Education has been challenged in recent years in Europe. The educational systems are failing to meet the needs of young people nowadays to develop their competences in a way that they grow as self-confident, competent, socially involved and active citizens who are also able to meet the criteria of the labour market today. At the same time, we are witnessing a change in how learning is understood. Learning has been more and more regarded as something that takes place on an ongoing basis from our daily interactions with others and with the world around us. It can take the form of formal, non-formal and informal learning. In parallel, the importance of youth work is also growing as the youth workers are one of the main actors supporting the non-formal and informal learning.

The project ran for 10 months with the aim to increase the capacity of the partner organisations by supporting the professional development and enhancement of the competences of their youth workers in fostering creativity, participation, sharing, cooperation, mutual learning and innovation in the field of non-formal learning.

The main activity of the project is an international seminar designed to meet the project aim of increasing the capacity of the partner organisations by supporting the professional development and enhancement of the competences of their youth workers in fostering creativity, participation, sharing, cooperation, mutual learning and innovation in the field of non-formal learning.

The project team also produced a diary of results, which can be viewed here!

The 39 participants could experience increased self-confidence, they strengthened their ability to transfer knowledge/skills through running educational workshops and activities, they gained a greater motivation and inspiration for leading educational activities and a sense of trust and support within the network of education activist (youth workers, trainers, facilitators) as well as in the potential of non-formal learning, they were equipped with wider information and better knowledge on a variety of non-formal learning methods and tools and they increased their possibilities and opportunities for cooperation and future joint educational projects.

The project also had an impact on the local communities in the partner organisations’ Countries. Thanks to the project, numerous youth workers, community members, and other beneficiaries are offered high quality educational situations which are in line with the principles of non-formal learning, and tackle their views of topics as social inclusion, migration, solidarity, voluntarism, tolerance, active citizenship, climate justice, peace, etc.

“SEGI was a beautiful and comfortable collective learning space for sharing SCI activists’ backgrounds and experiences from diverse contexts and realities in relation to NFE. There was a good facilitation of a giving and taking process in which everyone could share their diverse talents and enrich the group.”

“I definitely gained a lot of inspiration and exercised my drawing skills. Apart from that, my youth work network grew and I developed a healthier self-perception of my own competences as a youth worker/educator.”

An Inspired Adventure in Belgium – story by Stela:

‘’Share, Experience, Get Inspired!” is not only the name of the seminar I attended this October but also the most valuable lesson that I learned during my stay there. It is still in my heart almost a month later and I will cherish and keep it for a long time. Mainly because during my stay there it proved to be true, it changed who I am and will help in the future. These simple words convey deeper meaning that depicts the essence of being a trainer, educator, youth worker or generally a good positive person. Through opening yourself to share, experience you get inspired and this leads to changes – both internal in yourself and external. Aren’t we all as educators and people working in the social sector striving for change? I met the most wonderful group of individuals – each of them had exciting stories and is doing impressive and meaningful work. We came in as strangers and left as friends as each of us helped one other to answer some questions, gain confidence, find insight or just have a productive time in an encouraging safe space. We learned a lot in terms of methods and practical skills. However, the most precious gift we got was the gift of sharing of experience, getting inspired and spreading positive energy all around. Stay SEGI forever. ”

The SEGI project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and by SCI.