YOCOMO - Facilitating learning knowledge - European Training Strategy

Facilitating learning

…means facilitating individual and group learning in an enriching environment, as well as establishing dialogue and ensuring cooperation with individuals, groups and communities. This requires youth workers to have the attitudes, knowledge and skills to support young people in identifying and pursuing their learning needs and to then choose, adapt or create methods, methodologies and digital tools in residential and online environments accordingly. Ideally, youth workers and the young people they work with trust each other. Youth workers actively support and enhance young people’s learning processes, self-responsibility and motivation and empower young people to improve their personal situation, stand in solidarity with others, and encourage their peers to do the same.

The single elements of knowledge are summarised in different headlines that illustrate what “facilitating learning” means for youth workers knowledge-wise. The “cluster headlines” do not name knowledges as such; these can be found through clicking on the lists.

Knowledge about youth work, non-formal learning and its principles guides us to facilitate group and learning processes. + -

To start, it is good to know about:

the principles governing non-formal education
which methodologies are most suitable for use in youth work
how to (self-)assess competences
the different ways in which people learn
how to identify and work with diverse “learning preferences”

The dynamic of a group in a learning setting can be emotionally charged and challenging. + -

Adequately addressing this requires knowledge about:

mechanisms behind group processes and dynamics
privilege and power relations
emotions, their mechanisms and their meaning
crisis mechanisms and management

Becoming knowledgeable about methods, methodology and developments requires looking for appropriate sources and resources. + -

This requires:

to know how to look for relevant information
to know how to share resources adequately

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