/ WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
The Р2Р (peer-to-peer) approach is about:
- personal FREEDOM, which means self-fulfillment rather than willfulness
;
- RESPECTING others, which is the other side of self-respect
;
- TRUST and ability to treat others as equals;
- RESPONSIBILITY for one's own actions, which is the essential part of personal freedom.
/ WHAT IS P2P FOR? / WHY P2P?
It offers a new operating model, which has a number of advantages compared to the project-oriented principle we are familiar with. It suggests a new approach towards civil education as well.
The classical project-oriented approach implies that the goals and objectives are determined by leaders, the roles are precisely distributed, and there are clear criteria for assessing the success (e.g., KPI). With all the obvious merits, this approach is not effective in all projects, at all times and for all the people.
The Р2Р approach provides an alternative. Like any other approach or instrument, it has its own limitations, and its success depends on one's goals and objectives. It is important to understand what projects it is applicable to and what kind of participants it requires to be feasible.
We have tested the Р2Р principles and developed our own understanding of this approach and its practical application. In the sections '
Berlin and Hamburg' and '
Workshop in St. Petersburg,' you can find out how exactly we used the Р2Р approach in education and in the project work of civil urban activists.
The following section summarizes the conclusions that result from our experience with the Р2Р approach, including our vision of the essence of this approach, its principles and limitations.