BEFORE

Preparations – Part 1
Our time together in France is swiftly approaching: here are some of the things you need to do to get yourself ready for Module 1.

01 Kickoff Call
In order to get to know you a bit better, give you a chance to talk to your fellow participants, and to start the educational journey, we are organising a kickoff call. This is a chance to start your VALE journey on the right foot and build connections that will enrich your experience.
As such, we kindly ask you to prioritise attending this meeting. If for any reason you can’t make it, please let us know in advance.
To fully participate in this meeting, make sure to be in a quiet location with stable internet connection where you can concentrate and talk.
When: Sunday, 19 January
Time: 13:00-16:00 CET
Link: https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/65445618412
NEW PREP TASK IN ADVANCE OF KICKOFF SESSION
First Educational Session & Preparation
Among a few other things, we will during the kickoff dive straight into our first educational session focusing on group dynamics and leadership. To get the most out of this session, please complete these prep materials:
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Watch this short primer video.
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Read our blog post: "Unlocking Team Success: Navigating the Intriguing Journey of Group Dynamics"
Whether these concepts are familiar to you or entirely new, they'll form the foundation of many valuable discussions throughout your VALE journey. Taking time with these materials now will help you get the most out of Sunday's session, and beyond.
02 Join The WhatsApp Group
We have an open WhatsApp group for all The VALE 2025 participants and team members. This is mostly a space to get to know each other a bit, and for things like co-organising travels. All critical course information will be here on the Pax Portal, so if you’re not that into WhatsApp, don’t fret.
The invite link can be found here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KYkECON29fc24Nr4lD9rqR


Preparations – Part 2
This page features all of course's preparatory assignment. Before arriving in France for the first module of the The VALE Course, you are expected to complete them all.
Some assignments are creative in nature, others more practical, and some involve readings or video on key themes and theory. We expect all tasks to be completed as they all serve very specific purposes during our time in France.
The total work load is expected to be 12 hours, including the Kickoff Call on January 19th, so maybe it's a good idea to reserve it some time in your calendar already

01 Bring an item / object
symbolizing your motivation
Deadline: Bring item to France
We’d like you to think about what motivates you to do what you do. In your volunteering and in your leadership, what is your driving force? Find an object symbolizing your source of motivation and bring this object to the first course module.
02 The Four Brainstorms
Deadline: Before arrival in France
Brainstorm about some of the very important things in your life and write down your reflections. Take your time and remember to bring the notes to the module. The four brainstorming areas are: 1. Topics I Like: Identify topics that excite or intrigue you. These are subjects you enjoy or that make you feel inspired. For example, this could include interests such as CrossFit or art. Take your time to create an exhaustive list of topics that resonate with you. 2. Activities I Enjoy: Reflect on activities or verbs that bring you joy—things that bring excitement or fulfilment. For instance, you might like to fly, write, or teach. These are not just activities you find acceptable, but activities that truly ignite an inner joy. 3. Favourite Things: Inspired by Marie Kondo's philosophy, reflect on objects or items that bring you joy. For example, you might love your cello or your green leafy plants. Make a list of all the things you cherish. 4. Favourite Places: Think about your favourite locations. These might be very specific, such as a geographical spot like a hometown park where you played in your childhood , or more general, like your kitchen or your mother's arms. These four exercises can be done in any order. Take your time with each one, allowing space for thorough reflection. Write down your thoughts as an extensive brainstorm. After completing these, move on to the Patterns exercise: - Look at the results of the first four tasks and identify patterns. Cluster related ideas or themes that emerge. For instance, are there recurring elements that connect your favourite topics, activities, things, or places? Write down the common themes or group similar words under headings. - You might notice three main areas, but feel free to include as many themes as necessary. Practical Details: - You will need a pen and a few pieces of paper, to write down your brainstorms, patterns and final themes. Alternatively, you can work on it on your computer digitally. However, we encourage to do it by hand. - Set yourself up in a comfortable and calm space. Perhaps make a cup of tea to enjoy while working on this task. - While these exercises are simple, they require time and thoughtful effort. The more comprehensive your brainstorm, the better prepared you will be for the first weekend. Important Notes: - Bring the pages with your completed reflections to the first module. Take your time, enjoy the process, and good luck with your reflection journey!


03 Feedback Is a Gift
Deadline: Before arrival in France
Feedback is one of the themes we will explore in depth at The VALE Course 2025. To get kick-started, watch this short video lecture by our trainer, Konstantin, on feedback models, and why feedback is important!
04 What is important to you?
Deadline: Bring envelope to France
Pick 1-3 people close to you and whom you consider know you well. Ask them to write a paragraph (less than half a page) on the question “What is important to [PAX name]? Their task is to write about you, not themselves. What do we mean by important? It is an open question, and reflections could relate to the things that they think you hold dear, such as items, activities, values, persons, principles, or how you spend your time. Do not read their text. Seal all letters in an envelope and bring this envelope to The VALE Course in France. You will be the only person eventually reading the letters.

05 The Principles of NVC
Deadline: Before arrival in France
Watch this video on Non-Violent Communication (NVC) made by one of The VALE trainers. When you have watched the video, we would like you to use NVC “in the wild” at least twice before we meet in France. That means: seek out two conversations (e.g. with a friend, family member, team mate etc.) and actively make use of the NVC model, framing your request in a non-violent way.
06 Setting Personal Course Goals
Deadline: Before arrival in France
We’d like you to take some time to reflect on the following questions: • What are my goals with this course? What made me apply? • What are my strengths that I bring with me? • What are the challenges that I want to overcome? Please write down short, condensed answers for each question somewhere that you can access during the course, e.g. a notes app or by emailing them to yourself.


07 Fill in the Media Consent Form
Deadline: February 9th
On a logistical note, we would like you to fill in this form stating whether or not you are okay with us taking photos and videos of you throughout the course, both for internal and external communication purposes. These we would like to use throughout the course as well as in promotional materials, including the publicly accessible final report.
08 Poster of Dreams and Procrastination
Deadline: Bring poster to France
This task has two parts. First, watch the video OR read the blog post by Tim Urban. Tim Urban dissects what happens in the mind of procrastinator, preaches how important continual reflection and self-awareness are, and why these skills matter to achieve our goals and dreams. Please watch the video and read the blog post in one go; find a secluded time and place. After that we want you to think about the following questions. • Which were your “childhood dreams”? • What do you dream of right now? In what way have those dreams changed? • Who and what has meant a lot to you, when you’ve created and changed your dreams? Then make a poster about yourself of how you’ve reached your dream. We are collecting the posters digitally. You can do your poster on Canva directly or on paper and then upload its photo on Canva. You can draw, take pictures, write or make a collage from photos & magazine cuttings on an A3 paper, think of a big poster - large text, large pictures. The presentation should at minimum contain your name and a picture of you, 2 or 20 years into the future. If you dream of starting a company: present yourself as a entrepreneur. If you dream of being an inventor who has received the Nobel Prize, present yourself as the Nobel Prize winner. Do you dream of being a parent to a brood of children, backpacking around the world or writing a bestselling book? Whatever your dreams are, put them on the poster! And, bring your poster to Norway. P.S. We know this task might seem daunting to some of you. Our alumna Kat once recounted us her story of struggling with her dreams poster. “It seemed impossible in the beginning”, she explained, “to decide what to put down.” She came up with a couple of different versions with varying content - one of which is linked here, an original artwork by Kat. In the end, she did create another poster and overcame her hesitation in completing the daunting task of creating a Poster of Dreams. Kat’s poster decorates the first page of our Canva page and serves as a reminder for you that starting this task is the hardest part. 😊


09 Three Little Nuggets of Wisdom From the World of TED
Deadline: Before arrival in France
Pop up that popcorn, and get ready for a video-watching session! Specifically, we’d like you to watch these three videos (in no specific order): “How great leaders inspire action” (or as it’s more commonly known as: The Golden Circle) by Simon Sinek (18 minutes). “How to start a movement” (or by us in the trainers' term, lovingly known as “the first follower" video) by Derek Sivers (3 minutes). “The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown (20 minutes). There is no specific reflection task for you to do here, but we of course highly encourage you to think about the content of these videos and their respective connection to leadership. These videos and the ideas in them will pop up during the course, so it’s very good to be prepared for that. E.g. the Power of Vulnerability is a good video to keep in mind when preparing your Lifeline (prep task no. 10).
10 Pre-Course Self-Assessment
Deadline: February 9th
You are expected to fill in the pre-course self-assessment, which will help us form a picture of your current state as a leader. After the completion of the in-person module in Norway, we will also ask you to fill in a post-course questionnaire to more accurately follow and assess your learning journey throughout the course. Please fill it in carefully and truthfully, as we will use this to guide our session planning and later evaluate whether we managed to teach on the things we intended to.

FAQ
Do I get some kind of certification from this course?
You will of course receive a certificate of participation. Upon request we will also be more than happy to provide a letter of recommendation.
You will also have the chance of receiving a YouthPass certificate. Youthpass is a tool to support validation of non-formal and informal learning outcomes. It is a part of the European Commission's strategy to foster the recognition of non-formal learning. Read more: https://www.youthpass.eu/en/ If you want a YouthPass certificate from the course in addition to our own certificate, please tell the team before the start of the 2nd module.
How are the sleeping arrangements?
We will sleep in shared sleeping quarters with mixed dorms. If you have any other preferences, please get in touch with us beforehand and we’ll see what we can do.
Should I bring my computer?
For the purposes of the course, no computer is needed. If you want to bring it for other reasons, you can.
Is there any free time to do any personal tasks or work that I need to do?
There will be some, but limited, free time, mainly in the evenings. While we can’t dictate how you spend this time, we encourage you to use it to rest, reflect, or socialise. This course is a unique opportunity to connect with others and focus on the present moment, so we hope you’ll take full advantage of that!
Will there be social evening program?
There will be time reserved for socializing after the official program. However, there isn’t specific program planned for social activities in the evenings.
No day is complete without my morning workout session: will this be possible?
Rumour has it some people are quite excited for morning workout sessions, so if this includes you as well, bring gym shoes and weather-appropriate sports wear!
How’s the food?
At the venue in France, you’ll be fed by our volunteer Maître de Maison and helpers — and we’re convinced they’ll do an amazing job! We have many vegans, vegetarians, and people with allergies, so we’ll do our best to accommodate all the food restrictions you submitted in the logistics form, but we’re not chefs.
I have my own medication, is there anything I should keep in mind?
We will not purchase nor provide any kind of medication. Please bring relevant medication for your own needs. In case you need to store them in any specific way, let us know and we will accommodate.
What are the plugs like? Can I charge my things?
Yes, you can! France uses round two-prong plugs, similar to most of Europe (types C and E). The voltage is 230V, so make sure your devices are compatible. If needed, bring an adapter and maybe a small power strip, as outlets may be limited
Our Policies
This is our collection of policies. They are our promise to keep each other safe – body and mind of course, but also your data!
We have our Privacy Policy, specifying how we store and process personal data.
We have our Safety & Security policy, detailing how we’re looking at and handling different kinds of risks and unexpected circumstances that might arise.
Cancellation Policy
The confirmation fee and participation fee will not be reimbursed.