At the end of last year we completed the project Opportunity to Grow. As part of it, we already told you about the Teen Accelerator weekend, which the young participants completed successfully, earning certificates. In total, 16 young people decided to make their surroundings better, and as a result created projects aimed at helping their community.
In the same week that we closed our Teen Accelerator programme, we also managed to run the second of the educational programmes, which was called Arena. It was put together by non-formal education trainers throughout the project, from September to December. The Arena weekend took place on 9–11 December 2022 at the Crocus facility in Kežmarské Žľaby. It was attended by 18 pupils in years 1 and 2 of the Štefan Mišík Grammar School in Spišská Nová Ves.
The aim of the educational programme was better self-knowledge and character education. The trainers decided to create a weekend that would carry participants into another reality, where they could see themselves in new situations. Inspired by Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, they created a weekend full of adventure.
During our Arena weekend, Mother Holle (Perinbaba) decided that disasters would strike Slovakia, so all the outdoor games turned into an original winter sport. Despite any worries, though, the activities went very well. And the participants' only wish was a few pairs of warmer socks. “Frustration is the spice that gives success its perfect flavour.” came the answer in the feedback to the question of what was the most important thing they took away from this weekend.
We came back to Joseph Campbell and his Hero's Journey. The aim of the weekend was to give participants the story of the Arena from a first-person perspective, so that they would gain their own unique experience. We then worked with this experience using various methods (sharing experiences, personal and group reflection, discussion, a coaching conversation, a lecture, video, …) to introduce the concept of the Hero's Journey and together look for its wider meaning and use in everyday life.
We looked at ways to use Campbell's concept when facing obstacles in personal, school and working life. We wanted what the young people experienced in the Arena to become useful for them in their personal development and in coping with difficult situations.
Because, as Campbell said “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” We plan to keep working on the programme and improving it, so that it becomes a useful tool for young people in getting to know themselves and in overcoming the things they are afraid to step into. Keep your fingers crossed for us.
This event was supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport in the area of youth work, administered by IUVENTA – Slovak Youth Institute.
