Hopefully the Corona Pandemic gradually will disappear and that we, on a larger scale, can meet again face to face. Currently I am involved in projects, respectively, in Estonia and the Czech Republic in addition to some activities in Norway. The projects include qualification of master trainers and new members of the international PREPSEC-family.
Estonia
Maris Süld and Karin Tralla became Master Trainers in December 2017. They are now experienced trainers and have established PREPSEC EESTI.
Here from the last training with Maris and Karin and the completion of their master trainer education. Karin is 3rd from the left and Maris 4th
Last year, the Ministry of Estonia’s Department of Justice implemented the project “Establishment of a Specialized Youth Justice Approach”.
The aim of the project is to support a specialized juvenile justice approach in practice to ensure minimal negative effects for youth and support positive development. It also includes providing sustainable and effective interventions as well as supporting the development of the attitude, competence (skills) and working practices of policy makers, practitioners, and service providers.
AART-trainer Taimi Nilson is the head of this project and she invited me, Karin, and Maris to provide training of trainers and Master Trainers within this system. In December we will lead a 5-day event in Estonia including one day’s general introduction of Social Competence Training in general and the key components of AART. This will be for leaders, teachers, and staff members within juvenile services in Estonia. The next 4 days will be the introduction of Social Skill Training and Anger Regulation Training for 32 participants. Karin and Maris will lead the group training of 20 participants from schools and I will lead the group training for 12 participants for staff members from the juvenile service. In November this year, these 12 also will visit some Youth Welfare institutions in Norway, including a Norwegian MultifunC institution where we trained all staff members in ART 13 years ago and where they still are conducting the program.
The project will continue for 3 more days, including Moral Reasoning Training, a practical examination, and observation of their own training. The plan is also to lead some of the trainers, within the juvenile service, to become Master Trainers. That will mean running the whole program with supervision, additional theory, and leading new trainer seminars with supervision from us. This is the same model that was adhered to by the ART Centre in Norway to educate Master Trainers in other countries, including Russia (ART), Sweden (SPT), Denmark (SPT and ART) and England. (ART). I look forward to the project and to cooperate with Karin and Maris again.
The Czech Republic
AISIS is an NGO that supports schools both financially and with pedagogical developments. This includes learning material, educational programs, and supervision and evaluation systems. Director Milan Kotik leads the organisation with 6 full time staff members and a long row of experts from other services. Already in 2018 Milan contacted me to educate Master Trainers in AART. The project has been postponed several times, but in June,2021 the project was started with a 4 day seminar at a venue outside Prague and has continued with 3 additional days in October. Iva Kvasnakova is the coordinator of the project.
Master Trainer Candidates from Czech. Milan on the left and Iva on the right
A two day gathering in November will finish the trainer education and start the Master Trainer education with additional theory. The project will continue through 2022 with the 30-session program being conducted with supervision, additional theoretical learning and seminars for new trainers, under supervision. The Master Trainer candidates are selected amongst highly qualified psychologists, special pedagogues, etc.
Norway
There have been fewer training seminars because of Corona but now things are starting to get back to normal again. The Social Perception Manual has been revised and I am going to have some Social Perception Training trainings soon, Smart Valg (Smart Choice) with Vegar, Thomas and Morten are conducting both SPT seminars and AART seminars and others are contributing to the programs. Together we are applying for AART-training in Lithuania.
All the best from
Knut