The guide on reaching and involving vulnerable groups into non-formal adult education
The project will develop a guide on how to reach and involve vulnerable groups into non-formal adult education, and it will be developed within a learning circle of the project partners. Within the circle the partners will discuss and collect methods and tools that are efficient or necessary when working with vulnerable groups. The guide consolidates the findings of the circle, as well as the partners’ previous experience. The purpose of the guide corresponds to the main goal of the project which is developing a new solution for Nordic adult educators to equip them with methods and tools for reaching and involving vulnerable groups into non-formal adult education. The content of the guide will include:
– Challenges of engaging vulnerable groups into non-formal adult education: guidelines for working with vulnerable groups
– Methods and tools to reach, involve, and engage vulnerable groups to non-formal adult education: marketing, psychological and pedagogical methods and tools, incl. good practices
– Recommendations on the organization of a course (or a study circle)
– Recommendations for adjusting non-formal adult education offers to vulnerable groups
The target group of the guide is very broad, as it will be intended for use by all adult educators working with vulnerable groups within non-formal adult education. The ultimate targets are the vulnerable groups, who will benefit from attending the non-formal adult education programs. In the MEDIATE project the partnership focuses specifically on the vulnerable groups who are mentally and psychologically challenged.
The proposed guide is intended to establish a bridge between the worlds of Nordic non-formal adult education and civil society representing vulnerable groups, providing adult educators with a turn-key solution for fostering the participation of vulnerable groups in the non-formal adult education. Above all, the guide will support adult educators in setting up courses or study circles for vulnerable groups, containing recommendations both on the format and implementation of such courses/study circles.
It will be a flexible source of inspiration for adult educators which can be used or adapted to support different contexts.
Update January 2024
The project has developed and inventory on developing competences of Nordic adult educators and a guide on how to involve vulnerable groups in non-formal education.
• Inventory on developing competences of adult educators via Nordic learning circles of professionals
This inventory reflects and elaborates on the work of the professional learning circle carried out within the MEDIATE project, focusing on the competences developed by the partners.
Taking inspiration from the Norplus project, “Kompetenceudvikling af ansatte indenfor feltet voksenlæring” the MEDIATE Inventory adressed the challenges confronted by the previous project:
a) Identifying methods on how to implement the competence development model into the participating organizations daily activities; and
b) Exploring further areas of application of the competence development model, e.g., idea development and finding new solutions
The Mediate Inventory supports the additional purpose of this project product: to inspire, educate, and professionalize more adult educators to develop their competences through own learning circles with their colleagues.
• Guide on reaching and involving vulnerable groups in non-formal adult education
The MEDIATE Guide has been developed within a learning circle of project partners. Within the circle, the partners discussed and collected methods and tools on reaching and involving vulnerable groups in non-formal adult education.
The Guide supports the MEDIATE project’s main objective, i.e. to develop new solutions for Nordic adult educators to equip them with methods and tools for reaching and involving vulnerable groups into non-formal adult education. The contents of the MEDIATE Guide include:
– Issues/barriers/challenges related to involvement of different vulnerable groups into non-formal adult education
– Pool of innovative integrated methods and tools to reach, involve, and engage vulnerable groups to non-formal adult education
– Recommendations for working with vulnerable groups and adjust non-formal adult education offer for them
The MEDIATE Guide is a bridge between the worlds of Nordic non-formal adult education and civil society representing vulnerable groups, providing adult educators with a turn-key solution for fostering participating of vulnerable groups in the nonformal adult education.
The target group of the guide is broad, as it will be intended for use by all adult educators working with vulnerable groups within non-formal adult education. The partnership has endeavored to make the methods transferable that it can be included into adult educators’ introduction-to-the-job professional trainings.
The MEDIATE Guide can also be used by associations working with different vulnerable groups, as well as NGOs and even public services. The innovative aspect of the result is that the guide will be a comprehensive solution specifically for the field of non-formal adult education, being applicable to the traditional adult education formats of a course, study circle, or educational special event.
The MEDIATE Guide can be reference by future adult education projects and initiatives, dedicated to fostering participation of vulnerable groups into nonformal adult education.
Download the Guide here.