Bucharest, Romania: Five young people were trained as co-facilitators for the LEAP project in Romania. The three-day training was held between 26th of October and 2nd of November. The group established its own rules, which include respect, attention to youth and each other, creativity, “smiles and hopes”. The youngsters felt inspired to declare their wish for openness, to work with empathy and keep the spirit of success alive. They agreed to exercise patience and stay committed to their involvement in the whole process.

The 5 co-facilitators had chosen to symbolize their group rules through a tree, „as it grows – the trunk means the respect. The sun is the goodness that makes the clouds (lack of care) to fade away.”

The training focused on project objectives, child’s rights and human rights, participation; communication and active listening, feedback, working team techniques, facilitation techniques, resilience and acceding personal resources. In addition to this, the training sessions provided opportunities for the youth to study the toolkit developed in the project for them and to start preparing the presentations for their peers affected by sexual violence.

The new knowledge acquired through training delivery has been the most appreciated by the young co-facilitators („it helps them in life and helps the people around them”), next to „the group atmosphere”, personal interactions that helped them open up and make friends and last, but not the least, the way the training days were structured, using both lectures and games.