Finding Your Voice training course uses an array of creative and informal techniques designed to provide a unique and wonderful personal and professional development opportunity.
This isn't about lectures; it's about experiencing, doing, and reflecting. The entire programme is structured around the principles of non-formal education, ensuring that you are actively engaged throughout. Our experienced training team will guide you through a diverse mix of activities that stimulate different learning styles and keep you engaged.
Here are just some of the dynamic methods you will explore:
Getting to Know Each Other
Getting to Know Each Other: Building rapport and group cohesion right from the start through ice-breaking and name games. This is essential for creating a safe and inclusive space for learning.
Personal Soundscaping
Personal Soundscaping: You'll embark on a journey to explore the "soundscape" within and around you. This involves diving into vocal work and reflecting on the emotional, physical, and cultural aspects of your own voice. It's a powerful method for personal development and boosting self-awareness.
Circle Songs
Circle Songs: Engage in vocal improvisation, fostering teamwork, self-expression, and body awareness. This practice enhances communication skills and cultural understanding.
Exploring Protest Songs
Exploring Protest Songs: Delve into the power and influence of protest songs. You'll explore the connection between music and activism, studying case studies and even collaborating on writing your own protest songs. This method directly links creative expression to social change and finding a "political voice".
Digital Flash Mob Action and Open Mic
Get hands-on with performance and advocacy! You'll participate in creating content and sharing protest songs within the group. This highlights the role of music in activism and public awareness, linking traditional methods with modern digital tools. You'll can also perform your songs in a group Open Mic setting,
Youth Participation
Youth Participation: Understand different levels of youth engagement in society through tools like Hart's Ladder of Youth Participation. This helps frame how creative methods can promote democratic participation.
Action Planning
Action Planning: Towards the end, you'll develop concrete action plans for implementing the skills and knowledge you've gained in your own youth work context. A buddy system will provide ongoing support for these plans.
Youthpass and Reflection
Youthpass and Reflection: The course includes an introduction to Youthpass as a tool for reflection. You'll set individual learning goals that are revisited throughout the week. Daily reflection groups provide dedicated time to process learning, share insights, and provide feedback. This structured approach helps you recognise and document your learning outcomes and developed competences.
ShaRING & CaRING
Horizontal Activities: These run throughout the course, embedding key learning and community building. Service & Care involves shared daily tasks, fostering community spirit, responsibility, and sharing. This includes tasks like documenting activities for reporting and social media. Reflection Time provides dedicated daily space for individual and group reflection.
Open Space
Open Space: You'll have opportunities to lead sessions and share your own expertise, fostering powerful peer-to-peer learning and taking on leadership roles.
The approach is highly practical. You will learn by doing, directly experiencing the tools and techniques before applying them in your own work. The training team is committed to keeping sessions flexible and adaptable based on your feedback and changing needs.
By engaging in these methods, you will not only gain new creative tools but also develop crucial competences like effective communication, active listening, empathy, fostering creativity, managing ambiguity, and boosting self-confidence.
This is your chance to step into a vibrant learning community and acquire innovative skills that will make a lasting impact on your youth work practice!