Bridging Divided Communities 7. - 16. October 2012

booklet

‘This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.’

training course

To be “excluded from society” can take various relative senses, but social

exclusion is usually defined as more than a simple

economic phenomenon: it also has consequences

on the social, symbolic field.

8-days training course Bridging Divided Communities aimed to connect youth workers, leaders, project managers and ex-perts in the field of youth work who are work-ing with those living behind invisible walls and provide them an opportunity for develop-ing new skills, knowledge especially in the field of conflict and project management, communication and leadership and more-over a chance for sharing and creating new practices in the field of youth work which can contribute to break the invisible walls and connect disconnected.

Simulations, group works, interactive pre-sentations, outdoor activities were used to inspire and motivate youth leaders, workers and experts in the field of youth work com-ing from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Croatia, Romania, France, Italy, Germany, Es-tonia, Poland, Turkey and Republic of Macedonia to work together on develop-ing new tools for working with those who are invisible in way to create more inclusive soci-ety, fight social exclusion and to create new ideas for concrete projects which realized on local or international level will bring a posi-tive social change to the participants’ local communities and contribute to more inclu-sive growth.

This booklet is bringing insight into the proj-ect activities including new developed tools.

The training course Bridging Divided Communities was implemented by Volunteers Centre Skopje, www.vcs.org.mk, in October 2012.

Among this booklet the project results includes:

project website:http://vcskopje.wix.com/tcbridging-

video quiz:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1PeDLszze8

video submitted to the competition ‘Show Me Inclusion’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0irmJMXmNec

articles published in VOICES magazine:http://issuu.com/vcsvoices/

1

To be “excluded from society” can take various relative senses, but social

exclusion is usually defined as more than a simple

economic phenomenon: it also has consequences

on the social, symbolic field.

8-days training course Bridging Divided Communities aimed to connect youth workers, leaders, project managers and ex-perts in the field of youth work who are work-ing with those living behind invisible walls and provide them an opportunity for develop-ing new skills, knowledge especially in the field of conflict and project management, communication and leadership and more-over a chance for sharing and creating new practices in the field of youth work which can contribute to break the invisible walls and connect disconnected.

Simulations, group works, interactive pre-sentations, outdoor activities were used to inspire and motivate youth leaders, workers and experts in the field of youth work com-ing from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Croatia, Romania, France, Italy, Germany, Es-tonia, Poland, Turkey and Republic of Macedonia to work together on develop-ing new tools for working with those who are invisible in way to create more inclusive soci-ety, fight social exclusion and to create new ideas for concrete projects which realized on local or international level will bring a posi-tive social change to the participants’ local communities and contribute to more inclu-sive growth.

This booklet is bringing insight into the proj-ect activities including new developed tools.

1

In which country the term ‘social exclusion’ was firstly utilized?

Aims: To encourage the participants to take part in discussion and through discussing various issues to strength their knowledge of the covered theme;To create open platform within which the participants can share their ex-periences, opinions and gain better insight to the realities of other par-ticipants countries;To increase communication skills of the participants and their ability to express themselves in mix-intercul-tural team;To develop leadership skills of the participants who are taking the lead-ing role in this activity and moderat-ing the discussion.

2

France

New Tool - Cafe Debate

Preparation:4 tables = 4 groups (it can be more depends on the number of the par-ticipants and size of the group) 4 topics to debate (for example Should it be forbidden to smoke in public area (bar, coffee, office)?; Do you think that children should be al-lowed to work?; Do you think that gay marriage should be allowed?; How gender balance could be im-proved in your country?).2 glasses, 2 cups.

Description: 1. The group is divided into 3 – 4 team (preferably 4 – 5 persons in one team).2. Each team gathers around one table and receives one issue to discuss. The table arranged as in cafés.3. The main rules of the debate are reviewed at the beginning of the activity: a) At the moment when the café is open the discussions can start; b) In each team can only speak a person who is holding the glass or cup in the hand. c) If anyone would like to change the team - the table he/she need to asked the moderators (waitresses or waiters) who can allow them to change their places. d) The waitress and waitresses are following the debates and taking notes for debriefing. They are also making sure that the rules of the debater are respecting. 4. The activity is closed up by debriefing when the participants are sharing their impressions from the activity and the argu-ments mentioned during the debate are reviewed.

Notes:By using this tool the participants had an opportunity to experi-ence variety of opinions and attitudes as well as this tool can be starting point for discussion tackling the issue of judging in debates and youth work – how we can minimalize its influence if the group is diverse (especially culture and religion were tackled).

In which country the term ‘social exclusion’ was firstly utilized?

Aims: To encourage the participants to take part in discussion and through discussing various issues to strength their knowledge of the covered theme;To create open platform within which the participants can share their ex-periences, opinions and gain better insight to the realities of other par-ticipants countries;To increase communication skills of the participants and their ability to express themselves in mix-intercul-tural team;To develop leadership skills of the participants who are taking the lead-ing role in this activity and moderat-ing the discussion.

2

France

New Tool - Cafe Debate

Preparation:4 tables = 4 groups (it can be more depends on the number of the par-ticipants and size of the group) 4 topics to debate (for example Should it be forbidden to smoke in public area (bar, coffee, office)?; Do you think that children should be al-lowed to work?; Do you think that gay marriage should be allowed?; How gender balance could be im-proved in your country?).2 glasses, 2 cups.

Description: 1. The group is divided into 3 – 4 team (preferably 4 – 5 persons in one team).2. Each team gathers around one table and receives one issue to discuss. The table arranged as in cafés.3. The main rules of the debate are reviewed at the beginning of the activity: a) At the moment when the café is open the discussions can start; b) In each team can only speak a person who is holding the glass or cup in the hand. c) If anyone would like to change the team - the table he/she need to asked the moderators (waitresses or waiters) who can allow them to change their places. d) The waitress and waitresses are following the debates and taking notes for debriefing. They are also making sure that the rules of the debater are respecting. 4. The activity is closed up by debriefing when the participants are sharing their impressions from the activity and the argu-ments mentioned during the debate are reviewed.

Notes:By using this tool the participants had an opportunity to experi-ence variety of opinions and attitudes as well as this tool can be starting point for discussion tackling the issue of judging in debates and youth work – how we can minimalize its influence if the group is diverse (especially culture and religion were tackled).

Which year was European Year of

Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion?

Aim of the Tool:The main of the tool is encourage the par-ticipants to share their opinions, experiences when reflecting on various issues when hav-ing opportunity to step out of the debate as well as to bring new piece of information to it.

Description of the Tool:This tool can directly include up to 6 persons - when one of them is playing the role of ‘driv-er’ having an opportunity to be a moderator of the debate by providing the passengers an opportunity to step out from the debate or join the debate. The passengers have an op-portunity to change their seats during the de-bate and to share their opinions and ideas.Other participants are also included when following the debate and having an opportu-nity to become passengers at the next step as well as in the debriefing they are encour-aged to reflect on the statements shared dur-ing the debate.

The debate is providing an opportunity to discuss any issue or topic. Important rule of the debate is a fact that just passengers can contribute to discussion thus when anyone from the participants willing to become part of the discussion he/she needs to wait on the stop and replaced someone at the bus.

Materials Needed:Chairs, pen and papers

3

2010

New Tool - Driving Debate

Experiencing the New Tool: Driving Debate

Name one of the mechanisms of social exclusion?

4

extermination, exile, abandonment, shaming, marginalization, segregation,discrimination

New Tool - Pictionary with attitude!

Purpose: Develop discussion about various faces and dimension of social exclusion and brainstorm possible solutions.

Necessary Materials: Paper, pen, flipcharts.

Recommended Time: 1 hour

Description of the Tool:1. Divide the group into several smaller groups of a maximum 3 to 4 people.2. Give each group piece of paper or flipchart and pen.3. Explain to everyone that their task is to draw their vision of a particular term on a given topic related to social exclusion.4. Give first group to choose one term. For example some of term could be @ to be passive, @ to be active, @ to be helpful, @ exclusion: basically some general terms based on the topic social exclusion.5. Every group has to draw the picture on the chosen term.6. After they finish with drawing ask them to explain their work.

Question for Discussion:1. Can this realistic picture happen in the real daily life?2. Can we change it?3. How can we persuade our society to behave differently?

Conclusion:Ask one participant to summarize all what was said on discussion with so-lutions of problem social exclusion. In case of mix-intercultural groups dis-cussed how solutions implemented in one environment could be transfer to other cultural setting.

Comment from the Evaluation: While presenting ideas, participants realised that the method is useful in creation of slogans and social campaigns tackling exclusion as it’s brings out of the box thinking method.

European Commission focus especially on ?

to fight social exclusion.

Fish Bowl of Conflict is an opportunity for participants to get other perceptions on conflicts which they are facing at different levels (intrapersonal, interpersonal, group) and find possible solutions that can be practical applied.

Aim of the Tool:

Main aim of the exercise is develop participants under-standing of conflict, its roots as to increase their possibility to find and reflect on possible solutions of various conflict situations as well as to develop participants ability to re-flect on the conflict from other perspectives.

5

unemployment

Implemented Activities - Fish Bowl of Confict

Description of the tool:

Firstly the participants are asked to write down description of their “conflict story” which they were or are cur-rently facing. There is no need to sign the story but it is important that the story will be understandable to oth-ers when reading at the beginning of the discussion. It is also good to point out that the description should not include just information about “conflict escalation” but try to also introduce the history of the conflict. After the facilitators choose several situations for the own exercise and the working space is adjust when the participants are sitting in the circle and in middle of the circle are three chairs for people who would be dis-cussing the conflict situation. To start the exercise the facilitators can ask for three volunteers who would like to take sit on the chairs in the middle of the circle. It is important to stress that just these participants have right to discuss the situations. If anyone else would like to express opinion he/she needs to replace person in middle by touching his/her shoulders. When first participants are ready the facilitator read the conflict situation. After reading without any additional commenting from his/her side the participants can start with the discussion with goal to share their point of view, experiences as their possible solutions. Others are encouraged to take part in the discussion by replacing with goal to gather also other points of view.When the discussion is finished the debriefing is taking place and after other situation can be discussed.

Fish Bowl of Conflict in Practice

What means OMC?

6

Open Method of coordination (OMC) - new means of policy making in the EU

Implemented Activities - Visits of Local Organizations

The participants of the training course had an opportunity directly interacted with representa-tives, local volunteers, EVS volunteers of two non-governmental organizations located in Struga and Ohrid – the first visited organization was Poraka Nova working with peo-ple with intellectual disabilities. Dur-ing this visit the participants were firstly shortly brief about the history of the organization, its activities by project coordinator and afterwards they had an opportunity to ask questions to the local stuff and also to EVS volunteers coming from France and Italy. The second organization visited in Ohrid was Opcija Ohrid working with sexual workers and drug users. Also during this visit the participants had an

opportunity to asked question to the stuff of the organization and to get to know more about reali-ties of the hosting country.

Contact of Visited Organizations:

Poraka Nova: Facebook Profile: http://www.facebook.com/#!/poraka.nova?fref=ts EVS database: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_form_en.cfm?EID=66000156501

Opcija Ohrid Facebook Profile: http://www.facebook.com/po-raka.nova?fref=ts#!/nvoopcija.ohrid?fref=ts

Visiting Opcija Ohrid - Group Photo.

How many percent of children in EU are in or at

risk of poverty?

The training course was also for the participants an opportuntiy to strengh their abilities to use media tools for fighting social exclusion. During the session focused on using media tools the participants also work in mix - intercultural teams and were creating products that would tackled any issues connected with social exclusion. One of the created products - video was also submitted to the competition ‘Show me In-clusion’ that was part of project ‘End Exclusion’ three years public awareness project of European Union. More information about the project: http://www.endexclusion.eu/about.

The submitted video can be found on following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0irmJMXmNec

7 Implemented Activities - Using Media Tools for Fighting Social Exclusion

19 %

How many percent of children in EU are in or at

risk of poverty?

The training course was also for the participants an opportuntiy to strengh their abilities to use media tools for fighting social exclusion. During the session focused on using media tools the participants also work in mix - intercultural teams and were creating products that would tackled any issues connected with social exclusion. One of the created products - video was also submitted to the competition ‘Show me In-clusion’ that was part of project ‘End Exclusion’ three years public awareness project of European Union. More information about the project: http://www.endexclusion.eu/about.

The submitted video can be found on following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0irmJMXmNec

7 Implemented Activities - Using Media Tools for Fighting Social Exclusion

19 %Presentation of Ideas.

It is social exclusion multi-dimensional process?

8

Yes. It affects both the quality of life of individuals and the equity and cohesion of society as a whole.

Implemented Activities - Problem Tree

To explore the roots of social exclusion and economic, cultural, institutional and political features the participants took part in activity ‘Problem Tree’ when in national teams they were preparing presentation about the main social problem according their opinion in their country including identifying the reasons (roots) of the program and possible solutions. After the presentation the participants had an opportunity to discuss several issues tackled during the presentations and shared practices from other countries when dealing with any of the described issues.

Problem Tree: France

Problem Tree: Italy

Problem Tree: Turkey

Where can appear social exclusion?

The training course was also for the participants an opportunity to develop their project management skills when working on ideas for new projects that could be implemented at international level with sup-port of Youth in Action Programme.

9 Implemented Activities - Project Management for Social Inclusion

Social exclusion can occur in different sites and spac-es: within state institutions, the market, the community

and the family.

Exploring Project Management

Presentation of Project Idea - Youth Exchange Creativity Through Short Movies.

Is social exclusion linked with inequality?

10

The concepts of social exclusion and inequality are closely linked. Unequal societies in which certain groups are discriminated against can lead to exclusion. Likewise, social exclusion involves inequality.

Implemented Activities - Sharing Feedback and Final Evaluation

During the project the participants shared their feedback through reflection groups. At the end of the project they had possibility to share written feedback within the group and write anyone feedback note. By end of the final evaluation session the participants also fill in the final evaluation forms.

Notes from Final Evaluation Forms:

Visiting the centres because it

gives a clear idea what we are doing, why and for

whom...

Making our videos, our ICL nights

because I realized how people can function in short period of time and how bril-

liant things we can do together...

Improved: English, Italian, my soft

skills, group work - learned that team can do much more

than I though before...

I improved my communication and inter-

cultural skills. I am even more aware of the social exclusion and I will try to definitely reduce them.

This had also a positive impact on my personal develop-

ment...

I met a lot of new friends. I hope that we will work together on our future projects...

Contact Email: VCS_CONTACT@YAHOO.COMFacebook Group: TC: Bridging Divided Communities

Volunteers Centre Skopjewww.vcs.org.mk

Contact

‘This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.’