Eurasia Partnership Foundation, in the framework of Youth Fund program funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and Chevron, organized Training of Trainers (ToT): Looking at YouthBank Differently, in Qusar Olimpic Sport Complex, on 18-22 October 2011. The 5-day training covered the essentials of setting up and running a YouthBank, combined with an introduction into facilitation skills, delivered by Vernon Ringland, YB Coordinator of the Community Foundation of Northern Ireland. YouthBank, referred as Youth Fund in Azerbaijan, is a proven and tested successful model of youth engagement and development, first piloted in the Northern Ireland.
EPF has launched Youth Fund in Azerbaijan in 2005 and is currently supporting 9, however is aiming at expanding the network of YF by establishing 12 more YFs. With this purpose, EPF trained 30 young activists to become peer-to-peer trainers. The participants were selected among current Youth Funds as well as the interested youth from across Azerbaijan, including Samukh, Shemkir, Aqstafa, Goygol, Ganja, Barda and Baku. During the week long capacity building programme the participants acquired necessary knowledge and strengthened their facilitation skills.
The training included a wide range of practical exercises that helped participants to develop strategies in introducing and leading workshops for new Youth Fund members. The participants learned about the importance of setting funding priorities, the process of decision making to select grant-making priorities and the use of criteria as a tool. The young people got to know how to make an application, key aspects of what’s involved in the project and ethical and moral issues of reading an application.
The training also included the development of active listening, writing and interviewing skills in order to make youth experience a practical, participatory and useful approach to learning that will leave them confident, inspired, and committed to fulfill their pivotal role within YouthBank in Azerbaijan. Combining theory with practice, young grant-makers raised awareness of voice and body messages and learned how to undertake interviews and write up reports.
EPF is going to create a pool of peer-to-peer trainers that will deliver YF approach and methodsto newly established YF members in future.
Copyright © 2007 Eurasia Partnership. Last updated: 14 May 2012
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