Training on Democratic Values
The training course “Everyday Heroes” will take place in Dresden, Germany with the participation of 28 people from 14 countries.
Dates: 12-19 November 2018 (12 and 19 are travel days)
BACKGROUND
“I did not want to be a spectator anymore” – these words from Martin Luther King describe precisely the main aim of the proposed project. Discrimination, violence and racism are everywhere prevalent – bullying in schools, hate speech and hate crime against migrants and refugees, racist insults against LGBTs and minorities as well as sexual harassment against women. The Munich Institute for Law and Economics asked people between 16 and 76 whether they had ever witnessed a violent act. All answered with “yes” whereas when they were asked if they would have helped, 86% said no. The increasing phenomenon of xenophobia has caused a raise in violent acts in public space. On daily news we see quite often different forms of discrimination and racism against disadvantaged people. Democracy and Peace are threatened and often people are afraid or do not know how to react. But ignorance actually fuels the climate of violence. In such situations, civil courage in everyday life is needed. However, civil courage should advocate a humane and democratic interaction with one another, a culture of recognition and diversity, and the shaping and co-responsibility of an open society.
Frey (2003) describes civil courage as the willingness to engage in actions that require personal courage and relate to preserve and follow norms and fundamental rights in the society.
AIM- OBJECTIVES- METHODOLOGY
The main aim of the training course is the promotion of civil courage based on democratic values. To reach this aim, five intermediary objectives are defined:
– Raising the participants’ awareness about democratic values
– Developing social and cognitive skills
– Strengthening self-efficacy of the participants
– Encouraging personal responsibility
– Building self-esteem and self-confidence
The training course raises the participants’ awareness regarding the need for civil-courage in their daily life. The participants will learn how to take action and defend principles of justice, fairness and morality as well as to speak up in situations marked by injustice and racist discrimination. The participants will learn how to stand up for their opinions and rights and understand that silence is not a solution.
The training course includes the following pedagogical guidelines:
– Enabling self-determined and holistic learning processes through non-formal learning methods and theatre techniques
– The discussions, exercises and activities of the training course are based on the interests and personal experiences of the participants
– Opening-up experimental fields instead of judging the behavior and the actions of the participants
– Using performative and visual arts as tools to encourage dialogue and cultural interaction as well as to work on the design of campaigns against Hate Speech
The methodology of the training course is based on a change between theoretical inputs, action-promoting simulation games and interactive exercises. The learning content offers numerous opportunities to reflect on one’s own actions and to exchange ideas with the other group members. The training course offers on the one hand basics about moral courage, different factors of violence and the causes of missing help behavior. On the other hand, learning situations are provided, in which reality is simulated, and a comprehension of feelings and experiences can be realised. Each of the participants should become active and be able to recreate occasions for civil courage and options for action. The work forms vary between warm ups and ice breakers, theatre methods combined with group and individual as well as plenary sessions. To be able to tailor the training course to the needs of the group, the expectations and fears are queried at the beginning and integrated into the content. The training course will be concluded by an evaluation, but also during each training day, phases of reflection and discussion are planned.
TARGET GROUP
– Youth workers and youth educators
– Activists and young people actively involved in civic society
– NGO practitioners and youth organisations active in civic education
COST AND REFUND OF TRAVEL EXPENSES
Accommodation and food will be provided and paid by a grant from the National Agency of Germany of the Erasmus+ Programme. Participants should arrange by themselves their insurance. Please contact your local Health insurance provider to obtain one for free. Travel expenses for participants from Cyprus will be covered up to 360 euros.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
Fill the application form Application_Local participants_activity abroad and send it to sealcyprus@gmail.com with the subject “Everyday Heroes_your name”.
Selected participants will be asked to fill one more form which is obligatory by the organisers.
Project title: Everyday Heroes
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Learning Mobility of Individuals
Action Type: Training Course
Dates of the activity: 12-19 November 2018
Place: Dresden, Germany
Coordinator: JUGEND-& KULTURPROJEKT EV