YMCA EUROPEÂ LEADERSHIP ACADEMY REPORT SUPPORTED BY EUROPEAN YOUTH FOUNDATION
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY: Objectives: 1. Increase professionalism of leaders of CSOs in the spheres of human rights, democratic governance, social relevance, project management, advocacy; 2. Involve youth in socially relevant activities; 3. Promote civic activism by advocacy actions; 4. Create opportunities for international cooperation of youth workers.
The course aimed at raising professionalism in young board members, staff and volunteers rooting their work in a rights based approach, increasing the social relevance of their organisations and the level of their work in their communities. 29 young leaders from 19 countries. Leadership, Human Rights, HRBA, Democratic Governance, Social Relevance, Project Management, Strategic Planning, Advocacy, Communication. 21 - 26 March 2017. Litomysl, Czech Republic 11 - 16th June 2017. Chisinau. Moldova 7 - 12 November 2017 Brussels. Belgium.
KEY RESULTS: 14 Governance meetings for near 133 leaders of CSOs are run by the participants. 9 mini-projects are elaborated by the participants. 4 of them are International. The 3 implemented projects covered 191 people belonging to vulnerable groups. Planned projects will cover near 1 200 people more.
- increasing knowledge on the topics of human rights, human rights based approach, leadership, democratic governance, social relevance, project management, clients' oriented strategic planning, communication, public speaking, European structures, advocacy, negotiations, policy papers, campaigning, non-discriminatory language; - mastering skills in the spheres of analysing vulnerability, creating project applications, creating and managing a project, communicating projects' ideas, working with process of strategic planning, public speaking, creating advocacy campaigns and policy papers, running negotiations;
KEY RESULTS: 8 advocacy and fundraising campaigns are elaborated by the participants. The 4 implemented campaigns covered near 362 direct and 2600 indirect beneficiaries. Other campaigns will cover near 2000 people more.
- increasing motivation to develop leadership skills, learn more about human rights, strengthen their CSOs through initiating changes in governance spheres, to make their CSOs more socially relevant through analysis of their clients, to bring changes to vulnerable groups of people in their communities through socially relevant mini-projects, to use a results oriented approach to strategic planning and project management, to implement the designed social mini-projects, to design and implement advocacy campaigns; to bring advocacy to their CSOs as a tool for work with their target groups; - enhancing International partnership between the participants through constant communication and joint educational experience, thorugh designing joint projects and advocacy campaigns.
KEY RESULTS:
We asked the participants to evaluate different elements of the program from 0 to 5. We received average scores between 4 and 5. This is an overall overview of the results of questionnaires. Â
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THEMES OF SOCIAL MINI-PROJECTS OF THE PARTICIPANTS: "We are the future: youth employment" by Angela from Macedonia "Tensing GermArm: inclusion of Syrian Armenians through creativity" by Araz and Arpi from Armenia and Elisa from Germany "International Days in Tirana: improving quality of living of marginalized groups" by Erjola from Albania "Christmas Youth Gathering: involving young people for organizing of Christmas events for vulnerable groups of children" by Martin and Martina from Serbia
THEMES OF SOCIAL MINI-PROJECTS OF THE PARTICIPANTS: "Leadership Scouts Exchange Program" by Terezie and Kristyna from Czech Republic "International Peace Camp" by Marina from Russia, Alexandra from Belarus, Jana from Ukraine "The Other Classes: enhancing youth participation�" by Ivo from Bulgaria "New Perspectives, New Horizons: youth employment in Southern Europe" by Renata from Portugal, Francesco from Italy, Evelyna, Dimitris, Chris from Greece "YLead: engaging of young people to socially relevant activities" by Victor from Moldova
THEMES OF ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS OF THE PARTICIPANTS: "One Smile: prevent people’s prejudices against other nationalities" "Bring a Friend or More: involving of youth to non-formal education" "YOUth Matter: enhancing youth participation” "CupToThrow: raising ecological awareness of citizens"
THEMES OF ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS OF THE PARTICIPANTS: "Be the Santa of a child in need: engaging citizens to social work" "My City – My Space: raising awareness about conscious attitude towards your city as your space" "All We Want For Christmas Is...: fundraising for organizing Christmas events for vulnerable groups of kids” "Love overcomes violence: campaign agains gender-based violence"
TESTIMONIES FROM THE PARTICIPANTSÂ OF THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
Leadership Academy has really changed me! I remember how may things I didn’t know at the beginning of the Academy. With amazing help of coordinators, I think I accomplished a lot. The Academy will help me a lot with my studies, my work, in the community and a lot more. This was really important and significant experience and knowledge for me. The best seminars I have ever attended! Thank you a lot to make us better humans (and smarter ones). I hope you are proud of us!
Martin, Serbia
Elisa, Germany
I was learning a lot about myself while reflecting my role inside the group and my organization. I got motivated and inspired to change something inside my YMCA and to be active at regional, national and international level. I learned a lot about leadership to be confident in my leader role and to raise my voice as well in a board with people with more experience than I have. While listening to people from other European countries I got an idea about work of different organizations across Europe and their National cultures. It raised my interest in political debates in other European countries. Â Â I developed a feeling of belonging to the European YMCA movement! Thank you!Â
Leadership Academy was one of the best choices I made applying for it. I’ve participated in other courses but knowledge was not satisfying. Now I feel really curious to know about strategies and projects of youth in European level and how they work. I’ll encourage my friends to participate in the same course next year. The more members get the knowledge from experts like you, the stronger will be our YMCA. Thank you a lot for your efforts and time! Now I feel I belong to bigger family, an International one.
Araz, Armenia
Leadership Academy gave me new knowledge, skills, helped me to develop myself. It gave me chance to contact with different people from other countries with different minds, to understand their pains, happiness and some views about the world. Now I love these people and I will be happy to meet them again.
Ako, Georgia
Sasha, Belarus
Thanks to YLA I’ve found some lacks in my personal development. I need to pay more attention to the topics of communication, public speech. I find myself more comfortable with paper work, but relationships with people are more important. So, I will work on myself and will try to leave my comfort zone. Thank you for encouraging for it!
Arpi, Armenia I learned new knowledge about the work that we should do in our organizations to be more reliable. It got me so interested that I want to research more about some of this topics. Public speaking is one of the highlights of this session. Finally I got free from the stress that I used when speaking.Â
Dimitris, Greece I think a training completed me as a volunteer and inspired me to be more active in my local YMCA. I feel like there is so much I can do for YMCA. And now I acquired the tools to achieve changes. I will recommend the YLA to everyone! It was a life experience that I won’t find anywhere else.
Yana, Ukraine
I have ensured that communication is a key. Even though I don’t like to talk, I really want to work on myself on efficient communication and public speaking. I really love the course! It’s perfect, especially the training organization. The plan, the content, how the things are organized, all activities, are so different and interesting. It’s a high level of professionalism for me. I would try to follow you!
I grew up in so many things and in so many levels. My confidence, my motivation and the trust in myself.
Angela, Macedonia
It made me feel included into something big. It brought me so many friends and so much experience. All the things I learned are very useful not only in the organization but in daily life as well. These were very nice sessions that will stay with me forever. Thanks to the whole team for the amazing job you did! It was extraordinary! I am so proud to say that I was part of what you did. Thanks YMCA Europe for this chance!
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Francesco, Italy YLA gave me awareness and stability. I am working on rebuilding my local YMCA, I want to do it through an International method. YLA gave me this point of view. I arrived to the 1-st session full of expectations. Human rights was something out of my expectations and I’ve been literally swept up. I decided to apply for the “project” topic and I am feeling very satisfied. I am not afraid of this topic now and I feel that I can manage it. I am aware that if something good is going to happen is thanks to this Academy!
Leadership Academy  made me think
Marina, Russia
about my position in YMCA, why I am not starting more active participation. It inspired to make this change. It made me feel more comfortable about myself, my knowledge and about YMCA in general. I structured what I already knew, got new knowledge about EU structure and work, advocacy on the new level. It made me inspired enough to be ready to start new project with Belarus and Ukraine. It made me want to involve more people, to encourage our YMCA volunteers to act on new level.Â
Martina, Serbia Leadership Academy has changed me in several ways. First of all YLA gave me knowledge that I can apply in my YMCA. The most important things for me were project management, strategic planning, advocacy, human rights and communication. Second thing I can say is that my confidence grew up. Third, I made good relations with some participants that will hopefully last forever. I will recommend Leadership Academy to my colleagues, I promise. Thank you for everything!
Looking back to when I decided to apply for the Academy, I remember I was hesitant and unsure. But now I know that it certainly reached its goal – empowerment. After all these topics, exercises, sessions I feel empowered to act, to participate, to make the change. And all is because of this amazing idea – Leadership Academy – the perfect package of knowledge, practice, friends, partnership, emotions. This event presents what YMCA is, what it is about. If you want to know YMCA, just go for this event!
Ivo, Bulgaria
Kristyna, Czech Republic
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It changed me a lot I think. It gave me new view on my YMCA and motivation to do more, to create real change. It showed me that I can do that. I have this great people around me and I know they will support me. It helped me to be even more active not only in local and national levels, but also International one. Thank you for this amazing opportunity!
Evangelia, Greece Networking. Project Planning. Personal growth. I want to be more involved in local level and International one!
Christos, Greece
What YLA showed me is how big our YMCA family is! I was really amazed to see what can happen if to bring so different people together under one mission. The Academy gave me so many tools to grow, as a leader, as a volunteer, as a person. That was a great program and I am happy I was part of it!
Konstantin, Bulgaria I am full of knowledge and experience and I want to send and use it!
Anonymous: I found new passion for YMCA. I feel more strong, interested and motivated. I am full of ideas that I would like to realize, because I learned a lot!Â
Renata, Portugal It made me feel more confident. It helped me to grow professionally since helped me to learn more. The most parts of the topics help me to build my personality professionally, being prepared, knowing very well how to behave and present myself, how to look like, as you are a representative of your organization.Â
Anonymous: I discovered what I want to do and now I can use my talents to make a change. Before YLA I was programmed to do what I was said to be done.
THE PROJECT TEAM:
Martina Hudcovska (Slovakia), YMCA Europe Finance Executive Secretary works for the YMCA Europe from 1999. She has a rich experience as a trainer, project manager, fundraiser. Olga Lukina (Belarus), YMCA Europe Regional Assistant for Movement Strengthening and Project Management, a project manager in YMCA Belarus. She posesses an expertise on the topics of democratic governance, project management, strategic planning, communication, etc. Ilenia Ventroni (Italy), YMCA Europe Advocacy, Fundraising and Project Manager. Ilenia has a broad experience in advocacy, communication, fundraising, lobbying, negotiations, etc. Tina Larionova (Russia), YMCA Russia President, a trainer. Tina is a an expert in group dynamics, leadership, teambuilding, interactive forms of non-formal education, communication, mission awareness, governance, etc. Joao Moura (Portugal), a volunteer of YMCA Portugal, Youth Center Coordinator, psychologist and expertise in project managementhas expertise in media communication and non-formal education methods. Annika Lindvall Thomsson (Sweden), a volunteer from YMCA Sweden with a long time staff experience in the spheres of leadership, coaching leadership, project management, public speaking, non-verbal communication, etc. Magdalena Gawronska (Poland), Head of External relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland. She is an expert in human rights and social relevance.