Learner centred learning in european youth circus Erasmus Project

Project Title

Learner centred learning in european youth circus

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Creativity and culture; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The topic is: “The role of the trainer in the use of circus as means in Youth work in the different countries of Europe”
Circus as part of youth work is growing all over Europe and the world and it is in a process of professionalizing. During different meetings and projects of representatives of the umbrella organizations in Europe it became clear, that they face similar tasks. One of the most important is to develop a system of teaching the trainers. And to find out how learning should be organized in youth circus as a part of nonformal education. All involved countries expressed the need of improvement in the pedagogical education of circus trainers.
Circus as part of youth work promotes empowerment, participation and active citizenship. And it is used increasingly in neighboring fields of youth work. Because it helps young people trust themselves, to find a place in society and even find a job it is supported by the governments more and more in the work with disadvantaged youth.
Out of that experience with the expertise of the partners and of pedagogical experts we want to
• rise quality of teaching through implementing innovative curricula in all countries.
• through this and practical tools give an understanding also to other youth workers who use circus as a means, what the learner centred method means in reality and how it can be used together with teacher centred methods.
• find a way to be aware as a trainer to always reflect the role as a instructor, to be objective, to know how to step aside from the role and look from distance. Change your role from instructing to coaching.
• develop a system to improve circus teachers education in all partner countries and furthermore.
• define a correct balance of pedagogical and artistic skills for those who work in the sector.
Therefore we
– organize meetings of circus teachers and experts of the pedagogy field with reflexion on methodology: What is my idea of teaching? How do I act as an instructor? How to give positive feedback? How to guaranty youth participation? How is the idea already implemented into existing curricula?
– collect scientific knowledge how people learn best. How to teach trainers. E.g. accelerated learning, NLP etc. and implement that into trainer trainings systems.
– write guidelines and develop online learning material in working groups and with the advice of experts.
– write guidelines and recommendations for further curricula in all countries.
– create a team of experts, who can give workshops everywhere and can also be invited by stakeholders.
– write curricula for training of trainers for existing institutions and training courses and develop online learning material in working groups and with the advice of experts.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 147109 Eur

Project Coordinator

BAG-Zirkuspädagogik & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Estonian Contemporary Circus Development Centre
• Fédération Française des Ecoles de Cirque
• Suomen Nuorisosirkusliitto ry
• Slovensko zdruzenje za cirkusko pedagogiko – Cirkokrog
• Circomundo
• Vlaams centrum voor circuskunsten vzw
• Fundacja Miasto Projekt