Delavnice za dvig mehkih veščin prostovoljcev/Workshops for better soft skills of volunteers

V življenju vsak prispeva po svojih najboljši močeh, vedenju in znanju. Smisel vsega je deliti to kar imamo in tako drugim pomagati na poti razvoja v boljšo osebo, posredno pa v boljšo organizacijo in družbo. Z učnim partnerstvom TMYC se je Izobraževalni center Kadis 2002 v roku dveh let podal novim izzivom naproti. Naše akcije so bile usmerjene v diseminacijo aktivnosti, oseben stik s prostovoljci, pogovor o njihovih dosedanjih izkušnjah in osebnih spremembah, ki so iz tega sledile. Poleg tega smo se lotili tudi zbiranja intervjujev, doživljajskih zgodb, obiskali smo celo prostovoljce v šentjakobskem gledališču, kjer se je odstrlo posebno področje prostovoljnega udejstvovanja.

 Različne akcije so nadalje pripomogle k dvigu prepoznavnosti prostovoljskega dela, povezovanja prostovoljcev na lokalni in državni ravni, ter na koncu povezovanju prostovoljcev na nivoju partnerstva.

 Prostovoljci iz različnih področij so različno usposobljeni za delo z uporabniki in po temeljitem premisleku, smo prišli do ideje da bi  prostovoljcem v mesecu maju ponuditi delavnice za dvig mehke veščine reševanja problemov. Delavnice so naletele na topel sprejem in tako smo skupaj organizirali 4 delavnice po Sloveniji in celo izven meja.

 Udeleženci delavnic so prihajali iz različnih vrst in vej prostovoljstva, od tabornikov, skavtov, prostovoljcev v četrtnih mladinskih centrih Mladi zmaji, prostovoljci Zveze prijateljev Mladine, iz Medobčinskega društva prijateljev, prostovoljci Voluntariata in še.

 Tema delavnice je pripomogla prostovoljcem ozavestiti različne zorne kote komuniciranja in odzivanja na konflikt, saj se v današnjem času na svojih poteh srečujemo z marsikatero preizkušnjo v odnosih, pa če je to v družini, na delovnem mestu ali na področju prostovoljstva.  Premostimo jo s pogumom, voljo in veščinami dobrega komuniciranja.

Prostovoljci so po aktivnem sodelovanju na delavnici kot pozitivne povratne informacije navajali, da so si pridobili uporabne tehnike komuniciranja, pomena srčnega predajanja svojih izkustev, odprtosti do drugačnega razmišljanja. Navedli so tudi da bodo sedaj lažje povezali misli s celoto in življenjskimi nameni, v problemih so prepoznali potencial za rast in preobrazbo kar jim bo vsekakor koristilo pri prostovoljnem delu.

 Glede na to, da so bili udeleženci delavnic iz različnih vej prostovoljstva, je bilo navdušenje veliko saj so se začela spletati poznanstva in izmenjava izkušenj, ki jih imajo.

 To vse jih je vzpodbudilo, da se še naprej udejanjajo kot prostovoljci, nabirajo izkušnje in se preko neformalnih usposabljanj povezujejo z drugimi prostovoljci, tako na lokalni, nacionalni in nadnacionali ravni.

Workshops for better soft skills of volunteers

In life, each of us is trying to contributing their best, according to our knowledge and skills. The point of it is to share what we have and also to help others on their way of becoming a better person, and indirectly to a better organization and society.  With The learning partnership TMYC  Training Centre Kadis 2002 has decided to go towards new challenges. Our campaign was focused on the dissemination activities, personal contact with volunteers, discussions about their past experience and personal changes that have followed from this. We were also focused on collecting  interviews and life stories, we visited them even at Šentjakobski theater, where we discovered a specific area of ​​voluntary activity.

Various activities have contributed to raising the visibility of volunteering, linking volunteers at the local and state level, and finally to the linking of volunteers at the level of partnership.

Volunteers from different areas have different qualifications for working with users. After careful consideration, we decided to offer workshops for volunteers to raise their soft skills of problem solving. The workshops were conducted in May and were met with warm reception and so we organized a total of four workshops in Slovenia and even outside our borders.

The workshop participants came from different types and branches of volunteering, the Scouts, volunteer in the local youth centers, youth organizations (Youth Dragons), volunteers from  Friends of Youth Association, volunteers from Voluntariat.

The workshops were aimed to help volunteers to raise awareness of the different angles of communication and response to conflict. In this day and age we are confronted with many conflicts and tests whether in the area of relationships, family life, workplace or in the area of volunteering. We can overcome these obstacles with courage, will and good communication skills.

After actively participating in these workshops volunteers gave a positive feedback, telling us they acquired useful communication techniques, openness to change in their way of thinking so that now they can easily connect with the whole thought and life purpose. In the problems they have encountered before they have recognized the potential for growth and transformation all of which will benefit them in voluntary work.

Given that the workshop participants were from the different branches of volunteering, there was a lot of excitement in the beginning as they began to form new friendships and share experiences they have.

This whole experience has encouraged them to continue with their work as volunteers, accumulate new experience and attend informal trainings and also connect with other volunteers at local, national and transnational levels.

 Izobraževalni center Kadis2002, Maj 2012