Ana Žnidarec Čučković

Name: Ana Žnidarec Čučković

Organization: University of Kinesiology

Location: Croatia

Please explain how you have conducted trainings on the Learning to Live Together Programme. (600 words)

LTLT Programme is in my professional and personal life for more than 5 years. Before I gain Basic Training certificate, I discovered the Arigatou International web page with publications and I had strong recommendation from my colleague Angeliki Arony who was already involved in Programme and sharing her experience. The core of the Programme was and is holistic for my understanding and I embrace it in my daily work. Back then I was school advisor (pedagog) working in school with 1200 pupils. Interactions on daily bases were challenging and this Programme provided me with the needed answers. First I used parts of the manual, but as soon as I gained basic education – I started with building the whole picture. These days, it is integrated in my curriculum and it is introduces to the students of the University of Kinesiology as well as in my work with NGOs with adults and children in non-formal education.

How have you used the LTLT Ethics Education Framework? (400 words)

Key conceptual elements of the EEF can be viewed separately but together they are sending “strong message“! They are helping me to recreate to my students the diversity of the contexts and ethical decisions. They are bringing up the experience and open ways of creating new ones but built on the dignity and respect for all and especially children. This brings us to another dimension of the EEF and that is possibility to comprehend global and plural society directions.

Explain how the conducted trainings have been sensitive to the local context. (400 words)

Local context is important to consider in so many levels. From the visible things like language, gestures, rituals, building and space to the one that it is not so obvious but is in the “air“ of everyday life like political, social and other situations and habitus. Trainings allow and enable participants to integrate all that they find crucial and important not only for them but for the children they are working with dealing with what they have towards transformative actions that will and are changing the realities. It is all happening in a process that cherish diversity and opens dialogue.

How has the conducted trainings impacted the trained facilitators? (400 words)

In a transformative way!! I was a witness on how people can obviously change in front of me. Like the ray of light from the bulb of the revelations. Understanding and transformative pedagogy are some of the factors that allow the facilitators to reflect on metacognitive levels and disseminate.

Please give some examples to show your resourcefulness and creativity to organize trainings of facilitators. (600 words)

In my case – I needed to spread out of my main facility so I created a cooperation with NGOs. While I was doing trainings in school or now at the University – I needed to find space and time to combine some parts of the LTLT with main curriculum that should be delivered to students. For eg. what does Pedagogy – Kinesiology and LTLT have in common? Well – as it turned out – many core connections were made by the students. The methodology was so much interesting to them that we modified many lessons into the ones that deliver same outcomes but through different way (more physical activity way). Values are going hand in hand with Olympic ones and we needed to determine the context to check for understanding and application. So resourcefulness goes beyond me because some students used their creativity and imagination and they created the conditions to have some more workshops after the regular seminars. Now I am building a strong connection with NGO that will help to disseminate LTLT Programme to different part of Croatia and I am happy for that!!

How have you provided mentorship and guidance to trained facilitators? (400 words)

Mentorship and the guidance are 2 important things that were there from the beginning. LTLT Programme contains interconnection in the process and I was mentored and guided from others as I was mentoring and guiding others. It is the support that is nurtured all the way again in many levels. I will never forget empowerment through on line course I was one of the facilitators – critical friends, conscious ones – directed to mutual understanding and process oriented!!

How has the Learning to Live Together Programme influenced a positive transformation in you, in a personal and professional level? (400 words)

It has!! My level of competence, transversal and intercultural one has significantly changed – transformation key is in the process of the Programme that touches all the parts of your mind, heart and it can be measurably by observed by the projects, by the influence, by the many things that were the outcome from this process and it is ongoing and sustainable. It strengthened me in the life long learning path and I am so grateful!

Please explain how you exemplify a strong role-model of the principles of Learning to Live Together. (400 words)

Role model is about competences and here I mean attitudes, skills, knowledge and values that are interwoven all the way through LTLT. Awareness of the influence of the teacher/facilitator is the crucial one which reaches critical consciousness and all its reach in action.

Explain how you act as an ambassador and advocator of the Learning to Live Together Programme in your local context. (600 words)

Here I strive to advocate LTLT Programme in all possible levels. From small children in non formal settings (like streets) to the main state institutions. My daily practice and lifestyle are the best advocates of advocacy as well as works that testify to efforts. Authenticity is what we are striving together with everyday plunging into the process and learning from others.

Ana Žnidarec Čučković

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