Education and training 2010

2. 2 pillars Education and training 2010 The Youth sector in European Union

3. Education and training 2010 The Life Long Learning strategy Education and training 2010 Future objectives of education and training systems The Copenhagen Declaration

4. Education and training 2010 The Life Long Learning strategy *sometimes you may find it as simply as LLL November 2001 European Commission brings out a Communication titled: “Making a European area of life long learning a reality” …all learning activity undertaken throughout life with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective

5. Education and training 2010 The Life Long Learning strategy *sometimes you may find it as simply as LLL This document stresses thatthere is a clear need here for the formal sector to recognize and value non formal and informal learning; Mnemonics  The term “non formal learning” is used 37 times in 42 pages! The Chinese proverb put in the beginning has then after become a trend in many life long learning relevant documentation created by a variety of institutions Want to know more??? • A Memorandum on Life Long Learning (Oct. 2000) • Making a European area of Life Long Learning a reality (Nov. 2001) • Council resolution on Life Long Learning (Jun. 2002) • A survey on Life Long Learning (2003) • Establishing an action programme in the field of Life Long Learning (Nov. 2006) • and don’t forget to regularly visit the official web site

6. Education and training 2010 The Life Long Learning strategy *sometimes you may find it as simply as LLL …some jargon to be bothering us for the next many years • No1. KEY COMPETENCES • The missing link… • Read on: • Progress Report. Working group on Key Competences. Nov. 2004 • Recommendation on Key Competences, Dec. 2006 • The web site that records the developments related to them • No2. European Qualifications Framework • The common basis… • Read on: • Towards a EQF for LLL, July 2005 • Summary presentation, Sep. 2005 • Press release, Sep. 2006 and Press release 2, Oct. 2007 • Proposal for a recommendation on the establishment of the EQF, Sep. 2006 • The official web site for following all related updates …well, it’s much more than jargon

7. Education and training 2010 The Copenhagen Declaration IN VET* states that ‘…there is a need to develop a set of common principles regarding validation of non-formal and informal learning with the aim of ensuring greater comparability between different approaches in different countries at different levels.’ The acronym VET is used all around nowadays; stands for Vocational Education and Training Read the full text

8. Education and training 2010 …common principles To be precise: Common European Principles for validation of non formal and informal learning As set out in the “Final proposal from Working Group H (Making learning attractive and strengthening links between education, work and society) of theobjectivesprocess • Individual entitlements • voluntary matter, equal access, privacy to be respected • Obligations of stakeholders • establishment of systems and approaches with relevant guidance and counseling • Confidence and trust • fairness, transparency, quality assurance mechanisms • Credibility & Legitimacy • inclusion of relevant stakeholders, compatibility with international norms and agreements • go deeper… • Common European Principles (Mar. 2004) • Draft Council conclusions on Common European Principles (May 2004)

9. Education and training 2010 Future objectives of education and training systems or, the Objectives process As prescribed in February 2001… (read the full text) 1.Increasing the quality and effectiveness of education and training systems in the European Union 2. Facilitating the access of all to the education and training systems*3. Opening up education and training systems to the wider world *bits & pieces “This requires (…) a strategy which overcomes the traditional barriers between the various parts of formal education and training and non-formal and informal learning.” “Extending education and training in this way will raise issues such as (…) the recognition of prior non-formal and informal learning gained outside formal education and training systems.” “it has to be noted that non-formal learning also promotes young people's employability and develops their competencies and skills.” (read the follow up text)

10. Education and training 2010 Still longing for more??? http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/et_2010_en.html

11. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion The White Paper on Youth The Youth sector in European Union The European Youth Pact Youthpass

12. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion The White Paper on Youth 1 step closer… (…)youth associations, social workers and local authorities in manycountries are involved in in-depth work with young people. While continuing to beinnovative and non-formal, and as part of the overall package of lifelong learningmeasures, this work would benefit from: – a clearer definition of the concepts, of the skills acquired and of qualitystandards; – a higher regard for the people who become involved in these activities; – greater recognition of these activities; – greater complementarity with formal education and training. Get the whole package!

13. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion The European Youth Pact • The European Council calls on the Union and Member States, each within the limits of its ownpowers and in particular under the European employment strategy and under social inclusionstrategy, to draw upon the following lines of action: • (…) • developing, between Member States, closer cooperation on transparency and comparability ofoccupational qualifications and recognition of non-formal and informal education. Take a look at the whole Pact

14. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion The European Youth Pact continues… COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL on European policies concerning youth(read on) Addressing the concerns of young people in Europe – implementing the European Youth Pact and promoting active citizenship • Actions in education and training • (…) • Commission to propose a European Qualifications Frameworkin 2006 • Commission to adopt a Recommendation on key competencesin 2006 • Commission & Member States to develop ‘Youthpass’ from 2006 Oops! What’s that???

15. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion The European Youth Pact continues II… Specifically on “Youthpass” Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on addressing the concerns of young people in Europe — implementingthe European Pact for Youth and promoting active citizenship (read on) CALL ON THE MEMBER STATES AND THE COMMISSION TO: 1.encourage, for young people and those active in youth workand youth organisations, the recognition of non-formal andinformal learning, for example through developing a ‘Youthpass’and considering its inclusion in Europass, and considerthe validation of such learning, whilst taking account ofnational situations and respecting Member States' competences;

16. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion The European Youth Pact continues III… Specifically on “Youthpass” Extract from the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Communication 5.6The EESC encourages the Commission to continue itswork on the recognition of youth work and looks forward tothe introduction of initiatives including ‘Youthpass’. Howeverthe EESC considers that the ‘Youthpass’ alone is not sufficientaction in order to strengthen the recognition of youth work. Ittherefore recommends that the Commission should engagewith employer organisations, workers organisations, representativesof the formal education system and appropriate NGOs todevelop versatile methodology to raise the awareness on thecontribution of youth work to the development of youngpeople and the skills, values and attitudes that young peoplegain through active involvement in youth organisations andyouth work activities. The EESC could facilitate this process. Extract from the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Communication 4.3In particular, each initiative towards the framing of aEuropean qualifications framework — which will be linked toand supported by credit transfer and quality assurance arrangements,to the common European principles for identificationand validation of non-formal and informal learning and toEuropass (the European single framework for the transparencyof diplomas, certificates and competences) — will require thecontribution of local and regional authorities, including in themonitoring and initiative-assessment stages. 4.4Naturally, this should also apply to the test phase ofYouthpass — part of the Commission's Europass initiative —planned for 2006. In this respect, appropriate economic andprocedural instruments will have to be put in place.

17. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion Youthpass … so finally • as we read here, developing a ‘Youthpass’and considering its inclusion in Europass • and here, …encourage, while taking into account the specific situationin each Member State, the development of a comparableand transparent youth-specific element within Europassfor identifying and recognising the skills and competencesacquired by young people through non-formal andinformal learning… • and here, In the long run, Youthpass should be integrated in / linked with other European level initiatives, such as Europass • we understand that Europass is something “wider” than Youthpass • Curious? • Europass press release (Jan. 2004) • Decision (…) on a single framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences Europass (Dec. 2004) • The official web site

18. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion but still we have a slight idea about what Youthpass is… To foster the recognition of non-formal learning, the SALTO Training and Co-operation Resource Centre in Germany develops and implements validation instruments for the different Actions of the “Youth in Action” programme, in order to support: - the reflection on the personal non-formal learning process,- the social recognition of youth work and- the employability of young people and youth workers. Great, and highly appreciated, that CoE is working on relevant and supporting initiatives; take a look

19. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion …together, EC and CoE have, among others, agreed that Despite all visibility and undisputed success rates, the youth work record in education, training and learning is easily overlooked or simply madea sub-category within education by decision-makers and stakeholders in established fields such as education and vocational education and training. But, youth work is more than a sub-category of education and training. It has to be seen for its own sake, but also for civil society purposes. Hence, the youth sector has to constantly reemploy strategies for recognition in tune with social changes and new overall educational objectives such as the preparation of young people for a knowledge based economy, for life long learning and for the civil society. FromPathways…

20. The youth sector in EuropeanUnion Still longing for more??? http://ec.europa.eu/youth/whitepaper/post-launch/post_en_1_en.html

21. Inspired by, enriched by and made possible with the support of “Youthpass” TC, Vienna, Dec06 The internet “Common European principles for validation of non-formal and informal learning in Europe” presentation made by Jens Bjornavold http://eur-lex.europa.eu/ “Milestones informal and social recognition of non-formal and informal learning in youth work” presentation made byHans-Joachim.Schild@cec.eu.int “From Youthpass to Europass” presentation bymanfred.von-hebel@ec.europa.eu Numerous relevant discussions with my self and others that have taken place the last 10 years. www.republicradio.gr, as the musical background

22. Dedicated to everyone that will find it useful in their efforts in making themselves, the young people and the society in general, understand and appreciate the value of non formal and informal learning within the European youth field… Admittedly, The presence of the Council of Europe in this presentation is disproportional to the work it has done in the field of recognition. Therefore I strongly feel the need to make this reference so as to make known that this work in no way is neglected; indeed, it is highly respected and in many ways influences EU policy as well. Above all, it enriches our work as youth work practitioners. Made by Athanasios (Sakis) Krezios sakis@entertrain.gr www.entertrain.gr www.kidsinaction.gr/here2stay March 2007 (updated November 2007)