{"id":1908,"date":"2019-09-03T18:00:01","date_gmt":"2019-09-03T16:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/youthnetworks.net\/?p=1908"},"modified":"2019-09-03T18:00:03","modified_gmt":"2019-09-03T16:00:03","slug":"non-formal-education-an-opportunity-for-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/youthnetworks.net\/non-formal-education-an-opportunity-for-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Non-formal education: an opportunity for the future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A room, a class, pupils, a desk and a teacher behind it: up to a few decades ago, this were the only things that came up when one though about education<\/strong>. The formality as a guarantee of quality<\/strong>; the upper position of the teacher, the element that identified its knowledge<\/strong>. All of this has been lasting for centuries: but what if there are alternative ways of learning? Non-formal education<\/strong> (NFE) started to arise between the 60s and 70s<\/a>, prompting a rollover of such scheme. As for the definition provided by UNESCO<\/a>, Non-formal education’s defining characteristic <\/p>\n\n\n\n

is that it is an addition, alternative and\/or a complement to formal education within the process of the lifelong learning of individuals. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Which are the differences between formal and non-formal education?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways to establish the difference. The first relates to the concept of hierarchy<\/strong>: in formal education, this is clearly recongnisable – and accepted. The teacher<\/strong>, to whom one refers as “sir” or “miss”, provides you a lesson, a lecture, a seminar, on topics <\/strong>officially set by curricula. Digressions are allowed, but not recognised as part of the cultural baggage that learners are expected to acquire. In non-formal education, on the contrary, there is no hierarchy: teacher and learners sit at the same level<\/strong>, in a non-frontal position, and the contributions from the learners matter as much as the ones from the teacher. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro: formal education is granted and recognised as fundamental virtually all over the world<\/strong>, without any discrimination based on race, gender or ethnic group reasons, and gives to everyone the opportunity to get a basic knoweldge to be exploited during lifetime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The curricola <\/strong>are the second characteristic. Formal education foresees defined programmes with a set of subjects, that may or may not be of interest of the learner, although their value is officially recognised. In the end, there is always a test<\/strong>. In non-formal education, instead, the choice <\/strong>of what to learn is up to the learner<\/strong>. It’s the case of sport lessons, hobbies courses, language classes and so on. The final outcome doesn’t matter: the important thing is that the learner has developed something more, that s\/he feels enriched<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro: it enables everyone to focus on his\/her favourite activities, to develop personal skills <\/strong>according to what comes natural. He feels empowered, making NFE easier for him\/her to succeed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is non-formal education important for Europe and EU programmes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s not a case that youth workers<\/strong> are particularly familiar with the concept of non-formal education. It perfectly adapts to the flow of youth exchanges<\/strong>, intercultural dialogues<\/strong> and the exchange of good practices<\/strong>. People taking part in Erasmus+ Programmes in fact usually match the identikit of the non-formal learner. They make the first step, proving themeselves with new challenges – also and above all when it comes at learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non-formal education turns out to be really helpful even when facing difficult situations, such as the integration of adult migrant<\/strong> to a new host country. It’s what the Council of Europe<\/strong> underlined as regard to language courses for adult migrants<\/a>. “At a time when many Council of Europe member states are receiving large numbers of adult refugees, the distinctions between formal, non-formal and informal learning help us to formulate radical and cost-effective responses<\/strong> to questions that have previously been answered in traditional ways”, we read on its website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Instead of organising\u00a0formal language courses<\/a><\/strong>, for example, in the short term it makes much better sense, and is certainly more affordable, to involve volunteers in the organisation of social activities that promote non-formal and informal language learning”<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After all, the Council of Europe<\/strong> officially recognised non-formal education in 2000, with a reccommendation <\/a>of the parliamentary Assembly. As it’s stated in the document: <\/p>\n\n\n\n