Youth workers of the Federation of youth clubs of Armenia representing youth clubs from Aragatsotn /Andranik Haroyan, Inesa Shahazizyan/, Lori /Sokhak Melkonyan/ and Vayots Dzor /Hayk Harutyunyan/ regions were given an amazing opportunity to participate in Training of Trainers “Youth Work Preventing Radicalisation and Violent Extremism”. The training was held 8-11 August, in Sibiel, Romania and was organized by the European Confederation of Youth Clubs, partner organization of FYCA, within its annual work plan on “Youth Work as a preventive practice”. One of the facilitators of this ToT was Diana Yeghiazaryan, FYCA international Secretary and ECYC Bureau member.
The main aims of this T o T were to increase the understanding of the issue of prevention of violent radicalisation and the role of youth work, to enhance trainers’ skills in facilitating projects that focus on the prevention of violent radicalisation processes and to provide youth work with the necessary tools to implement and facilitate projects in their local realities.
Prior to this ToT participants had already got the alphabetization in “Youth work and the prevention of violent extremism and radicalization” by completing the Massive Open Online course with 12 Modules providing basic knowledge on Resilience and Empowerment, Youth Work response, Narratives and Counter Narratives, Non-Violent Communication and much more.
The training was very intensive and interactive as participants had 4 days and managed to talk on key elements & concepts of the field, had sessions with expert’s input. The trainers and youth workers had a unique experience in getting a bunch of tools, templates and manuals on topic for designing their own trainings in future.
One of the uniqueness of this ToT was the chance given to 25 participants from around the Europe to share their own tools and experiences in parallel sessions.
The main outcome and sustainability of the training are the projects that participants designed for implementing on National level in upcoming 2 months. The Armenian 4 youth workers will also organize a National project on Radicalization and Violent Extremism.