Genderalising: Management of Diversity in Gender

The training course "Genderalizing: Management of Diversity in Gender" was held in Krakow, Poland from 23rd to 31st October 2012, bringing together motivated youth workers and leaders, from ten different program countries, who are active in the third sector.In a non-formal environment participants explored and discussed gender issues, analysing the diverse treatment of the issue in their home countries and in Europe in general. Topics discovered, debated and reflected upon where subjects such as gender equality, sexual-based discrimination, homosexuality, and the role of women. We found the theme of the training course to be highly connected to the host country, which is characterised by having traditional, religious-oriented, values in place, while at the same time being ‘open-minded’ as one of the few countries where homosexuality has never been illegal.During the training course the ‘European Strategy for Equality Between Women and Men 2010-2015’ was also explored. Participants discussed what can and should be done in order to raise awareness about the importance of the conflict-ridden topic of gender equality and stereotypes.Overall, the course was a great learning experience for participants, stimulating their personal and professional growth, as well as developing their skills and competences with regards to the subjects discussed. The training course ultimately enabled youth workers and leaders to promote and facilitate the preparation and realization of projects and activities at an international and local level on the topic of gender issues.