Within AFS we can consider ourselves as experts on Intercultural Learning (ICL) and Citizenship Education. These topics we use in our trainings for exchanges students, host families and volunteers. But who else can benefit from intercultural education? And how can we use our knowledge on ICL and Citizenship Education to provide training outside the AFS bubble? These questions we tackled during the 2016 edition of the EFIL Training for Trainers within the topic: “Who needs intercultural education?”. This years training took place in Dworp (Brussels), Belgium from 7 to 16 November were we welcomed 16 participants and 5 trainers from 16 different countries.
Next to sessions on basic trainer competences, our participants brainstormed on which target groups outside the AFS community could be approached, which specific learning needs they would have and how we can use our AFS background when we work with external organisations. After several days of training the participants prepared for a “practice training event” for different external groups in Belgium such as: Scouts, young Muslim girls, high school students, refugees and expats following an integration course in Belgium.
A huge credit for the outcomes of the event goes to the preparatory trainer team: Silvia Riehl from AFS Germany, Jero Vandenbempt from AFS Belgium/Norway and Flavio Rino from AFS Portugal, supported by Izabela Jurczik-Arnold and Lynn Bemus from the EFIL Secretariat.
We also want to thank all the external groups who gave us their time and interest to participate in the training event.
For mor infomration: izabela.jurczik-arnold@afs.org
Photo: ©EFIL