by Nikola Jankovic, Media Education Centre
Norway, March 2011.
Many young men and women, members of organizations and associations, sometimes must undertake the role of the group or project leaders. Even those young people who already have an experience of leading teams in international youth exchanges or in local projects often confess that they were not ready for this task.
Today scholars discuss the basic nature of leadership in terms of the interaction among the people involved in the process: both leaders and followers. Thus, leadership is not the work of a single person; rather it can be explained and defined as a “collaborative endeavour” among group members.
General aim was to give the participants knowledge, skills and resources that will help them to become better leaders in the future and to be more active participants in the social, political and cultural life of their communities: local, national and European. Objectives were to give the young team leaders new knowledge about working environments and practices in different countries of Europe and to raise general European awareness, thus increasing their intercultural competence.
Also, to gain understanding about good leadership behaviours and to develop following leadership skills: TEAM-BUILDING SKILLS, CREATIVE THINKING, FACLITITATION COMPETENCE and COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE;To discuss the creative process, to examine the link between leadership and creativity and to encourage creative thinking in youth organizations through exercises and provision of new tools and methods; To encourage participants to undertake tasks and responsibilities of the leaders; To inform the participants about opportunities to develop new projects under the Youth in Action Programme and to support establishment of new partnerships among YIA Countries.
This training contributed not only to the personal development of the participants, but also promoted exchange of best practices and establishment of new connections among all over the Europe. The Project took place in the Nord-Trondelag, Langvassheimen and involved 35 young people from the following countries: Romania Bulgaria, Norway, Lithuania, Portugal, Italia, Latvia, Hungary, Estonia, Turkey, Spain, Serbia, France and Iceland.
