Dr. des. Inken Heldt, Nataliya Butych, Leibniz Universität Hannover
“Multiplying Civic Competences: Train-the-Trainer” was an intensive one-week seminar developed by the Institut für Didaktik der Demokratie of Leibniz Universität Hannover led by Prof. Dr. Dirk Lange and organised by the German-Ukrainian Law-Scientific Dialogue e.V. and the Center for German Law at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in October 2016.
The seminar, focused on initiation of civic learning processes in the area of non-formal youth and adult education, teaching of democratic and social skills as well as networking between educators from the civil society and academics, welcomed participants from Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, and the Republic of Belarus.
The German experts in civic and human rights-oriented education from Hannover shared their experience in didactics to demonstrate the influence of individuals as actors of civil society and to increase their maturity (judgment, criticism and capacity to act). Such issues as freedom of the individuals, shared values, balance of interests, distribution of power, overcoming of inequality as well as issues relevant for the peaceful coexistence in open, inclusive, democratic and pluralistic civil societies were central for the seminar.
The seminar week was highly evaluated due to the consistent orientation on the existing understanding and anticipated challenges of the participants. These have been put into a relationship with didactic concepts at the European level (e.g. “education for active citizenship” / Council of Europe) in order to develop a common basic understanding in the discourse and set the basis of corresponding national educational building blocks. “These five days have given me a completely new perspective on the aims and content of civic education “, a participant from Belarus summarized her experience in the evaluation,” I am already looking forward to discuss with my colleagues at home, how we can foster critical thinking in the process of education.”
The project “Multiplying Civic Competences: A Train-the-Trainer-Workshop” was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) within the programme “Strengthening of cooperation with civil society in the Eastern Partnership countries”.
Specials thanks to the Ukrainian partners Prof. Roman Melnyk and his team for the excellent organisation and productive cooperation.