“Peers for Equality” is a new European project funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Commission (KA2 Capacity Building in the Field of Youth) coordinated by Ofensiva Tinerilor (Romania) in partnership with the European Peer Training Organisation (EPTO, Belgium) and Y-PEER Kyrgyzstan. It aims at developing the capacity of peer education platforms and NGOs for reducing gender-based discrimination. To achieve this, the partners will design a new peer education programme by exchanging, adapting and creating non-formal methods and tools which can be used in youth work. This programme will be put together in a new toolkit, upon which a group of 22 participants will be trained through 3 mobilities :

1. a “thematic awareness training” (TAT*) in April 2018 in Romania;
2. a “train-the-trainer” (TTT*) training in June 2018 in Kyrgyzstan;
3. a “Peers-To-Professionals” (P2P*) training in December 2018 in Belgium.

Between the mobilities, participants will be asked to practice what they have learned by facilitating workshops tackling gender based discrimination in youth environments:

• 6-hour practice between the TAT and the TTT;
• 24-hour practice between the TTT and the P2P.

EPTO is looking for 4 Belgium-based participants who are determined to go through this once-in-a-lifetime learning adventure!

What are the conditions?

• Being 18 to 35 years-old;
• Significantly experienced in the field of gender equality and/or youth work and/or peer training;
• Motivated to become a certified peer trainer through EPTO’s certification process;
• Available and committed to attend the 3 mobilities of the project and to complete the peer training practice required between mobilities.

What are the benefits?

• Be part of a fantastic intercultural experience with youth and professionals from Europe and Central Asia;
• Learn a great deal about gender issues, diversity, anti-discrimination, peer training and so much more;
• Join a dynamic European network of peer trainers and youth NGOs;
• Become a certified EPTO peer trainer, which will give you access in the future to training offers for which you can be paid as a trainer.

What’s on the menu?

1. Building the foundation;
2. Culture and identity;
3. Examining prejudice related to gender;
4. Confronting prejudice related to gender;
5. Taking social action;
6. Methods for assessing behavioural changes;
7. Evaluation & follow-up.

Preparatory meeting

15 days prior to the mobility, the participants will be part of a preparatory training comprising in:

• Exercises for sharing expectations, motivation, personal objectives, concerns about the future experience: training, communication, conflicts, etc.
• Presentations of: the Erasmus+ program; European mobilities; documents describing roles, rights and responsibilities of different actors; the learning agreement; Youthpass; medical coverage;
• Signing the learning agreement and code of conduct;
• Exercises for raising awareness about intercultural aspects;
• A presentation of aspects related to safety and security during the experience;
• Meetings or testimonials from other participants in mobilities (“Living library”).

How will we work?

The training is rooted in the principles of non formal education, peer training, anti-bias education and experiential learning. The activities will be highly interactive, participative, experience-based, with a mix of personal reflections, small group discussions, plenary debriefings and other kinds of non formal methods. Participants will be asked to share experiences and opinions, to practice active listening skills with others, and to learn emotionally as well as intellectually.

Practical Information

When: 19.04.2018 – 26.04.2018

You are expected to arrive on April 18th before 6 pm and to leave on April 27th after 10 am. Training days will be from April 19th to 26th 2018 (7 days).

Where: Arad, Romania.

Language: The working language will be English.

Travel costs

Ofensiva Tinerilor, thanks to the support of the Erasmus+ programme of the European Commission will cover 100% of your travel costs, which will be reimbursed after the mobility upon delivery of all original travel document (including boarding passes) and the completion of a reimbursement form.

Maximum travel costs per person: 275 EUR.

Application deadline and process

The deadline for application is on March, 4^th at 12:00 pm.

Responses will be provided on March 11^th the latest.

Once selected, you will be notified by email and will then also receive an information package with all the practical information for the mobility and preparatory training.

To apply, please download the application form here, fill it in and send it to Dorothea Elek: elek.thea@gmail.com