Lifelong learning in Slovenia

1. Lifelong learning in Slovenia Breda Karun

2. Providers of adult education • Institutions for the education of adults such as folk universities • Education of adults and youth • “Other organisations”: • libraries, museums, theatres, archives, centres of culture etc., political organisations and parties, organisations for rural and farmer population, organisations of local communities, organisations for leisure time, professional organisations, social welfare organisations, organisations for the disabled, organisations for help to families, parents, organisations for tourism, organisations of seniors, housewives

3. Adults and learning • 15,3% inhabitans between 15 and 64 involved in any kind of adult education (EU averaga is 10,2%). • 84% of them participate in the vocational programmes. • The numnber of participants on general and spare time programmes is decreasing every year( 2001-2005, decrese from 20% to 11%) • Adults don’t participate in learning for different reasons from those of young people. It may be lack of information, or fear of participation, because of the social or economic appurtenance to a particular group, or a reduction in the ability to plan the future, or bad experiences from past education and training, or an inefficient system for informing and presenting new learning programmes.

4. The Slovenian Institute for Adult Education • The national institution for development, research and counselling in the field of adult education. The Institute’s basic mission is to support the culture of lifelong learning and education in Slovenia • The developer and coordinator of most adult education programms • “The Slovenian Lifelong Learning week” • Theannual catalogue with a list of Slovene organisations and institutions which organize adult education and training

5. Programmes 1 • Study circles /a non-formal way of learning, which gather people who wish to learn something new on certain topics, to keep each other company and to do something useful for their living environment or for other people. • Local centers for counselling (ISIO) / a network of 14 centres, mostly organised by Folk universities. The centres offer councelling and information on the adult education in the local communities.

6. Programmes 2 • Open learning centres / a learning space equipped with learning technology, material and e-learning courses.A network of 33 centres. • Learning exchange /a non-profit information center which collects learning requests and offers and establishes the link between request and offer. Network of 6 centres

7. Programmes 3 • Lifelong Learning Centres/13 regional centres, each of them is a network of local organizations which are engaged with adult education • The Third Age University/ a voluntary educational movement, meant for 50+, mostly retired people, but also for elderly workers out of work.

8. Unemployed and people on the labour market • Employment Information Service / information on all licensed institutions which deal with (un)employment; information on job-search clubs; information on the duties and rights of the unemployed; names and addresses of people and institutions which can be of help to the unemployed (trade unions, trade chambers etc.); information on library material that can be interesting for the unemployed; information on adult education and learning opportunities. • Centres for Informing and Vocational Counselling /information about educational and training programmes, about institutions and organizations which run such programmes, about studying abroad.

9. Libraries and learning • Traditional activities within libraries such as giuded visits, presentations of new books, meetings with writers, play hours with books, story hours, creative workshops for children and adults, discussions with experts about interesting and current topics, exhibitions, ICT courses etc. • Activities which are the answer to the changes in the society, culture and technology and are run in cooperation with other instituions and partners

10. Examples • Study circles / take place in public libraries • Open learning centres / a public library is a coordinator of the national network • Learning exchange / started in public library, now it coordiantes the national network • Lifelong learning centres / almost all public libraries are part of teh network • The third age university / good cooperation with public libraries. ICT trainings for elderlies • Employment information service / based in the public library • Centres for Informing and Vocational Counselling/ some centres in public libraries • Youth information centres / information, create their own programm, free study help