lifelong learning week 2019
Freref participated at the Lifelong Learning Week on December 2-6 at Brussels! Many events were organised by the Lifelong Learning Platform and we met with other members of the network. This year, many sessions focused on citizenship education, learning for teachers and educators and inclusiveness, themes that are underlying many of our projects!
Session # Acting for global citizenship education today
YFU led a project called « coloured glasses » enabling volunteers in schools or in youth groups to work on topics such as global responsibilities or fighting discriminations. These young people are providing workshops with young facilitators, in a way similar to peer learning. Another project should follow the coloured glasses one « C Grow » upscaling of coloured glasses and targeting teachers and educators.
OBESSU was also part of the panel, and presented guidelines for student unions and evoked the need of competences in new technologies and climate change.
EFIl explained how the organisation shifted approach from European citizenship toward global citizenship, and presented the PEACE project : 3 months programme with host schools and host families, with non-formal education provided by members of EFIL.
We were also part of the panel and presented the Upper project and the Education Inspiring Peace Laboratory promoting Peace Education.
At the end of the session, the panel responded to the question: What are the needs now to implement all this good ideas ?
- A framework of cooperation with school education (between formal and non-formal)
- The recognition of non-formal education stakeholders in Global Citizenship Education « Break the silence » around non formal education.
- Allow and enable more exchanges of students, especially those with a disadvantaged background.
- More funding of the EU
Session # Learning through gaming : potential untapped
Gamify EU is a project led by YEU with the support of Molengeek, aiming at gamifying non formal content and EU values, go play the game on https://gamifyeu.org/
Tom, teacher in Netherlands, presented how he uses video games such as Assassin’s Creed, Civilisation V, Minecraft and This war of mine to teach in class. He uses games as a complementary tool to classic materials.
Eurodesk presented the card game “Time to move”. This game mentions European opportunities for people such as benefiting from a grant to go on an Erasmus exchange, or be part of the European Solidarity Corps.
Session # Global Education citizenship for future
DG EAC recommend competences for LLL to have active, empowered, engaged and creative teachers. One of the existing problem is that teachers are “trapped into their classrooms”.
Euroclio explained that the aim of history teachers is to build future citizens, responsible, creative and thoughtful at the local and global level. They are then seeking for inclusive and multi-perspective educational materials.
ATEE presented its project “Global competence 4 educators” which is based on a research conducted by the University of Hull (UK) partner with EFIL and a Finnish university specialized in the internationalisation of curricula.
EFIL presented a project aiming at producing a non-formal education framework “Mobiliteach”
Lifelong Learning Interest Group: Participation and Inclusion in learning and education, leave no one behind!
UNESCO published the 4th Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE), which reported that 15% of countries spent less than 1% of the Budget for Education in Adult education, showing that it remains underfunded.
The minister of Education of Benin explained that Adult Education is a global issue, concerning as well developed countries as developing ones. Literacy is a key issue for Benin and should be tackled also for people in working situation. Awareness rising camaigns should populate adult education and change mindsets toward lifelong learning.
The European Economic and Social Committee insisted on the need to involve social partners to reach vulnerable groups and left behind.
Solidar and EESC advocated for empowering adults in the complex environment, and highlighted the need to bring all stakeholders, including social services, legal advice, career guidance provider to foster multi-governance.
The European Commission shared its initiative: “upskilling pathways”
Session # Empower citizens through career guidance at Cité des Métiers Brussels
We visited the brand new building of Cité des Métiers Bruxelles. Cité des Métiers is a concept developed since 30 years to provide career guidance for citizens. Its action is oriented toward 3 perspectives:
-Skills
development: information, reception of clients, career guidance, mutual
learning
– Territory: considering the specific needs of citizens
-Social and digital innovation: develop professional and personal life,
multi-sector cooperation
Ms Alison Crabb, from DG EMPL and responsible of the EC study on career guidance for lifelong learning focused on the concept of “lifelong learning guidance” meaning, a process enabling citizens at any age to identify their skills, interests and professional goals to have training and choose their professional pathways. The study conducted by the EC reported that in average, people have 10 transition in a work life. Citizens need consequently career management skills: identify opportunities, analyse info about the labour market, decision making.
This week was really fruitful and Freref is waiting for the next Lifelong Learning Week to see how projects and ideas has been evolving and implemented, and to present projects outputs and our new initiatives! Many thanks to the LLLP team for organising such events!