Mid-October 2019 the STAR E participants were invited to Čadca, Slovakia. Three days full of new experiences, intensive work and exchange of ideas and good practice were waiting for us.
Starting with a talk by Jana R. about racism and xenophobia in Slovakia, we learned a lot about minorities in Slovakia, the political situation and the challenges facing segregation and racism in the country. Afterwards each organization presented their current state in the project, what they’ve done so far, what they’ve planned to do in the next months. During a traditional Slovakian dinner in the evening we met the current volunteers from our host organization Keric.
The next day was fully concentrated on the training activities introduced in the handbook. We tested two more methods to get to know them better and become more self-confident as future instructors. Furthermore, testing helped us to improve our written instructions in the handbook. In the following editorial meeting, the editorial team members agreed on the last open questions and discussed about how the handbook needs to be adapted for the online version on the website. Meanwhile the other participants thought about a method to be used at their multiplier meetings. This method should be easy to follow, function as an appetizer for the handbook and not too long as time is limited. Afterwards each partner organization had time to brainstorm about their own multiplier meeting. Who will be interested in the handbook? Why? How to contact them? How to get them interested in the handbook? What is needed to hold the meeting? When? Who is going to do the work? What is going to happen?
Before we already had to say good-bye to each other the next day, we had a presentation about dissemination by ICYE UK member Hannah K. in preparation for disseminating the handbooks. Furthermore we discussed about our final meeting in Denmark.
Thank you to Keric for hosting us in Čadca. Thank you to everybody contributing to this transnational meeting. We achieved a lot and had a wonderful time together.