Youth Basic Training Course, Sørmarka 2011, 3-8/4.
Once again the Red Cross youth collected in members to contribute in theYBTC course they arrange every year at Sørmarka conference center. This year the youths came from Norway, Colombia, Zimbawe and Nepal.
There was 6 already picked out delegates from the cooperating countries, and de last 12 came from Norway. It was a multinational group, with strong personalities, bringing experiences from both inside and outside the Red Cross movement. Experiences from Red Cross youth groups, programs from street mediation, preparedness and first aid, I.H.L, and from work with refugees.
Youth delegates..?
YBTC is a preparedness course for the Red Cross volunteers that would like to be sent out as youth delegates from this autumn 2011.The program was loaded with exiting speakers and educating missions, filled with important discussions, practices/activities and team- work. Former youth delegates came to share their experiences and advices, also the two delegates from Rwanda came to tell about their time in Norway and that they now was heading back home to continue their work and maybe bring some new inspirations to their own national society.
All of the international delegates held presentations from their home country, in which they explained their methods and work in the society. Interesting, and creative presentations. Good work!
Intensive days in luxury
It lasted for 5 long days. Early mornings, somebody got together for morning gym, others slept as long as possible. From 8- 9 we had some amazing breakfasts. The service and food was remarkable, very good! At 9 sharp, everyone sat ready in the classroom, coffee and fresh fruits, energizers and reminders from what we had done the day before prepared us for a new day.
Through the seminars and presentations, we learned a lot and had some really interesting conversations and discussions during the assignments we got as follow ups from the information we had been given in front. Different groups every day, gave diversities of thoughts and minds, ideas and inspiration, and one got to reflect over how oneself act, and how other acts in given situations.
Subjects we went through, among them, the international Red Cross movement, I.H.L, conflict- solutions, cultural understanding, personality analyses and field work.
Icebreaksers and energizers we used a lot. The dynamics in the group was fantastic, through challenly activities and cooperation we all found good peoples and got new friends.
Fiesta with games, chips and soda…
One of the days was dedicated for social hang- out. The youths themselves was in responsability of arranging the “party” with games, awards, snacks, good music, dances, decoration and picture- memories.
Fresh air and obstacles
In this uploaded program we also had one day for outdoors activities, out in the forest solving obstacles on the way. This day was a nice break off, nice weather, fresh air, for some their first experience of what a snowball war is, and following obstacles were our team- spirit got tested, and we gave full score. Everything carefully documented with funny pictures.
Knowledge and good memories
The YBTC- basic course of international work, prepares one for future experiences one will meet, sent out as a Red Cross youth delegate. I will recommend this course for everyone, no matter what ones future plans are, this experiences will always come in hand. You learn a lot about yourself, comparing, and in relations to others, how one are thinking in given situations, to show caring, give respect and understanding, at the same time as ones responsibility is to make conclusions. It`s all about reflections, patience, openness, to see points from different kinds of views, and to keep ones personally meanings on a distance, this way to be able to terminate with best kind of conclusions. Sometimes one need to agree about not agreeing, and from that point find the rights methods for new answers. A challenge, totally worth it!!!