Educational program for the exchange of good practices in the field of addiction
In the framework of the Erasmus + Key Action 1-Adult Education program, the Association of Friends of ARGO, in collaboration with the Alternative Program for Addicted Individuals "ARGO" implemented an educational program for the exchange of good practices in the field of addiction. The training took place in Belgium, from the 20th until the 24th of June 2022.
During the training program, two employees from "ARGO" had the opportunity to visit the therapeutic community as well as the outpatient service of DeKiem. During their visit, the employees participated in the daily activities and in therapeutic groups of the therapeutic community and discussed with their peers about the philosophy and the context of their organization.
The implemented educational program is based on the educational method developed by the ECEtt network, of which both "ARGO" and DeKiem are members. According to the ECEtt method, training is based on apprenticeships and the exchange of good practices between organizations.
In this context, the trainees identified good practices, through the training they received. Then, upon their return from training, they will record in detail the good practice they have chosen, which will be graded by two evaluators and will be included in the ECEtt good practice database, to which all ECEtt members have access. In this way, the knowledge gained from their educational experience will be accessible to all members of the ECEtt network.
Through the contact of the employees from the two organizations, the importance of communication between professionals in the ever-changing area of addiction and therapy was highlighted. Despite the differences shaped by the social and economic conditions of the two countries, the challenges faced by workers in this field are common and the search for new methods and tools to address them is of major importance.
The presence of the trainees on DeKiem's premises made it possible to understand the special operating conditions of the specific program and to include them as members of the team for a few days. In addition, the stay in the host country enabled the trainees to better understand the wider social and economic context in which the discussed good practices are applied. Finally, professional communication and the use of English terminology have led employees of both organizations to improve their language and communication skills.
This training program was the first collaboration between "ARGO" and DeKiem and could be the occasion for starting a new relationship between them. There is another training scheduled from the 26th until the 30th of October 2022, in which three more trainees from ARGO will participate.
