Didi:
My experience with the project was amazing. Everyone on the team was wonderful and the participants were determined to learn. The atmosphere was caring and loving. During the project I was taught a lot and I even incorporate everything to this day. I have started to ask for consent on topics I haven’t thought of asking before and I add trigger warnings more often.
My magical moments, honestly, were every single one I’ve shared with a person from the project. I cannot explain how safe I felt to be myself. I enjoyed everything from the activities to the people who were there. My favourite activity has to be the nonviolent communication exercise, where we were given scenarios in which we had to use nonviolent communication. It was surprisingly difficult for me and I pushed myself to succeed.
I also really enjoyed the morning walks with my support group. I couldn’t have chosen better people for it. The cooking team handled my situation with food very thoughtfully and always asked me questions to ensure that everything was okay. Active Rainbow did a wonderful job at integrating everyone and I feel like all of the participants felt seen. Personally, I have never felt safer than at an Active Rainbow project.
Detelina:
Between 11th – and 17th of September 2024 I was a part of a Training Program, called “Project Reset-Exploring Safety and Inclusion”. By exploring these topics for the duration of the project, I was able to develop the necessary skills to apply these concepts in practice, understand how to make youth work space even better , as well as question my own preconceived notions and understandings.
We began this experience by connecting to each other through using the online space to put up pictures that represent us. These were both funny, as well as meaningful and deep. This helped us better know eachother even before the project began. To prepare us for the experience, we also had a Zoom call, where we already met some other participants, as well as discussed the program, and contents of the training.
One of the most valuable tools we were utilizing during the project was a set of agreements we set up as a group. This helped us better understand each other’s needs, connect and make sure the space is as inclusive and adapted to us as possible. This personally helped me better understand the value of connecting through care and building the space in accordance to each person’s specific needs. This made the everyday implementation of the activities more personal and comfortable for all.
Another very valuable tool was the support care groups, which personally helped me a lot go through my individual participation challenges. There was a set time where we could connect to each other, sharing both the experiences we had during the day, as well as more personal setbacks that we were facing. Something that I found very helpful was that they were organized in the morning, when we still had energy and the capacity to share and listen. We also had specific questions and topics to guide us in the process.Through doing this, we not only connected to the people in our group, but also to ourselves. Thanks to that, we found a more vulnerable side to relate the experiences we were sharing in our everyday life as well.
Active Rainbow inspired us to think about all the processes of project creation, which helped us better understand everything that goes into it. We were able to discuss and brainstorm, having our own ideas out on the table, as well as sharing personal and professional experience. For everyone that wants to learn more about this, as well as participate as an organizer, this activity was invaluable in bringing us closer to our goals.
Another magical moment was the free space where everyone could propose and organize an activity. I personally took part in this by supporting another participant in their idea, and we had a valuable discussion about Gender based differences from a scientific point of view, as this was something they were very knowledgeable about. By collaborating with each other in a self organized way, we were brought closer together and were able to bring our own ideas, interests and competences as a part of the project. I participated in a Yoga workshop organized by another participant that helped me connect to my body and enjoy the time I had there even more.
The activity for Non Violent Communication was particularly interesting and valuable to me, as it is a topic I am passionate about. To understand the concept better, we discussed different scenarios and helped play them out between our smaller groups. This made us better understand the value in sharing our experiences in a way that allows for connection and understanding, avoiding unnecessary aggression in conversations. As a tool, this helped us better understand the active role we play in shaping our everyday discussions and connecting to others.
The most central activity of the project was the creation of a document aiding organizations and youth workers in the creation of more inclusive spaces. We did this in groups, where we discussed the topics of the project. This helped us to dive deeper and analyze all the information and connection we built in the last days, and then disseminate it to the larger public. To turn the achievements of our project into a tangible experience that connects to the wider public, we held an event at a local culture center. There, the contents were shared in the form of a presentation and panel discussion. Representatives of other organizations also took part and answered questions. My group worked on the topic of Intersectionality. I took part as one of the speakers, which helped me face my anxiety of public speaking and summarize the knowledge I gained. My personal contribution was both presenting as well as creating part of the text, which I am sharing below:
It is impossible to create an intersectionality driven project without making safety and inclusion a priority.
The ensuring of mental and physical safety and comfort is the stepping stone of applied diversity. This comes by considering participants’ food preferences, religions, educational background and how these drive their current day needs. Ensuring these are met is the baseline.
To go further, we propose some practices that were implemented also in our own project. We created a shared learning agreement that takes into the plan the needs of the group. We decided to apply practices like the silent clap, raising a hand to make your point, announcing light changes. Co-creating this with your group allows us to share agency in the everyday flow of activities, making intersectionality a part of our everyday work.
To facilitate productive discussions, we learned about the NVC approach, which was mentioned already by the safety Group . This brings us a way to share varied experiences in a safe way, making diversity part of the conversation.
Accepting the inevitability of error makes us see these complicated topics in an everyday, human way. We can manage this by discussing mitigation strategies. By sharing the “oopsie” and “ouchie” approach, we ensure perspective can be given in the moment and we can return to a safe space.
All of these good practices create the safe space necessary for intersectionality to be applied. This fosters pluralism, open dialogue, sharing of opinions, and most importantly enriched participants and happy organizers.
Dissemination & Results
The dissemination and evaluation part of the project is one of the best tools we have to improve our practices. To do this, we can use what we already do and make it better, viewing it through an intersectional lens. Practically, this can look like adapting the feedback form to ask specific questions. We can inquire if people had a space where they could go when they were feeling overwhelmed, if they could express discomfort, if they felt seen and understood during each activity, etc.
We can include as many people from our local community as we can in the dissemination and project reflection, both in the way to share the results and to inquire on what the limits of involvement could be. This can be done through mode of questionnaires, interviews, seminars, local events, etc.
The main point of intersectionality in this context is to not have any impediments in the process of including both participants and trainers from any backgrounds. To do this, we need to empower each other and work to remove any financial, educational and other reasons for exclusion.
As we all know, E+ projects struggle to have the outreach that we hope. One reason is the way the results and resources are disseminated, which is mainly online. To combat this, we can consider other forms of popularization, like print media, videos, audio content and others.
All of our E+ challenges can be made into case studies, that then help us to develop, better evaluate our ongoing processes and biases. They can help make us aware of any unconscious bias,so that we can critically question it, and co create a project space that includes everyone.
This training course was an experience bringing me a lot of knowledge and insight, but also a lot of emotions. These topics are institutional and scientific, but also deeply personal, and relate to all of us in a different way. Because of this, I was inspired to create a text that shared how I was feeling. You can find it below:
A world in which the strongest value is love – love for yourself and for others. A world where no one is afraid to walk down the street at night, because we all go to bed with full bellies, taken care of and loved. A world where we see the light in each other and we celebrate it, not fear it. A world where no matter how scary it is, we always hold the hand of someone who loves us, and it’s a little easier. And it makes sense. And we can breathe easy, because there is no hatred around us, neither do we we don’t carry it inside us. We are not haunted by wars, murders, atrocities at every corner to convince us how terrible the world is. Because we know in our heart that it is not. I know that it is beautiful, that it is filled with what is in the core of each of us – love. A love that asks for nothing in return, seeks nothing, is simply there and illuminates everything. It rises in the morning and sets in the evening. A world where loving is not scary.
This world is inside me. I go to bed in it at night, I cook in it, we laugh in it, my dreams come true in it. You’re there too. It takes nothing more than a look and a smile to know.
But when I open the front door, I also see the other world. One who has not yet awakened to his own light. I cross the threshold and am greeted by darkness, darkness and illusion. And I am at home there, because there I was nursed, raised, created. I am a child of fear. But there, at the bottom, in the back room, it was always light. Sometimes crawling, sometimes with big steps – I always walked towards it. I’ve always been waiting to just open it.
You have this room too. I know, it’s a dark corridor, but you see the glimmers. You know the way to it. A lit fireplace and your favorite tea await you there. There is no need to be anything other than what you are. And the tea tastes like home, with the spice of a warm love that asks for nothing. Everything your soul longs for awaits you there, and your comfortable chair will soothe every ache.
Can you forgive me for being different, and see everything else in my eyes? Can you feel the warmth of me doing the same? Can we together forgive all the wounds we have inflicted on each other and bathe in the purity of our tears to be reborn? I’m trying. I know it’s scary, but I promise you one thing. The sun is shining . It’s just waiting for you to open your eyes.