Pilot training Agenda § Feedback of the ACCT project

 

Anti-racism and Civic Courage Training (ACCT) is a transnational project focusing on the decrease of discrimination, including multi-dimensional discrimination and racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance. The partners also aim at combating discrimination, hate crime & hate speech across the EU.

              AGENDA

Day 1st 15/05/2024	Ø  Introduction to each other and Ice-breaking games; Ø  Introduction of the ACCT project:  Is there a need to be trained in anti-discrimination and anti-racism and how could we eventually do it? Ø  Introduction of our 3 days communication, thinking, storytelling, acting and discussions;
Day 2nd 16/05/2024	Ø  Post-colonial analysis of the European ‘Migration Crisis’ Ø  Implicit Social Cognition Ø  Attitudes, Self-Concept Clarity, Self-Esteem, and Stereotypes
Day 3rd 17/05/2024	Ø  Briefly about the legacy of Augusto Boal and Paulo Freire; Ø  Doing Image & Forum Theater – games, storytelling and  performance;   Ø  Closing up

 

 

              ARM-BG Pilot Training in the Lebanese School (LS) in Sofia

15, 16 and 17 of May, 2024

 

About the LS

The Lebanese school was founded 26 years ago as a private school by a couple of Lebanese families. As all private schools in BG it is under the supervision of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education. In 2023 the school was already very popular, well packed with students and moved to a new building, allocated by the Sofia municipality and renovated by the school community. The school accepts and trains kids of Arab and mixed marriage backgrounds from about 18 Arab countries. There are three official languages spoken in the school - Arab, Bulgarian and English. The non-official ones are more, our trainees - young adults from the upper grades didn’t have any problem understanding the Spanish text on one of the ACCT competition winning posters. The fact that the students were first or second generation migrants was relevant to the training’s goal. Students from 10^th and 11^th grades attended the trainings. The age group was between 15 and 17.

ARM-BG pilot training issues

The Pilot training in Sofia was adapted to the context and the Schools’ cultural specificity. One of the requirements of the parents was not to have any LGBTQ+ issues mentioned in the training. During the Forum Theater workshop the participating teenage boys asked to avoid any facilitating exercises involving touching each other in the mixed male/female group. That’s why we transformed the exercises, involving touching to ones without and had this requirement in mind in the rest workshop activities.  The overall number of the students attending the 3 days training was over 49 plus a couple of teachers. On the first day we had a problem with the already prepared table for the participants’ list.  One of the teachers informed us that the students were not supposed to give for the participants’ list any other information about themselves, but for their names and emails. Due to this intervention, not all of the first day participants filled-in the required information. We transformed the template for the rest of the training days.

 

Adaptation

A relevant adaptation was the linking of the training to the postcolonial history of Europe, of the Euro-Med and MENA regions’ countries and its impact on Migration, Racism and Discrimination.

Brief adapted texts were distributed in advance to the students and teachers and that facilitated discussions during the training sessions. Discussions were relevantly linked to brief Q&A sessions, ice-breaking, energizing and feedback exercises with the students. Among the issues discussed were implicit social cognition, attitudes, self-esteem and stereotypes, as well as migrants’ cultural identity conflicts and ways of dealing with them.

On the third day, Friday, May 17, 2024 we introduced the Forum and Image Theater social change potential and did some relevant training exercises.  

Feedback & Post-Training Reflections

The LS students and teachers recognized as training-relevant the topics of anti-discrimination and anti-racism. They liked the 3 days training sessions and our team was invited to continue training in the new 2024/2025 school year. The theme was regarded as a topical training possibility.

Popular and animated communication referent points were the ACCT posters and cards. The school administration asked for an additional set of the big posters. The fact that the posters were created by university students was very relevant to the training.

Reflecting on the training results the facilitators found appropriate for further ACCT related trainings to perform a relevant pre-training interviewing research of the potential trainees’ cohort - of both teachers’ and students. Among other things, such preliminary interviews would provide better information for aligning the training program with the educational institutions’ internal rules.

 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. 

 

First community training in Sofia - with migrants, local minorities and local youth

Anti-racism and Civic Courage Training (ACCT) is a transnational project focusing on the decrease of discrimination, including multi-dimensional discrimination and racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance. The partners also aim at combating discrimination, hate crime & hate speech across the EU.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

 

ACCT Poster Campaign: Meet the Winners

Anti-racism and Civic Courage Training (ACCT) is a transnational project focusing on the decrease of discrimination, including multi-dimensional discrimination and racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance. The partners also aim at combating discrimination, hate crime & hate speech across the EU.

For more information:

acctforchange.eu

ACCT (Anti-Racism and Civic Courage Training) is an EUwide project for respect, anti-racism and civic courage. We develop trainings and social campaigns to effectively combat racism and discrimination and empower communities.

Anti-racism and Civic Courage Training (ACCT) is a transnational project focusing on the decrease of discrimination, including multi-dimensional discrimination and racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance. The partners also aim at combating discrimination, hate crime & hate speech across the EU.

ACCT daily

Anti-racism and Civic Courage Training (ACCT) is a transnational project focusing on the decrease of discrimination, including multi-dimensional discrimination and racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance. The partners also aim at combating discrimination, hate crime & hate speech across the EU.

 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Train the Trainers: A Transformative Experience in Berlin

 

Anti-racism and Civic Courage Training (ACCT) is a transnational project focusing on the decrease of discrimination, including multi-dimensional discrimination and racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance. The partners also aim at combating discrimination, hate crime & hate speech across the EU.

https://www.acctforchange.eu/train-the-trainers-a-transformative-experience-in-berlin/

 

 

 

My name is Bikalpa and I originally come from Nepal but am currently living in Copenhagen, Denmark. This month, from January 10th to 13th, I had the opportunity to participate in Train the Trainers workshop in Berlin, Germany, to learn how to facilitate the Anti-Racism and Civic Courage Training (ACCT). This event brought together a diverse group of individuals from the ACCT project partners organizations from five EU countries. I was participating on behalf of Crossing Borders (Denmark) along with my colleagues Andrew (USA/Italy), Maryam (Lebanon/Denmark) and Margaret (Egypt).  

In the ‘Train the Trainers’ event, we dove headfirst into the ACCT Curriculum, a dynamic guide designed to fight discrimination and bolster civic courage. The aim? To turn us into skilled facilitators, ready to adapt these powerful anti-racism tools to our local communities. 

Our days flew by while participating in engaging non-formal learning methods – think interactive games, group activities, and lively discussions that knit us into a tight-knit community, all committed to dismantling racism. It was more than just learning; it was experiencing the complex layers of racism, from ingrained prejudices to breaking down the works of systemic oppression. 

But it wasn’t all about recognizing the problem. A big part of our journey was understanding civic courage – the guts to stand up against injustice. We delved into the importance of raising our voices, having tough conversations, and championing equality and inclusivity. This training wasn’t just about acquiring skills; it was about sparking a change in us and, hopefully, in our communities 

Here I will be sharing some highlight of each day and some activities that we conducted during the workshop: 

 

Day 1  

Suna, from Perspekt Initiative, welcomed all the participants and kicked off the workshop with introductions as soon as everyone arrived. Later, participants collaborated to establish workshop guidelines, among the workshop guidelines was to use ‘I’ in a personal perspective, so I am using ‘I’ while giving my opinion in this blog post. 

After setting up the guidelines, we dove into the workshop activities, starting with the “Crossing the Lines” method. This was followed by other engaging methods like “Exploring Intention and Effect,” “Reality Show,” and the “Dice Game.” These activities allowed us to explore and discuss different situations related to discrimination, shedding light on individual, structural, and institutional forms of bias. The games were eye-opening, emphasizing that discrimination can occur unintentionally, making it crucial to be mindful of the impact of our words and actions on others. I truly enjoyed participating in each game. Additionally, we worked in groups to deepen our understanding of anti-racism concepts and definitions. 

Day 2 

The weather in Berlin was colder than the previous day as we arrived at the training venue. With over 20 participants from different countries, we kicked off the day with introductions once again, given the challenge of remembering everyone’s names. Following some energizing exercises, we delved into the workshop with an introduction to a concept called “Theatre of the Oppressed.” Methods like “Columbian Hypnosis,” “Forum Theatre,” and other energizer activities encouraged us to discuss situations where we had experienced acts of discrimination. While presenting each group also chose one situation to turn into a play, reflecting and re-enacting our experiences to overcome negativity and explore alternative actions. The presentation occurred twice: once without intervention and a second time with viewers having the chance to and replace characters, giving a new twist to the situation. This allowed disempowering situations to transform into empowerment and healing, making it a day of valuable learning about power, control, discrimination, racism on different sector and ways to overcome it. 

Day 3 

Our Airbnb in Berlin was a 20-minute walk from the workshop venue. The streets were slippery due to the cold and light rain. We started Day 3 with a short energizer and began the workshop with the “Railway Reflections” method. This was followed by other methods such as “Stop Rumours,” “Civic Courage Styles,” and “Digital Civic Courage Styles.” The activities on Day 3 focused on encouraging reflection on underlying prejudices and implicit bias while promoting anti-racist interventions. We also discussed in group about rumours, fake news, and stereotypes, learning strategies to dismantle them. The third day of workshop introduced us to various civic courage styles. The trainers also encouraged us to take the first step against racism and discrimination within our networks, as a sample awareness post all the participant organization created a post and published in their respective organization’s social media page.  

 

The Site Visit 

Our ACCT training continued with a site visit to the office of the Association for Anti-Discrimination and Educational Work (Bund für Antidiskriminierungs- und Bildungsarbeit), This non-profit organization has been dedicated to providing counseling and training in anti-discrimination and anti-racism since 1996, offering support to those affected by discrimination on various grounds. 

Led by the Director and Counsellor, we engaged in a profound and informative session that shed light on the complex realities of discrimination in Germany and beyond.  They emphasized the importance of recognizing racism as a complex issue intertwined with social power structures and its intersection with other forms of discrimination. Their presentation highlighted the organization’s efforts to overcome exclusion, discrimination, and counteract all forms of racism. They shared their strategies for empowering individuals to challenge discriminatory practices and advocate for equal opportunities. 

It was a fruitful experience, filled with insights from experienced activists who have been providing counselling to individuals facing discrimination based on racist attributions, religion, language, gender, identity, sexual orientation, class, age, disability, and more in Berlin for more than 20 years. 

The Train the Trainers Anti-Racism and Civic Courage Training in Berlin was an invaluable opportunity that provided me with a deeper understanding of racism and its pervasive impact on individuals, communities, and societies. It equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and tools to become a more effective anti-racist advocate, committed to fostering a more just and inclusive world. 

I am confident that the skills and knowledge I have acquired from this training will enable me to facilitate similar trainings in my community, empowering others to join me in this collective effort for social justice.   

By Bikalpa Bibash Basaula  

 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Local TO Workshops +ACCT Berlin training 2024

Anti-racism and Civic Courage Training (ACCT) is a transnational project focusing on the decrease of discrimination, including multi-dimensional discrimination and racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance. The partners also aim at combating discrimination, hate crime & hate speech across the EU.

 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.