Nino Lortkipanidze ‘14
Project Title: Find Your Light
Project Location: Tbilisi, Georgia
$1621 in 2015 FLEX Alumni Grant Program Funding
Nino Lortkipanidze ‘14 together with six FLEX alumni conducted a three-day professional development training for 30 students aged 13-18 from orphanages in different regions of Georgia. Implemented in partnership with American Councils and the Black Sea International University, the training with a symbolic name ‘Find Your Light’ took place in Tbilisi on September 10-13. The project consisted of workshops and presentations covering a wide range of topics including leadership development, resume writing, and project management. Since the duration of the training coincided with the FLEX recruitment period, the organizers encouraged all students to apply for FLEX and distributed informational brochures.
The training made a big difference in the student’s professional development. As a result of the project, four of the students enrolled in cooking and drama programs at local vocational schools and are now developing necessary technical skills to succeed in their future careers. To keep in touch and exchange experiences with their fellow participants further, Nino created a closed Facebook group inviting all the participants to join. At the end of the project the organizers received positive feedback from the participants as well as from the orphanages’ administration.
Taking into account all the feedback from the participants, the alumna now plans to organize two more trainings for high school-aged students from orphanages in Tbilisi. Conducted in cooperation with American Councils, these trainings will take place at the American Resource Center in the following weeks.
‘The event went even better than I had expected. By the end of the training the participants were much more active, inspired and eager to express themselves. They created their own resumes, presented project ideas, and discussed specific ways to achieve their goals,’ says Nino. According to the organizer, the aim of the project was ‘to help the participants to find their light and discover their strengths’.
