THE GUIDE

 

Learning and education have now an increasing importance in the life of Europeans, and teachers/ trainers become facilitators of the learning process and co-learners. The majority of studies and experiences in educational areas proves that non-formal methods and techniques has good results in education of adults. In spite of  having various arguments why non-formal education should be linked to formal education, there still exists a barrier in the formal educational area regarding implementation of non-formal methods and techniques.

This Project, called „Non-formal and Formal Partnership in Adult Education”, was run under the current Lifelong Learning Programme , former Socrates Programme. Its duration was 2 years, starting on 1 August 2013 and finishing on 31 July 2015. The Project coordinating country was Romania, it was represented by Romanian Association for Councelling and Support (ARCS). Three other participating countries were Poland, Greece and Latvia.

ARCS is an NGO having as organizational target groups young people and experts working with or for young people.. It is also working with teachers from educational system of trainers from NGO`s. ARCS is planning project and services according with needs of the young people usng experiental pedagogy as general methodology. The Association has already experience of participation in the Partnership actions.

Poland was represented by Non-Formal Education Centre- Association for Human Development. This NGO  being a member of The European Institute of Outdoor Adventure Education and Experiental Learning has rich experience in organizing social shares, soft skill trainings, vocational trainings, etc. The Association works mainly with people at risk of social exclusion due to place of residence, low access to education, alcohol problems and unemployment.

Greece was represented by one more NGO, L.A.E.E. This organization has a 35 years experience in the organization and participation of cultural events in local, national and international level as well as several years of experience both in the implementation of EU programmes and in management of them. L.A.E.E. conducts workshops of lifelong education to provide citizens with tools for their personal development and social integration .

The partner from Latvia was represented by state school Malta Secondary School No.2. It is known by its diversity in programmes, starting with pre-school / general secondary educational programmes and finishing with vocational and inclusive education. The school has also rich experience in organizing formal and non formal activities for adult people – educational programs for adult people and different workshops, courses and lectures for adults (social courses for the parents, car driving courses, courses for unemployed, etc.).

The project target was to link the formal and non-formal  in adult education through increase in use of non-formal methods, techniques and instruments. The project had also some specific objectives: to involve local organizations based on formal adults education in a joint program, and to exchange experiences on using non-formal methods and techniques between 10 organizations from different European countries.

During the project there were organized 5 meetings (start meeting in Poland, Seminar on non-formal methods, techniques instruments in Romania, annual meeting with evaluation of training/ workshops organized at the local level in Latvia, dissemination seminar with experience exchange based on local activities in Greece, and evaluation meeting in Romania).

Each partner involved minimum two organizations- one activating in non-formal adult education, another involved in formal adult education, to plan a training program for formal organizations.

Each partner organized a local training program for organizational target group. At least 150 trainees (youngsters, parents, low educated adults, women, marginalized adult groups) benefited directly of non-formal methods in training/ workshop programmes at the local level.

Was written a Good practice guide with all case studies  developed by Partners. To disseminate the project results partners have also posted information on the organization web page and disseminated it to other local organizations involved in non-formal or formal adults education. As Partners are members of different networks, they will disseminate  the Good practice guide on the networks- more than 100 organizations will benefit of the project results.

The project has also additional benefits in European context: it has united Latin and Slavic countries, different cultures, diverse approaches of the adult education; there were involved in the project different institutions- both NGO sector  and public institutions, municipalities. But still the main cultural impact will be on participants who take part in mobilities throughout the project, as they  discover another way of thinking and dealing with non-formal and formal education.