Testimonies ED.HO.C .Training Course February 27th – March 4th, 2013
Oriolo Romano (VT), Italy
Iulia Paraschivescu, ROMANIA Two weeks have passed already since I participated at the training organized in the framework of EDHOC – Grundtvig project, but I still keep in mind the wonderful days spent in Oriolo Romano at the holiday centre of CEMEA. From the first moment we arrived the beauty of the place was a blessing for our eyes and for our soul. The roman pins were the masters of the center’s garden – amazing place for spending a dream camp. During the training we discovered the methodology used by CEMEA in organizing a camp for children. We happily discovered games played also with enthusiasm by children also in Romania, but also other activities: music and popular dances set out by people so dedicating when working with children, that their soul remains always young. We worked together with passionate Italian young people who, after participating years in a row as participants in the holiday camps, now they want to become holiday camp educators. Their initiative and sense of involvement would be a lesson for every young man. Apart from the days when in the morning the songs were heard all through the camp and in the evenings the dances were closing the day in a cheerful atmosphere, we had the opportunity to get to know the other organizations – partners of the project EDHOC, to open discussions regarding the activities each of them develops, considerations that will be the starting points for the next study visits of the project EDHOC.
Vitalina Santana, PORTUGAL For me it was very important to do this training course for my day to day activity. Meet new working methods and exchange experiences, learn new activities and learn how the various summer camps work. I loved the group activities because they forced us to interact with each other. I congratulate the entire team for their excellent work.
LĂşcia Filipa Oliveira, PORTUGAL This course was held in Italy, by CEMEA del Lazio, in Oriolo Romano. For five days I had the opportunity to acquire new knowledge exchange experiences and gain new very important educational concepts. During this training I have learned various recreational activities, with the educational aspect always present, both in outdoor games, as well as in traditional dances, songs and crafts. In this course there was always the attention of showing us that we have to choose carefully the activities to develop well with the children, giving them the opportunity to enjoy not only games, but also cultural activities. All the dances we learned have a rhythm that captivates attention, as well as the songs. In the outdoor games I have found very good especially the fact that there is no exclusion of players: when one participant loses, he/she is not left out, (can go to the other team) or the teams have the opportunity to save their participants. In the activities of artistic expression (manual activities), although we had the opportunity to choose and realize just one activity by group of participants, there was an explanation of how to perform the manual activities experimented by the other groups. In terms of activities undertaken by the small groups, preparing a presentation in a short time, sometimes only with material or using the imagination, I found very interesting, and again, in each work there was the care for joining together the playful cultural. This motivational level training was very important, and all the knowledge I have gained through activities, also the exchange of experience with other monitors was very important. The whole experience was very rewarding and in many of the activities I felt like a child, I think there is a positive feeling this shows not only because we like the themes but also when working with children is easier to understand their difficulties because I already experienced them. It was a very interesting course which matched the level of activities developed.
Cristina Gómez Girol, SPAIN I was very enthusiastic about the meeting in Oriolo. I live in a small village of 500 people, in the rural Aragon area of Spain, where winter is very long and difficult and the work is reduced to studying, planning and training activities at a laboratory level. Going out, meeting new people and working together about education in holiday centres was very motivating for me. I have been working in this education field for a long time and, as a volunteer, knowing the methodology and how other associations and countries work is very useful. My travel partner was also new to me, though we both work in Telecentro de Ayerbe Association, but we are involved in different projects and work in different parts of the territory. I am a very organised person, I need to have all the information and to prepare things in advance, to know where I am going and what the aim is. I was prepared before the training course, about its objectives and the EDHOC project in general, but only after I discovered with pleasure the beauty of the place, the sun that accompanied us, the moments as a tourist in Rome and Bracciano, and the great time I had singing, dancing, playing games and laughing with youngsters from other countries. I had the chance to observe the working method of the hosting organisation and I got to know a little bit better the other partner organisations of the project. I shared the room with the Portuguese participants, lunch and dinner - with youngsters full of illusions, exchanging moments - with members of the other organisations, smiles - with almost everybody present at the TC. Arriving back home I had to prepare a training session about the importance of teamwork for a training course for holiday centres monitors. There were 25 youngsters participating, very much similar to the Oriolo context. Starting the session, I stood in front of them and I told them about the Oriolo experience. I also told them that I had a present for them: some dances and songs. So, to start the working session, we danced the “Tarantela Napoletana” and we sang “Moretto, Moretto...”. It is so very simple and rich, at the same time, the way exchanges happen; we always come back with something new.