Recognition of non-formal Learning
30-December-2004
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In January there is an important European Conference taking place on the recognition of non formal learning. A lot of the issues being raised at the conference are pertinent to comments I have posted on this site. There is the chance to put ideas forward tot he conference through a web based discussion forum hosted by Cedefop on the you@etv platform.
You can participate by going to http://communities.trainingvillage.gr/youth
If you are not already a member of the platform just press the join button and follow the instructions.
I have posted below the issues around which the conference is based.
Bridges for Recognition of Youth Work (Belgium January 19-25 2005) is a European Event which brings together youth workers, trainers, non-formal and formal learning organisers, social partners from the labour market and policy makers, to take further steps towards the recognition of non-formal learning.
Tony Geudens who is one of the event organisers has posted the following message:
As many as there are stakeholders in the recognition debate, as many there are opinions on how to go about recognition. Manuel Souto (from EcoTec, a consultancy doing an "inventory of validation of non-formal and informal learning" for the European Commission and participant at Bridges) bumped into the following 'Hot Issues' nobody seemed to agree on.
We are looking for your opinion and suggestions on how to move these issues forward! (these can be used at the Bridges conference!) The issues are related to the following 3 strands
▪ Preconditions for validation of non-formal and informal learning in the Youth sector
▪ Implementation of the validation and recognition
▪ Monitoring and transferability
Strand one: Preconditions
1 Predisposition of Youth Organisations to take part in the validation of non-formal and informal learning?
Do youth organisations want validation and recognition? How can they be stimulated? Is/Should youth work be about 'education'? How can we make most of it? Is there a way to save the pudding and eat it at the same time?
2 Division of responsibilities: Who is to do what in validation?
Who takes responsibility for validation and recognition? Is it governments, European Institutions, young people themselves, youth organisations, specialised training organisations, or schools? Or how to cooperate between them?
3 Resources: funding validation
Working on validation and recongition takes someone's time and time is money, so who's supposed to pay? Where could/should the money come from?
Strand two: Implementation
1 Formalising the informal: a risk or something to gain from?
Does the validation of learning as done in the youth sector change it's character? Will youth work become more formal or will it carry on as usual? What is the impact? What could be the benefits? How can bridges between the different sectors (formal-nonformal) be created?
2 Standards setting: a framework for quality and legitimacy
Who is entitled to set the standards, and who should then judge the standards. And if there are standards, what happens to those that don't reach the standards? Are standards in soft skills uberhaupt possible?
3 Validation methodologies and quality assurance: making standards a reality in practice
What instruments and validation methodologies can Youth organisations use to assess that a person really did acquire new skills within the context of its activities (and not somewhere else)? Or how to avoid people falsely ascribing skills to the membership/work in a Youth organisation?
4 Validation of non-formal learning and equality
Is validation of non-formal learning creating chances and opportunities for those who dropped out/dislike the formal education OR will young people with fewer opportunities (school drop outs) be at a double disadvantage when e.g. employers now not only will ask for school grades but also for youth work participation? How to ensure that all young people can benefit equally from validation of non-formal and informal learning?
Strand three: transferability
1 Transferability between sectors: flexibility, recognition and employability
How can my youth work skills be transferred to other sectors? do they fit for a job, in a different contect? How can the bridge be made?
2 Transferability between countries: Validation in a mobile Europe
How can my youth work experience in one country be validated/accepted (in a youth organisation) in another country. Should we create terminologies and standards? Who and how? What other initiatives could facilitate recognition of skills acquired in a non-formal setting in a country different to that where they were acquired?
3 Transferability between organisations: Making the most of good practice
There are many examples of good practice (as presented at Bridges for Recognition) in validation of non-formal learning but how to get to know and use them? How to share strengths and weaknesses. How can these difficulties be overcome?
So feel free to tell us wrong or tell us right. Throw some oil on the fire, or some water. Your contributions will be used in the workshops at Bridges for Recognition (www.SALTO-YOUTH.net/BridgesForRecognition/).
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