Workshop and platform on taking-up non-formal education experiences and their evaluation into formal education evaluation

 

If you're interested in collaborating in creating a platform and workshops on  taking-up non-formal education experiences and their evaluation into formal education evaluation, please let me know.

Many countries within the developed world are suffering from declining birth rates, ageing workforces and skill shortages. To address these issues within their labour markets, both the OCED and EU have been acknowledging and focusing on the processes of formal recognition for both non-formal and informal learning. This recognition states that all learning is of value and that non-formal and informal learning are equivalent to formal learning.

This validation or measuring the value of lifelong learning requires a process whereby individuals have their overall skills they have acquired formally acknowledged. This would require systematic documentation for non-formal learning within the workplace or youth organisations, coupled with recognition within the relevant industry for this form of non-formal learning. Moreover, within higher education or universities that non-formal learning is accepted as a formal knowledge within the relevant specialist field. Both the UK and Australia higher education institutions and universities now accept and grant non-formal learning as credit towards a qualification.

Cedefop - "Centre Européen pour le Développement de la Formation Professionnelle" -has created European guidelines to provide validation to a broad range of learning experiences, thereby aiding transparency and comparability across its national borders. The broad framework for achieving this certification across both non-formal and informal learning is outlined in the Cedefop European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning; Routes from learning to certification. ^[15]

Cedefop also provides a forum for debate and exchanges of ideas on these and related topics.

Different Countries Approaches [edit]

There are different approaches to validation between OCED and EU countries, with countries adopting different measures. The EU, as noted above, through the Cepofd released European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning in 2009 to standardise validation throughout the EU. Within the OCED countries, the picture is more mixed.

Countries with the existence of recognition for non-formal and informal learning (Feutrie, 2007)^[16]

	Full Program	Partial Program	Limited Program	No program
Austria			x
Australia	x
Belgium		x
Canada	x
Chile				x
Czech Republic			x
Denmark	x
Germany		x
Greece				x
Hungary			x
Iceland			x
Ireland		x
Italy			x
Korea			x
Malta			x
Mexico		x
Netherlands		x
Norway	x
South Africa		x
Spain			x
Slovenia			x
Swizterland			x
United Kingdom		x

The Future [edit]

With increasing demand for a highly skilled workforce and the movement towards an knowledge economy, recognition of non-formal and informal learning shall become important tools as governments adapt to these demands. This is linked to the ‘lifelong learning for all’ agenda of the OECD, that is reshaping how we learn to better match the needs of the 21st century knowledge economies and open societies.

Suggested Links [edit]

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonformal_learning#Different_Countries_Approaches

OECD Recognition for Non-Formal and Informal Learning home:http://www.oecd.org/document/25/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_37136921_1_1_1_37455,00&&en-USS_01DBC.html

Directorate General for Education and Culture on Valuing learning outside formal education and training:http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc52_en.htm

Cedefop European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning:http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publications/5059.aspx

Conclusions of The Council of the European Union May 2004:http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/doc/validation2004_en.pdf

Department of Education, Education and Workplace Relations, Australia Government. Country Report:http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/publications_resources/profiles/the_recognition_of_non_formal_informal_learning_aus.htm

I'm working on following topics: leadership development around...

1. - Agenda 21, the Plan of Action to help Humanity make it beyond the year 2100, supported by the UN. Updated every decennium since
2. - The 2015 Millennium Development Goals
3. - Low Carbon Economy / Low Greenhouse Gas Economy / Sustainable Economy
4. - 3rd week of november: beatbullying.org week
5. - the 2010-11 UN International Year of Youth (from August till end August)
6. - the 2002-2010 period to halt the loss of Biodiveristy and 2010 Year of Biodiversity / Biodiversity - Habitat Certificate Trading System
7. - the 2011 UN International Year of The Forest
8. - the 2011 UN International Year for People of African Descent
9. - the 2011 Antwerp European Capital of Youth

10. - the 2011 EUROPEAN YEAR of Volunteering / To reward and recognise volunteering activities

11. - 2012 Supported by the UN: Rio+20 = update of the 1992 Agenda 21 Plan of Action to help Humanity make it beyond the year 2100, the decennial earth summit: www.earthsummit2012.org
12. - the 2012 United Nations International Year of Co-operatives
13. - the 2012 year to celebrate the first 5 yrs of Emission Trading System
14. - Youth policy in adult organisations
15. - Knowledge management in Youth Organisations and NGO's
16. - Working via Virtual Offices and the internet

Looking forward hearing from you if you're also working on one of these topics.

Skype: SvenAERTS

Rfc: A Commemorative Coin for the United Nations 2010-11 International Year of Youth

This is a Request for Comments and Capacity building on the topic of asking (y)our national Bank/Mint to mint/coin a Commemorative Coin for the United Nations 2010-11 International Year of Youth and Participation.

In Europe, e.g. the 2€ coins are also used as "Commemorative coins" as you can see in the examples on the left. They are really in circulation, meaning you really buy "your fruit, vegetables and drinks" with them.  Just have another look at the 2 €'s in your pocket as you might be carrying one of the "Commemorative 2€ Coins".  

These 2€ Commemorative Coins are always limited editions of only a couple of millions.

How about proposing your National Bank to mint a coin in your currency with a symbol of the International Year of Youth 2010-2011?

If they are not yet participating in the UN 2010-11 International Year of Youth and Participation, they might be very interesting in participating somehow.  You'll find that your national bank or whatever entity that mints the coins in your country also mints medallions and so.  So even if the procedure for minting a coin is too complex, they might be interesting in collaborating by minting a series of medallions, that you can then e.g. use to raise funds for a youth project.

On the left you see a medal that I own and that's what comes closest to what I could find which could suggest "International Year of Youth" and the USA $ has a "Youth Commemorative $".   Apparently to commemorate scouting.  We really need something freshly though up and designed: the logo of the 2010-11 UN International Youth Year is excellent.  It has come out of an international contest by kids and youngsters.  Youth and kids are the largest sociological group on the planet.  They deserve to have a Commemorative Coin.  It would also be a good thermometer/proof of how serious the adult society is about youth.

The use of a 2€ Commemorative Coin celebrating the International Year of Youth

In the organisations I'm involved with I use such medals and 2€ Commemorative Coins to "stamp" a wax seal on "Diploma's", "Honorary Founding Shares" for fundraising events, together with  wooden "tally sticks" from CO2e-capturing forestry projects.

Suggested Links:

1. as usual : http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=€2_commemorative_coins
2. 2010-11 UN International Year of Youth and Participation: http://social.un.org/youthyear/
3. List of the International Decades, Years, Months, Weeks and Days - United Nations
4. African Diaspora developing capacity in minting a coin to celebrate the 2010-11 UN International Year of Youth and Participation

On the open and free space of www.MyAgenda21.org, we can collaborate in building capacity for inspirational 2€ Commemorative Coins, with e.g. a 2€ Commemorative Coin to celebrate Biodiversity, a 2€ Commemorative Coin to celebrate the CO2e-Emission Trading System. 

Thx for reading: skype SvenAERTS

Half a Trillion $ for the war in Afghanistan: send in the Youth Leaders please !

One of the only programs I like on CNN is Fareed ZAKARIA's "GPS".  The interviewed Mr. Bergen who interviewed Bin LADEN, stated that half a trillion $ has been spent on USA intelligence since the 9/11 attack of the Twin Towers in the USA Wall Street District.

Half a trillion... that's 500 billion $, i.e. 500.000.000.000 $, that's about 1500 $ per American citizen in 10 years, or some 150 $/American x about nearly 10 years that have gone by.

Please, let's get rid of the Fossil based Economic-Military-Political Complex, where nothing is what it is and in the end nobody knows anything anymore.  Kick these people out.

Nothing worthy of mentioning has been spent on setting-up exchange programs so people could get to know each other, discuss around shared interests and Peace Bombs.  If you have any numbers on the numbers spent on Peace Building measures, please let me know.

Please defend the Emission Trading System (ETS) as it is a pillar on the road to a sustainable economy and world as every person planting a tree is actually planting a CO2e-certificate printing machine.  With CO2e-certificates being the money of the Low Carbon Economy.  Thus the ETS brings the power of printing money back to the people and that's a very powerful something.

And for Afghanistan, sent in some more youth trainers from all nationalities and religions to set-up exchange programs and Peace Bombs.  Idem ditto confidence building measures by the World Council of Religious Leaders.  If you send in religious leaders from all kinds of religions, I want to see how the taliban extremists are going to respond to these holy men and woman.  I think we have to have a bit more faith in how attractive democracy is.  And these religious people, they have a way of converting people 1 by 1.  Jesus is the most well-know Multi-Level-Marketing success ever.

I mean: e.g. Christianity along, with an estimated number of adherents that ranges approximately around 2.2 billion,^[16][17][18]  ... how long can it take these MLM experts to convert these islam terrorists towards a more lenient form of islam?  There's only 28,395,716^[4]  Afghani.  Let me know how long it would take according to you...

2010 BeatBullying Week and Abuse of Power - Schools and Workfloor

Get yourself a hip wrist band and join in: http://www2.beatbullying.org/abw2010

They're great gifts to start a conversation.  I've even used them on networking events to go over to strangers and start a conversation.

Organize a little event in school during the BeatBullying week or anywhere during this 2010-11 UN International Year of Youth.
Or another tip: go to some organisations or companies, ask them if they already do something around the 2010-11 UN International year for Youth and Participation.
Most people don't even know about the existence of such years.  But if they hear it's about Youth and the United Nations and EU backing it up, they'll find it very attractive to use it for heir Corporate Social Responsibility and communication strategy and join it via some sponsoring money.
And ...don't underestimate the legal obligations to undertake action on the working floor against sexual intimidation and abuse of power.  Some Human Resources Managers might find this useful to bring the companies policy under attention again.

Links: 

http://drphil.com/shows/show/1437/ and sign the facebook condolences page of this great American high-schooler who was bullied to death recently in the USA and send out a wave of indignation all over the USA.  The bullies and school management face serious time in jail.  The case is coming over to Europe as well, where we have seen some deaths in a.o. Bulgaria where 2 girls simply killed another girl over some nice clothes and sneakers.

http://www.un.org/observances/years.shtml - International Year of Youth and Participation

http://www.salto-youth.net/tools/toy/find-a-trainer - and look for those of us with specialization on "bullying and harrasment", you can also indicate what age limit you want for a youth trainer, a younger one or a an older person, or a gender balanced team.

Have fun while doing, thx for reading and see you a next time around.

Sven

Rfc: A 2€ Commemorative Coin for the 2010-11 International Year of Youth

This is a Request for Comments and Capacity building on the topic of asking (y)our national Bank/Mint to mint/coin a 2€ Commemorative Coin for the United Nations 2010-11 International Year of Youth and Participation.


Did you know the 2€ coins are also used as "Commemorative coins"? And they are really in circulation, meaning you really buy "your fruit, vegetables and drinks" with them.  Just have another look at the 2 €'s in your pocket as you might be carrying one of the "Commemorative 2€ Coins".  There's 3 types:  

1. A Year theme every Euro member state participates in

2. A Year theme some Euro member states participate in

3. A Year theme specific to one single Euro members state,you'll only find on the front side of the 2€ coin minted by the National Bank/Mint of that member state.

These 2€ Commemorative Coins are always limited editions of only a couple of millions and in case 3, every country can only edit 1 per year, to celebrate something.

How about proposing your National Bank to coin one with a symbol of the International Year of Youth 2010-2011?

For me, I'm collecting these 2€ Commemorative Coins, at least the ones that support something I care about.  The celebration of Universal Suffrage e.g. (voting rights for all men and woman), or the Birthday of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. An 2€ Commemorative Coin to remember  the "Grand Duke Henri of the Grand Duche of Luxembourg", doesn't interest me.  In fact I think it's a outrage and a slap in the face of the Luxembourg people.

The 2€ Commemorative Coins circulate all over the planet with our other € coins and notes, but still these 2€ Commemorative Coins have something additional in my viewpoint.  There are some of which all Europeans can really be proud of, sending out a message of what Europe stands for in its best.

Therefore, support the coining/minting of a 2€ Commemorative Coin, to celebrate the 2010-2011 International Year of Youth.

Can someone set-up a site where we can add our personal and organisation's name?

On the left you see a medal that I own and that's what comes closest to what I could find which could suggest "International Year of Youth" and the USA $ has a "Youth Commemorative $".   Apparently to commemorate scouting.  We really need something freshly though up and designed.  Youth and kids are the largest sociological group on the planet.  They deserve to have a 2€ Commemorative Coin.  It would also be a good thermometer/proof of how serious the adult society is about youth.

The use of a 2€ Commemorative Coin celebrating the International Year of Youth

In the organisations I'm involved with I use such medals and 2€ Commemorative Coins to "stamp" a wax seal on "Diploma's", "Honorary Founding Shares" for fundraising events, together with  wooden "tally sticks" from CO2e-capturing forestry projects.

Suggested Links:

1. as usual : http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=€2_commemorative_coins
2. 2010-11 UN International Year of Youth: http://social.un.org/youthyear/
3. List of the International Decades, Years, Months, Weeks and Days - United Nations

On the open and free space of www.MyAgenda21.org, we can collaborate in building capacity for inspirational 2€ Commemorative Coins, with e.g. a 2€ Commemorative Coin to celebrate Biodiversity, a 2€ Commemorative Coin to celebrate the CO2e-Emission Trading System. 

Thx for reading: skype SvenAERTS

Youth holidays 75% travel costs covered, and nearly 100% of the stay ...

The European Union aligns itself to never have a 3rd World War. One of the ways to prevent this was for every adult organisation to create a youth organisation and set-up youth exchange programs.  This way peace is really embedded in society as people get to know each other in a positive, constructive way.  Europe also wants to create Europeans, and what better way to make youngster from all over Europe come together around topics that are interesting to them and travel to each others countries?

Conditions: most of the time, you have to get 3 groups from 3 different nationalities on a same topic together, draft a program and financial plan and hand it in.

Where to start:

1. Here's where these youngsters try to find partners: 
1. https://www.salto-youth.net/tools/otlas-partner-finding/projects/
2. european-youth-exchanges (+8.500 youngsters).  
2. The more experienced will explain you where to download the templates you have to fill out and where you have to send it to.
3. As you will notice, the Ministries of Youth provide money to cover your stay and meals for 100% and your travel for about 75%.
4. If you are from outside Europe; Europe wants to uplift youth talent e.g. from Africa via

1. European Youth Strategy: Action 3 - Youth in the World - all above countries are eligible.
2.  a Seed funding: North-South Centre of the Council of Europe - 2.000 € Seed Funding to get African Talents over to Europe to participate in Youth Trainings, http://www.coe.int example 2013: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/nscentre/Youth/SeedFunding_2013.pdf , if not call them ! http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/nscentre/Youth_en.asp
5. http://www.eurodesk.org/edesk/YouthInEurope.do with the Youth Portal of the European Union
6. SALTO - Trainer Fees - Salto is the organisation that a.o. manages the EU recognized Youth Trainers.
7. Spreadsheet for calculating how much money you can make = trainerfee you can charge

Have a great life ...

Sven born 1970

salto-youth.net trainer nr 38

Out of gratitude for the opportunities the EU Youth Program and my Youth Organisation YEE-Youth Environment Europe has given me. It made me a better person.