The learning process:

 

The learning process was organised in the form of extra-curricular activities with students from the Vocational High School on Tourism “Dr. Vasil Beron”. The activities took place within the premises of the school. The participants enrolled voluntarily from different classes of the school, most of them also members of Boyar Dreams School Company and formed a group of 20 people who stayed relatively permanent throughout the process. The group selected to explore the topic of Moving and engaged in a learning process, facilitated by the trainee of the GlobaLab international training for youth workers Nina Gadjeva.

The learning process was constructed around the Moving Chapter in the guide “Six Steps to Global Citizenship. A Guide for Youth Workers, Youth Leaders and Trainers”. It followed the 6-steps to global citizenship process as the following tools were employed to ensure each step is well covered:

Step 1: Where Would You Like to Travel & Cat and Mouse;

Step 2: Choosing an Issue;

Step 3: Causes and Consequences Tree & Who is Tolerant?;

Step 4: Discovering the Potential, Solutions Café & Steps for Action;

Step 6: Silent Wall & Self-esteem Buzz.

Where needed, small adaptations of the tools were done, based on the needs and interests of the groups, but no major modifications of the tools (as described in the GlobaLab guide) were done. Within the process, the main issue that was explored by the learners within the broad theme of Moving was travelling beyond tourism, particularly in regards to studying and working abroad. Along with the tools from the Guide, the facilitator has also invited a person who has done a mobility project abroad as a guest speaker to talk about their experience, living in a foreign environment.

 

The outcomes:​

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The participants in the GlobaLab have improved their communication and presentation skills through the different activities which have forced them to discuss and present different aspects of the theme of Moving. Their competencies in relation to leadership and teamwork have also visibly developed within the process, well supported by the tools which require group work. The creative and innovative thinking has seen an increase among many of the participants throughout the process. A more broad and comprehensive understanding of why and how people move is among the serious learning results of the process, which has also shown a change of attitudes. On the other hand, knowledge about concrete aspects of moving (rights, procedures, opportunities) was highly appreciated assets of the learning process by the participants themselves.

The facilitator has also assessed her own experience as enriching throughout the work with the group. The challenges around building a working group and supportive learning and working environment, as well as a relaying information in interactive and engaging ways, were the engines that kept the facilitator developing her competences further, particularly in regards to leadership.