Many young people seem to have lost faith in a meaningful global future and no longer believe in unlimited progress that could solve the world's problems. They often lack positive visions for the future of a prosperous society. This results in negative feelings of anxiety, depression and helplessness. Increasing pressure and competition in schools and at work also trigger dissatisfaction and uneasiness among adolescents.

To convey the tools for shaping one's own life in a rapidly changing world, educational institutions need to address the future in a much more differentiated way than is often the case to date. A fundamental task of education and upbringing is to enable young people to take an active and responsible part in shaping the future in which they want to live. This course equips educators and other mentors of young people with methods and approaches from futures studies and positive psychology to live up to this task even better.

In a joint "hope workshop" (“Hoffnungswerkstatt”), participants are enabled to practically implement the concept of "Positive Futures" in educational institutions. They learn methods and tools that support young people in recognizing their own abilities and potential and, on this basis, in shaping and realizing desired images of the future. The aim is to increase the individual as well as the social well-being of the young people and to support them in how they can develop their lives positively.

For more information and course prerequisites, please see our syllabus (PDF in German) and watch the course video.

Course Dates

Fees

1800 € Course Fee

200 € Registration Fee

What you will gain from this course:

• Get to know the conceptual and scientific foundations of different theories, methods and interventions of Positive Psychology and Humanistic Futures Studies
• Receive didactic material to practically implement the content and methods with young people
• Experience the content of the course in a very personal way by reflecting and developing your own emotions, character strengths and future scenarios
• Receive a continuing education certificate from Freie Universität Berlin

This is the perfect course for you if you…

• work in an educational and pedagogical environment and would like to extend your education in the field of Positive Pedagogy.
• want to teach young people the values of a fulfilling life, so that well-being, self-respect, helpfulness, enthusiasm and motivation can be ignited in them.
• want to empower young people psychologically.
• want to enable young people to actively and meaningfully shape their own future as well as the future in general.

What are course-specific and general prerequisites:

• Willingness to self-reflect and openness for exchange in groups
• Completion of regular homework as preparation and follow-up of the modules (workload 4 hours per month)
• Implementation of a “hope project” in practice, in collaboration with other course participants (details can be found in the syllabus)
• Pedagogical and educational orientation of the participants
• German language abilities in speaking and writing on the Upper Intermediate level (at least B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
• Regular attendance of the classroom sessions and active participation (attendance at four out of five modules is a prerequisite for the successful completion of the continuing education program)

Venue

Freie Universität Berlin
Startup Villa Dahlem
Altensteinstraße 40
14195 Berlin

Your Instructor

Dr. Andreas M. Krafft                              

Any Questions? Send an email to info@continued.fu-berlin.de.