Coming to Brussels to attend the Train the Facilitator Conference as a local President with no previous experience in that field, I was really unsure of what to expect and whether I would be competent enough to live up to the program’s expectations and needs. That feeling of fear and uncertainty completely vanished after the first training session. During these four days, I was able to dive deeply into the subject of the Rule of Law with the assistance of trained professionals who helped me grow both as a person and a facilitator. I had the opportunity to fully understand the importance of teaching the Rule of Law to younger generations to care for our future and put into action the values of a fair and just society, all while being trained like facilitating an actual classroom of students, including all the mishaps and difficulties this challenge encloses. On the subject of personal growth, I feel confident to share that through these sessions, I became aware of my strengths and weaknesses, and I was able to make mistakes and learn from them (along with those of the other participants) in a very friendly and safe environment where I didn’t feel judged; on the contrary, I felt like I was surrounded by people I’ve known for a long time.

Moreover, I saw my confidence grow, and my public speaking skills improve as we were getting constant constructive feedback from our fantastic trainers to shape us into the facilitators we have become. Most importantly, during the Conference, I got to meet amazing people with whom I had the chance to work and become friends, share experiences and fond memories, and feel the warmth of the ELSA.

It's the warmth of the ELSA Spirit that embraced us all. Looking back, I feel very grateful for everything I gained through the Conference that allowed me to become a facilitator. I cannot wait to bring the Rule of Law program back to my city to share with my local group and to start facilitating in real schools!

Christine Sotiriou

Participant, President of ELSA Athens

Rule of Law: Train the Facilitators Conference

Shaping Tomorrow: A Journey of Impact with the ROLE Project and TtF Conference

Empowering the Next Generation of ROLE Facilitators: Reflections from ELSA's Train the Facilitators Conference