Capacity-Building Trainings
These trainings were an important addition to the work the Youth IMPACT initiative aims to complete, by leaving a long-lasting impact to its target groups. Individuals who participated in said trainings included staff, volunteers, youth workers, and other individuals from local associations who work with blind and visually impaired youth.
The training programs in all four nations used an organized, systematic approach that intertwined academic knowledge with hands-on, activity-based learning. In order to develop core competences pertinent to inclusive youth work, participants engaged in group discussions, role-playing exercises, simulations, and teamwork-oriented tasks. This method promoted peer learning and professional reflection by allowing participants to interact with the content in a significant and practical way.
The review and evaluation of the initial version of the Bridging Differences Programme (BDP) Toolkit, a resource developed cooperatively by the project partners, was a major component of each training. The Toolkit's clarity, accessibility, and applicability were positively pointed out by participants, and more specifically, the communication techniques and inclusive settings mentioned in the Toolkit. Even though the general feedback from participants was highly positive, some suggestions for improvement were to include more localized examples in order to make it more personal to individuals reading and using the Toolkit, as well as a clearer explanation of certain mentioned activities, in order for the Youth Workers (the core target group of the Toolkit) to successfully deliver said activities. Finally, a significant suggestion was for the project partners to include visually impaired individuals in the development process of the Toolkit.
After testing and reviewing the Toolkit hands-on, participants reflected and discussed particular needs on a national and local level, such as social and physical barriers, lack of psychological support for youth with visual impairments, and the lack of a smoother transition from an educational setting to a more professional setting/workplace. Participants explained that tackling such needs and gaps on a national and local level would not only improve the visually impaired youths’ lives, but it would also open doors to greater personal and professional opportunities.
Overall, the trainings conducted in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro acted as a catalyst to the further development and improvement of the ‘Bridging Differences Programme’ Toolkit, allowing for the project partners to successfully complete the goals and aims the Youth IMPACT project delivers presently and in the future.
Learn more:
Croatian Blind Union (CBU)
Union of the Blind Montenegro (SSCG)
Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted of Slovenia (ZDSSS)
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Capacity-Building Trainings
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