Learn about Non-Formal Education | Erasmus+ Funding Opportunities for Youth

"Every individual has to learn and practice what they want to achieve perfection of" were the famous thoughts of Socrates. Learning in general can be defined as a long-term process that changes and influences your knowledge, skills and attitudes.

 Modern European educational terminology divide learning into three categories: it's formal, informal and non-formal learning.

Formal learning is something that takes place in school's environment: the situation is planned and purposed. And that is on through national curriculum and the subject and school syllabus is the teacher’s work plan.

For example a traditional math class where student is doing their workbook exercises is formal education. It is also assessed and evaluated through exams and placement tests.

Informal learning is the opposite. It is something that happens in everyday situations. It is the Saturdays that you hang with your friends or the evenings that you spend with your parents or family. It is something that is educational and might change your values but the results are viewable much much later.

Somewhere between those two is non-formal learning. It is something that happens or takes place in different situations and environments. It is purposed and might be planned like formal education. But it is more flexible and available for everyone. And most importantly it should happen voluntarily.

Non-formal education is both social and individual learning. It is something that you can do extracurricular activities or subjects where you use active and interactive study methods. It is also individual learning. Your own idea and aim to educate yourself. For example, learning a new skill, like playing a guitar through YouTube videos.

In order for the studying places is to be more enjoyable and fruitful we need to combine those two. Something that is set by the national curriculum and also more flexible and innovative, like the non-formal learning process.

Learning takes place when there is something interesting for the student or pupil. It is something that can influence you, something that brings out emotions and allows yourself to find answers to certain questions that you are looking for, requirements that you want to fulfill. In order for that to happen you need to have belief in yourself and your self-esteem that you can manage obtaining that value.

Formal learning focuses mainly on that particular value - the value of the subject and what you are particularly learning. Non-formal education on the other hand focus on the process; the emotion that it brings out in you and how you are learning. That's why it is said it's important to use your more creative side.

Learning is important because through that we learn new things, skills and can change our attitude. It is rather pointless if we do it only up to the exams or if we forget about the things next week.

It is said that in average a person can think about 800 words a minute. But we can only speak about 120 words per minute. Therefore it is evident that there is enough free energy and time for a listener to not only pay attention to what he said but at the same time make connections and think about how to actually implement what he said in the real-life.

The practical value of learning is something that non-formal education forces. More and more attention is put on non-formal education in young person's development. Consciously learning to learn is something that can help you map your skills and knowledge, help you self-define as a citizen.

Non-formal learning is something that can be achieved to anyone. It is available for all interested parties.

There are a vast number of projects for youngsters in local level both internationally.

• Communication-based methods: interaction, dialogue, mediation
• Activity-based methods: experience, practice, experimentation
• Socially-focused methods: partnership, teamwork, networking
• Self-directed methods: creativity, discovery, responsibility

1. Balanced co-existence and interaction between cognitive, affective and practical dimensions of learning
2. Linking individual and social learning, partnership-oriented solidary and symmetrical teaching/learning relations
3. Participatory and learner-centred.
4. Holistic and process-oriented.
5. Close to real-life concerns, experiential and oriented to learning by doing, using intercultural exchanges and encounters as learning devices.
6. Voluntary and (ideally) open-access.
7. Aims above all to convey and practice the values and skills of democratic life.