Young peer educators & peacebuilders learn skills to help others

Most of these youth come from rural areas, where their social and cultural life is very poor; much like their daily reality. While for the their peers the only possibility to take information is the school, which has not a program about Life Skills, for Peer Educators this information is easily accessed in these conferences and other trainings they get through all the year.

Over three past years World Vision has been working with Peer Educators in almost all the ADPs, training them in Life Skills and coming alongside them in organising awareness raising activities even for other youth in their communities.

"Since I have been involved with the Peer Educators group I have changed so much, so much that I can’t describe,” said 16-year -old Adelina Mata, from Lezha Area Development Programme, situated in northwest of Albania capital city, Tirana. “I can freely express my ideas, be part of the new initiatives and be more active.”

For the first time around 15 youth from Kosovo “Kids for Peace” clubs, a World Vision multiethnic and peace building project, participated in the conference. Also, for the first time, Peer Educator groups from World Vision’s Dibra Area Development Programme (ADP), in southeastern Albania, and Korca ADP, in northeastern Albania, were involved. While the other Peer Educators from the eight ADPs that World Vision in Albania runs have been part of this conference since its inception.

“The conference was just fantastic,” said 15-year-old, Betim Zllanoga. “It’s the first time for us to be among other youngsters from all over Albania; this is very exciting for me”. “I have known peers from all over Albania, whom I will not only meet in other conferences, but we will keep in touch and get to know each other better,” said Betim.

Places of birth, race, ethnicity or religion were irrelevant for these youth. They all looked towards the same thing; to increase their knowledge on life skills, have fun together and make friends.

Their energy was felt throughout the conference, including during the session they presented their work and activities held throughout the year from each Peer Educator group, and also during games and sportive activities and recreation periods.

“The main goals of this conference were to continue building on youth on Life Skills and Peer Education and strengthen the network between the Peer Educators,” said Jurgena Hajdaraj, the Youth Coordinator for World Vision Albania & Kosovo.

“This has been the most incredible conference up to now,” said Bledar Prendi from Lezha Area Development Programme, who is one of the first Peer Educators in Albania.

Past conferences addressed topics like, Emotional Management skills, Relationship building skills, Social responsibility skills, Youth mobilisation, Diversity, etc.This year’s conference focused upon strengthening Communications Skills, Critical Thinking and Spiritual Nurture & Development.

“Critical thinking’ was the session that I liked most, because we played games that required us to find solutions in teams and also helped us see things with a critical eye”, said Florenc, a boy from the Roma Community who is part of World Vision’s Children in Crisis Project.

“We learned that we can achieve anything through collaboration,” said Beton enthusiastically.

“I have learned that communication is the key to success,” added 15-year-old Alban Maliqi from Kosovo.

Spiritual Nurture & Development was one of the innovations of this conference, challenging youngsters to think about another important aspect of their own development.

Almost all the youth agreed that spiritual development goes hand in hand with physical development and is as important. Most of them believe that love and understanding from their families, society, peers and living in peace and harmony affect their spiritual and social development.

“This conference made me think about issues which have never seemed important to me,” said Adelina. “Spiritual development is a subject that I would like to explore more.”

This conference served not only to bring the Peer Educators and youth from Kids for Peace together to learn from each other, but also helped to empower them to reach out to their peers. They shared their experiences among them being a great example for newly joined and a big encouragement for each other.

“The biggest encouragement for us, was the activity we organised after the flooding in Shkodra, where the traumatised children and other people left the activity with a big smile in their faces and with joy in their eyes,” said 14 – years –old Eraldo, a young Peer Educator from Shkodra ADP sharing with others the activities that they have organised throughout the year.

At the end of the conference each group was tasked with a mini-project and the commitment to follow up with their peers in the school or communities.

“Together with some other Peer Educators group we are planning to visit children of one of the orphanages in Shkodra, so we are going to not only offer our friendship and company, but we will have the possibility to share some of the things that we have learned here,” said Adelina while she was presenting her Peer group mini-project for the coming year.

“I will share everything with my peers in the school and also with my parents,” concluded Betim from Kosovo.

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