Train, train, train

4 days, 10 people

Did you ever facilitate a workshop? Did you train students? Did you pass your knowledge to the participants? Have you been 4 days: full of adrenalin, tired, enthusiastic, loud, silent, funny, severe, …?

I had the chance to experience all these things as a trainer of AIESEC Germany and I never regret it. In October 2008, I participated at a Train the Trainer education from AIESEC Germany and learnt everything for providing trainings. After I trained several workshops and went abroad I didn’t have enough! I participated 5 days at a Train the advanced Trainer conference. We were including the 2 facilitators 10 amazing participants from all over Germany: Würzburg, Münster, Berlin, Bayreuth, Bielefeld, Berlin, Passau and Kaiserslautern!

4 days, 10 people, 1 location, 1 Weißwurst breakfast, numerous trainings, tons of content and thousand things to learn.

In 4 intensive days we learnt uncountable things with the main focus “Facilitation” and “Intercultural Competence”. It was quite hard to stay alive because you should notice every movement, every reaction, every word, every feeling,… Every reaction of the participants can be important for the whole group process. It can be helpful for facilitating the group and above all for a successful learning of every participant. Our facilitators of this conference were aware of all their movements of words and thus a role model for us. We could learn many things from them and everyone of us is 1 step closer now of facilitating the “perfect” workshop. If it is now the knowledge for the right using of experienced based learning methods, the better understanding of different roles in a team, a better knowledge of oneself or a higher sensitivity for the others, all of it helps us in providing the participants with a high intensive learning experience during our workshops.

The other main focus “Intercultural Competence” helps us now to facilitate preparation seminars for people who want to go abroad. We call these seminars Intercultural Learning Seminar (ICLS). We learnt and facilitate about topics like intercultural communication, stereotypes, culture stress and many more. It was really interesting to experience the different facilitation style of all the participants and to hear their experience abroad. The participants lived longer time in Finland, Belgium, France, Iran, USA, China, Hungary, Australia, Macedonia, Tanzania, Italy. Just to mention some countries.

I’m more than happy that I joined this conference because the experience is unpayable, amazing people are there and you discover an intense group process. 

I’m really looking forward to my next facilitation experience and to use my new gained knowledge and experience!

Train more!

Bastian