EFECW (Cyprus Branch) project
“Training young women who deal with children and teenagers in church”
Report on Phase A
The project undertaken by the Cyprus Branch of the Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women (EFECW) is entitled “Training young women who deal with children and teenagers in church” and is divided into three Phases:
Phase A: Initial training through a three-day seminar-workshop
Phase B: Peer review on work plans and application of activities in the parishes
Phase C: Collection of finalized material. Reflection on the process and on the material. Preparation of handbook
Phase A
Phase A of the projecttook place in the Classic Hotel in Nicosia from the 18thto the 20th of November 2011. Thirty-one women from different regions, belonging to different churches gathered together to meet each other, attend presentations, present the work done in their own contexts and, exchange ideas and experiences. They also had the chance to work together in “ecumenical” groups in order to define thematic areas to work on and specific activities to be applied.
Theselected participantsincluded members from the various Christian religions on the island namely, the Orthodox, the Maronite, the Armenian, the Anglican and the Catholic parishes. For the majority of the participants it was the first time they had participated in an ecumenical activity. The programme of the seminar is attached in Annex 1.
The seminar started with a prayer and an address from the National Coordinator, Mrs Sara Vorsganian, on Friday the 18th of November. Then, the participants attended a lecture by Professor Christina Vayas on Women and Voluntarism in Church. This wasfollowed by a plenary discussion andindividual and group presentations on the activities initiated in different churches for children and teenagers. Every presentation, included the description of the activities and the difficulties the participants faced in their work with children and teenagers. This continued with a discussion in which the participants shared their concerns and hopes about their future work in their churches.
On Saturday, the 19th of November 2011,after the morning prayer, the participants had the chance to attend three presentations on the development of spirituality, children’s rights in church and contemporary approaches in teaching children and teenagers in church. The presentations were followed by a fruitful discussion where the participants expressed their own experiences in their interaction with children and teenagers in their church. The afternoon session included the two workshops during which the participants worked in three “ecumenical” small groups coordinated by a facilitator. In the first workshop the groups defined three thematic areas to work on and in the second workshop each group selected two thematic areas and plannedspecific activities for their application.In both workshops the participants presented their ideas in group posters which were exhibited and discussed in the plenary. The worksheets of the two workshops are included in Annex 2. In the evening, the participants were offered dinner by the Day Care Centre in Favierou Street (an institution for severe handicapped individuals) in a celebrative atmosphere.
On Sunday the 20th of November, the last day of the seminar, the participants attended the morning Service in their churches situated in the city center and after having their morning coffee together, presented the work plan that they would follow during Phase B and decided on their time schedule in their small groups.
At the end, the participants completed an assessment questionnaire related to the seminar. Finally, the two National Coordinators, Mrs Sara Vorsganian and Ms Michaella Pavlou, closed the seminar by thanking the participants and the organizing committee presented each participant with a certificate.
Exhibition of relevant material
During the seminar a small exhibition of relevant material usedin different churches was displayed so the participants had the chance to browse through the material and exchange ideas related to their use.
Assessment of the seminar
An assessment questionnaire was delivered which included 13 items, in Linkert Scale (1-5, 1=not all , 5= to a great extent), referring to the methodology used (items 2,4,8,9), the content and the material provided (items 1,3,5,6), the venue and the time of the seminar (items 7,11) and the interaction in an “ecumenical” environment (items 12,13). The Mean scores of the participants’ replies in each item are presented in Annex III.
The questionnaire also included an open question in which the participants were prompted to freely express their comments. In the open question three of the participants mentioned the following:
- All the material should be given in both languages (Greek and English)
- More presentations are needed on what is already applied in different churches
- The opportunity to attend the seminar should be given to more participants
The participants were also encouraged to give some feedback in the closing session. According to their opinion they found the seminar very useful and enjoyable. Some of them referred to their initial reservations in working with women from other churches and congregations and commented on how they had overcome their fears and stereotypes during the seminar.
They all felt like acting as multipliers in their churches and agreed that they needed more opportunities to work together and get to know each other. Finally, the participants expressed their gratitude to the central EFECW for providing this occasion.
General Comment
This project was the first initiative in Cyprus to draw together women from different Christian churches and congregations and to share a common goal, working together on a subject of mutualinterest and concern. The first phase revealed the potentialof being together and sharing our concerns and inspirations for our mission as active members in our churches and in the broader society. We feel that this is just the beginning and we are thankful to the central EFECW for their support in our efforts in uniting Christianity on our small island.
A way forward….
During Phase B (November 2011 – May 2012) each participant, or 1-3 participants from the same parish, will plan two activities on a thematic area, complete the “Work plan” (Appendix 2) and send it electronically to the members of their small group and the facilitator to get some feedback thorough a peer review process. After receiving feedback from their group, they will move on to the application of the activities and finalize their work plan adding their own comments on theresults on how the children worked? What difficulties they faced? What they had achieved and how?At a later stage the participants will send their final work plans to the members of their group and the facilitator.
The facilitators will in turn gather all the final work plans to discuss them during Phase C (June 2012) which will entail compiling the material into a handbook which will finally be distributed in all churches.
Annex 1:Seminar’s Programme
Day 1: Friday 18th November 2011
16:30 - 17:00Registration - Welcome Coffee
17:00 - 17:30Opening by Mrs Sara Vorsganian, National Coordinator
Theme 1:Voluntarism in Church
17:30 - 18:00Women and Voluntarism in church, Professor Christina Vayas, Social Work Program, University of Nicosia
18:00 - 18:30Plenary discussion
Theme 2: Working with children and teenagers in church: Setting the scene
18:30 - 19:30Who are we? Individual and group presentations by the participants
19:30 - 20:00Plenary discussion - Closing up of day 1
20:15 Dinner at the hotel
Day 2:Saturday, 19th November 2011
9:30-10:00Registration
Theme 3:Childhood and Adolescence: theological perspectives and methodological implications
10:00 - 10:40A psychological and spiritual perspective of childhood and adolescence, Dr. EleonoraPapaleontiou - Louca, Assistant Professor in Psychology, European University
10:40 - 11:10Plenary discussion
11:10 - 11:40Coffee break
11:40 - 12:00Children’srights in church, Dr. Chrystalla Kaloyirou, Teacher trainer, Cyprus Pedagogical Institute
12:00 - 12:20Contemporary approaches in teaching children and teenagers in church, MsAntouanettaKatsioloudes, General Inspector of Primary education, Ministry of Education and Culture
12:20 -12:50Plenary discussion
13:00 -14:30Lunch at the hotel
14:30 - 15:30Workshop (1)
15:30 - 16:30Presentations in the plenary
16:30 - 17:00Plenary discussion
17:00 - 17:30Coffee break
17:30 - 18:30Workshop (2)
Writing up individual action plans
18:30 - 19:30Plenary discussion - Closing up of day 2
20:00 Reception at Day Care Favero’s Centre
Day 3: Sunday, 20th November 2011
Worship
Theme 4: Working with and for children and teenagers in church: from theory to action
11: 00-11:30Registration - Morning Coffee
11:30 - 12:30Group meetings to discuss the way groups will work and possible timelines
12:30 - 13:00Plenary discussion: A way ahead
13:00 - 13:30Closingup - Feedback
14:30 - 15:30Lunchatthehotel
Annex 2: Workshop Handouts
Workshop 1
Thematic area / Examples from the Bible / ExpectationsWorkshop 2
Drawing on your experience, choose 2 thematic areas, as a group, and plan 2 activities in each one connecting them with the characteristics of childhood and adolescence.
Thematic area / Activities / Characteristics of childhood and adolescence1. / 1a
1b
2. / 2a
2b
Work Plan
- Thematic Area:
- Expectations (2-3 aims):
- Examples from the Bible (1-2 paragraphs):
- Means – Materials used:
- Activity 1: Time:
- Activity 2: Time:
- Results (How did the children worked? What difficulties did they face? What did they succeed and how?).
Annex 3: Assessment results
Circle a number to indicate the extent you agree with each one of the following statements (1=not at all, 5= to a great extent) / Mean scores- The content of the seminar fulfilled my expectations.
- The activities of the seminar met my needs as a trainer with children and teenagers.
- During the seminar I gained new knowledge relating to my work with children and teenagers in church.
- The methodology of the presentations was suitable for the participants.
- The theoretical input was connected to the content of the workshops.
- During the seminar I obtained new knowledge regarding other churches and congregations.
- Time was adequate for the particular seminar.
- The seminar gave me the opportunity to interact with members of other churches and congregations..
- The seminar gave me the opportunity to interact with the lecturers.
- The material provided will be very useful to me.
- The venue of the seminar was suitable for the realization of all the activities.
- The interaction with members from different churches and congregations was pleasant and fruitful to me.
- I faced difficulties in working with members of different churches and congregations.
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