. The campleaders became messengers towards hosting communities and helped them to meet new cultures and broaden relationships within the society through wider understanding of diversity, opportunities for exchange with international groups.
The use of peer-to-peer approach and non-formal education methods permitted to all the participants to be actively involved in the workshops, to share with others their experiences and opinions, to think together on future actions and projects. Finally, the training had a strong multiplier effect: the participants aware about EC4LA project spread the information about the project in their voluntary programme and local communities, as well.
