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Report of the study tour to the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE)

by the Dutch Platform Learn for Life in the frame of the EIFEL-project.

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Content

Index 2

Introduction 3

Reception 4

Opening Festival week 4

Learning Parade 5

Workshop SIAE 6

Discussion and hospitality 7

Attachments Learning Parade 2015

Lifelong Learning Week 2015

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Introduction This report reflects the study tour of the Dutch Platform Learn for Life to the festival week for adults’ education in the frame of the EIFEL-project, in Slovenia running from 15th – 23th May 2015.

EIFEL stands for European Input in the Festival for Learning being an Erasmus+ mobility project.

In 2015 (voluntary) staff of Learn for Life divided in three groups of four participated in local training programmes organised by the national festival coordinators of Ireland, Slovenia and Wales.

Through these trainings / study tours the platform Learn for Life and the participants acquire expertise on several domains:

- New strategies to advance organising attractive local activities; - To attract of companies and ‘learning/working desks’ to participate in the Festival; - To strengthen the radiation and potentials of toppers and masters as a role model; - New strategies to involve politicians and policy makers closer to the Festival; - New models of promotion of expert knowledge of tutors within the ‘lifelong learning

communities’; The project is a cooperation between AONTAS (Ireland), SIAE (Slovania) and NIACE (UK, Wales).

Participants of this tour are: Lidwien VOS DE WAEL (Learn for Life), who invited Mirjam BLOEDJES (Organisation of Volunteers of the city of Dronten), Harry NUYS (‘learning/working desk’ Rijnmond) and Sabine EGGERMONT (‘learning/working desk’ in the Region Haaglanden/South-Holland Central); reporter.

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Reception The reception is at the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE) in Crnomelj.

Next a presentation is given in which both the representatives of the Grundtvig learning partnerships (Project Learning to tackle poverty) and EIFEL attend.

Estera Možina (SIAE) elucidates the activities of PIAAC (Programme for the international Assessment of Adult Competencies): a large-scale international research that maps the level and magnitude of skills’ application among the wide group aged from 16 to 65. The survey conducted by the OECD covers 24 countries and measures the level of language skills, calculation capacities and the problem solving capabilities of adults. These proficiencies are considered the core competences because these are key skills for analysing, understanding and information digesting, issues we encounter daily both in personal and professional life.

PIAAC not only provides insight in the development and keeping up skills, but also in applying it in the professional environment and particularly the economic and societal returns. The OECD discloses the results of the survey in the ‘OECD Skills Outlook 2013’ that was presented internationally at October 8th, 2013.

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik (SIAE) informs the audience due to the development of adult education in Slovenia in the period 1996 – 2015. Also the approach of the ‘Learning Parade’ as from 2013 is addressed. The study tour has been taken place in this context. A summary can be read in the attachment.

Opening Festival week The national opening of the Slovenian Festival week ‘Lifelong learning’ 2015 also takes place in the city of Crnomelj.

After the welcome of Andrej Sotošek, director of the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE) the official programme took off in a setting of music and reciting poems. Senior officials of two ministries, board members of national and local adult education institutes and the mayor make short speeches.

Afterwards the award ceremony took place. All winners were presented in a concise video. These are individuals, groups or organisations that due to their dedication achieved remarkable results in the field of adults education.

At the market square visitors feast the opening of the Festival with dancing the KOLO, a folk-dance accompanied by various musical instruments. In spite of the streaming rains some 300 persons young and elderly joined.

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Workshop SIAE In Crnomelj SIAE has organised a workshop for the participants of the EIFEL project. Following subjects are superficially or intrusively addressed.

- The use of SIAE Awards Winners in order to disseminate learners’ stories and good projects (self-advocacy)

- Strategies to stimulate local festival activities, local strategic networks - Strategies to involve politicians and other stakeholders in the ALW and in lifelong learning - Media involvement at local level directed to vulnerable groups - The use of SIAE Awards Winners in order to disseminate learners’ stories and good projects - Collaboration of Learning Ambassadors in other lifelong learning activities and LLW’s. The backgrounds of the contribution of Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik are incorporated in the already mentioned attachments. The presentation of Darijan Novak is preliminary focused on communication: All award winners are portrayed by short videos. These profiles are good reflections of the winners’ dedication, perseverance and approach, which make them role models for other people. These portraits are not only presented at the opening of the festival, but are mainly meant to be showed at various opportunities to inspire people to similar activities. The costs of these film portraits are € 4.000,00.

The SIAE has not yet been successful in becoming included in programmes of the national radio or television broadcasting stations. Mainly through personal relations, regional or local journals, radio and television networks are willing include it in the programming. Many people are particularly attracted because of local character of the activities.

The website provides extensive information on all aspects of the Festival week. A vivid facebook page bring the many activities to life.

The seven cities participating in the Learning Parade spend a large part of the granted budget (€3000,00) for renting a stage including sound equipment, booths and printing matter, like flyers and posters. The local organisations participate on their own costs.

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Learning Parade The seven participating cities have the opportunity to entertain lavishly during the festival week, thanks to a subsidy granted by SIAE. For the 2015 event 40 applications were received. An important selection criterion for granting a budget is the number of participating partners in the city that is involved in the festival week. Each day of the week another city is put in focus. It’s the objective that this generates wide local goodwill to lay fundamentals for next year.

The study tour has visited the cities of Crnomelj, Kranj and Ptuj.

There are as a matter of course close connections with the Slovenian culture; traditional music, products and crafts. All enacting within inter-generations’ links.

The periods in which the events take place are various. One is still exploring what would be the best time to attract as much as possible visitors: A full day? A morning, including lunchtime or a (late) afternoon?

Notably the following target groups are present: Infant, primary and secondary schools, the disabled, elderly and a few unemployed. Key question in fact is: How to attract the large group of other adults?

Herewith the question is raised to which extend the offered non-formal learning activities are leading to formal learning. Is this the essence of the Learning Parade? Or is it pivotal to activate people and implicate them closer to the community, over the learnings for developing knowledge and skills to create better chances at the labour market?

In the booths where activities are offered (one can act or discover) draw the best attention. In their own stand EIFEL-representatives are posing visitors the key question: What is it that YOU want to learn? Kaj bi se radi naučili? Quite an effective approach to enter a conservation with visitors. Due to language gaps these talks are mainly based upon gesticulations, and a mixture of English and German.

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Discussion and hospitality This study tour was embedded in a programme of friendly hospitality.

Diners and lunches offer stakeholders and guests ample opportunities to intrusively read up regarding the importance of ‘Lifelong Learning’, and to discuss its dissemination.

Mayors, boards of national and local institutes for adult education, as well as officials of the ministry of education, science and sport are joining. So the mayor of Kranj launches the idea that it is probably better not to organise the festival in the city centre, but particularly in the suburbs because for many inhabitants of these quarters it’s not naturally to keep learning.

The question how the local and national institutions are measuring the results of the Learning Parade get a chance too. For example: are visits of the Learning Parade leading to registrations for a course? Certainly an issue that should be subject for improvement.

The visit of artist Vera showed in what way perseverance creates one own future’s perspective even under difficult conditions. Vera surmounted a paralysis and serious burning wounds caused by lightning.

Visiting the artist Dirk and his Slovenian wife - who teaches English - delivered an exciting guided tour and many beautiful anecdotes. She has proposed the English couple that was granted an award during the festival opening ceremony. They were awarded because of their exceptionally integration in the Slovenian society and the way they are introducing adults into the English language by applying typical English habits.

The EIFEL group considers the non-formal learning as a main issue for the study tour. The city guides extensively elucidate the EIFEL participants on the history and culture of the cities of Kranj and Ptuj. A wine tasting event offers knowledge regarding the history of the famous wine region around Metlika.

Cordial thanks to all staff of SIAE and the colleagues localy in Crnomelj, Kranj en Ptuj.

In alphabetical order:

Darijan Erica Mateja Mateja Mojca Monica Nada Nada Simone Tadej Zvonka Zvonka