SLAY training @ Verona (Italy)

Hi everyone!

Today I’d like to share a short story about Arne and myself (Alexander), two of our board members who recently traveled to Camposilvano, Italy, for a training organized by the European Union, hosted by the local organization "Oriel".

The project was called “SLAY” which in teenage gen z language means "awesome" "waauw" "looking good" "great" and was focused on non-formal education.

In short, it was a truly enriching experience for both of us. We were invited to write a short reflection about our time there, and here’s mine.

Seven days of training, both theory and practice. Seven days spent with inspiring young social leaders, trainers, teachers, and youth workers: people who want to make a difference, people who want to do good for our society. Seven days of delicious Italian food!  I feel very lucky to have been part of it.

The training focused on designing non-formal educational activities and applying what we learned to our own project in Colombia, ensuring the knowledge we gained can be put into action.

At the end of the training, it was time to organize our own workshop. Together with Eleni (from Greece) and Paula (from Spain), I led a group discussion about the sexual exploitation of children, an issue that remains a major problem in Colombia and across the world. Our participants learned how to recognise risk factors and explored strategies youth workers can use to handle such cases responsibly.

Although we didn’t have enough time to cover the topic completely, we succeeded in raising awareness and encouraging participants to do further research so they can feel more confident when encountering such situations. After the workshop, we received valuable feedback from both the group and our trainers, insights that will help us design even better workshops in the future.

A small side note to end on a lighter note: at the end of our stay, the Belgian team (Arne, Henok, and myself) decided to hitchhike back to Verona instead of catching the 6 a.m. bus. Armed with our best Italian slang and lots of optimism, we tried to find a ride, it took us two hours of walking, but we didn’t give up!

That experience reminded me to always persevere: to keep the organisation growing, secure funding, bring people together, create opportunities for overlooked groups, and continue doing good for our small communities all over the world.

Enjoy your day!

Alexander