The first module of the training “Capacity building for youth organizations concerning European values” took place on 27, 28 and 29th of August in Katarino, Bulgaria. The training was organized for representatives of 20 youth structures from all over Bulgaria, working in different areas (education, ecology, youth participation, creativity, ect.). The training was organized by C.E.G.A. Foundation as part of the “Youth against racism” project.
In the framework of the seminar few themes were discussed: ageism, abilism, racism, sexism, homophobia, European values and Human rights. The methods used during the seminar were group work, presentations, role play games, forum theatre, reflection on cases happened in the real life and discussions.
The first day was filled with activities for getting to know the participants and the team, as well as group work for clarifying the concepts: youth sphere, European values and human rights. This exercise helped the group to check the meaning of the word and to unify its understanding in order to go further and deeper with the topics of the seminar.
The second day continued with clarifying the meaning and the context of prejudice and stereotypes through simulation game and discussion, which allowed the participants to share their knowledge and experience in this direction. Another method for exchanging knowledge and opinions was through presenting few video clips, elaborated by the youth network of C.E.G.A. related to the project “Youth against racism”. Afterwords the participants discussed the phenomena ageism, which means stereotyping and discriminating based on age. It went further followed by discussion about young people with disabilities and to what extend there are conditions for their active participation in the youth sphere. The day ended with forum theater, introducing the participants to a real case, which happened in club Tantra, Sofia, and showing practices for face-control, denying access of Roma to public places like restaurants, discotheque, clubs, swimming pools, etc. Whether because it was quite cold in the conference room or because it turned out that the Roma issue is less familiar to the participants, the discussion heated the atmosphere. Frank questions and concerns were flying in the room from the participants regarding the Roma issues and the very passionately discussion ended up with positive note after an hour.
During the third day the participants were transferred to the world of the man and woman, sharing cases in which they have felt victim of stereotype because of their sex and especially in the youth sphere. The sharing of experience came to discussion about gender, and later on the participants were divided in groups to discus case where 17 years old girl, volunteer in organization, istands against a dilemma whether to reveal her homosexual orientation.
The seminar ended very emotionally: in small groups the participants had the task to assess the seminar in very creative way. They had to reproduce what they have learnt and went through during the training by short performance or dance, where each group got its style of performing:”Lady Gaga”, “Turkish TV novella”, “Vampires” and “Police operation with very strong code name”
The creativity and activeness of the participants went beyond the expactations of the C.E.G.A. team. The training team was supported by a strong group from C.E.G.A.’s youth volunteer network – Megi, Marti and Milena who used the opportunity to put in practice what they have learnt during the International Training of Trainers, organized in framework of the same project. And they did it great!
The project “Youth against prejudices” is coordinated by C.E.G.A. Foundation and is implementing in six European countries. It is supported by “Fundamental rights and citizenship” program of the European Commission. In Bulgaria the project activities continue with the second module of the training, which will take place at the end of September.
