From 9 to 12 of May, HESED hosted the second partner meeting under Youth MIND Education: Youth Migrants’/Minorities’ Inclusion, Non-violence, Diversity Education (yMIND) project, with the support of the Erasmus + programme of the European Union (Initiatives for policy innovation – Social inclusion through education, training and youth – EACEA 05/2016).
During the four intensive and dynamic days the partners have exchanged experience and ideas regarding the implementation of the two good-practice training models transferred in the frame of the project. During the interactive method transfer, trainers from the 4 partner organizations had the opportunity to experience different interactive and cognitive games related with the topics: diversity education, gender equality and bullying/violence prevention, that could be successfully used for creating a comprehensive diversity competence training in school setting, adapted by the German partner SPI Forschung. Valuable experience for the trainers was provided by the exclusive opportunity to take a closer look to the drama method as instrument for bulling prevention, successfully implemented by the Greek partner Action Synergy S.A at school setting. The colleagues from Austrian Women’s Shelter Network provided the theoretical framework regarding the gender based violence and introduced interesting and engaging technics for approaching the topic in group format.
Our guests and colleagues were very pleased by the opportunity to have one working day in the HESED`s newly opened Demo center at “Suhodolska street” in the Roma neighborhood – to learn more about our mission, to meet our colleagues from the local team, and also some of our clients. The environment in the Center was very favorable for the presentation of the Popular Opinion Leader model, proposed by HESED as a good practice model for changing the community norms regarding gender-based violence. Our guests also went for a walk in the neighborhood to feel the rhythm of life in the Roma neighborhood.
Special time during the partners` meeting was dedicated for planning the activities for the implementation of the GP models and for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the interventions. Apart of the intensive training program the coordinators had the opportunity to receive individual consultations regarding the technical and the financial reporting from Mrs. Maria Papadopolus and Mrs. Katerina Pitirinopoulou (Action Synergy S.A.).
Important input for the partner meeting was provided by Mr. Colin Isham, external evaluator, who presented his recommendations regarding the implementation of the GP models and the criteria for evaluation of their impact potential.
We express our gratitude to Mrs. Tzvetina Arsova-Netzelmann (SPI Forschung), for her devotion to the project and her affection to Sofia- the city hosting the meeting, and thus made the second yMIND partner meeting to be unforgettable experience for all the participants.
