1. Duration of the project: 01/01/2015 – 01/07/2016
CooperActive
Program: Erasmus +
Kay Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action: Capacity Building for Youth in ACP countries, Latin America and Asia
Duration of the project: 01/01/2015 – 01/07/2016

2. Partner Organizations:
International Development Alliance, Bulgaria
European Civil Resource Centre, Bulgaria
Siawns Teg Limited,
United Kingdom
Sofiiski Universitet Sveti Kliment Ohridski, Bulgaria
Associazione People Help the People, Italy
Asociatia Support for Youth Development, Romania
Noble Aims Welfare Association, Pakistan
Asociatia Fluturele Visator, Romania
ORPAS - Obras Recreativas, Profissionais, Artísticas e Eociais, Brasil
Inercia Digital S.L.,
Spain
Solid Ambitions Africa,
Ghana

3. Aims and objectives
The main aim of the project is to increase the quality and validation of non-formal education in youth work through adaptation, extension and dissemination of a single unified methodology and standards for quality in the conduct of non-formal educational activities.
Objectives:
to provide a frame of reference for the Quality Assurance and evaluation of transnational education projects, cooperation arrangements, and qualifications/certificates;
make a contribution to “consumer protection” for learners, trainers, employers and other stakeholders by promoting the transparency and binding nature of learning offers as well as the recognition of skills and qualifications;
are aimed at improving the learning-oriented framework for international educational cooperation and creating a solid basis for mutual trust, thus contributing to the merging of the European education systems;
Recognition of the competences acquired in non-formal education, recognition of the professionalism and the contribution of the coaches (trainers) in non-formal education, lobbying for legislative changes, recognizing the contribution of non-formal education;
promote transnational cooperation in non formal education by helping to remove obstacles to vocational and geographical mobility and opening access to the labor market.

4. Project activities and Methodology
Activity 1:
Working meeting between the project partners for the development and adoption of all the technical and methodological project documents - schedules, methods, programs, methods of studying the problem, training modules spread. Contracting and determine the role of each partner.
Venue: Palermo, Italy
Start: 05 March 2015 and End: 08 March 2015
Number of participants: 13
Activity 2:
Conducting monitoring, evaluation and review of policies, resources and practices across the world (legislation, methods, standards) in non-formal education as well as in terms of authorization and standardization organizations offering informal education services, identifying the needs of the target groups. Each partner will do extensive research in their country based on previously proposed research methodology.
Venue: Each partner country
Start: 10 March 2015 and End: 10 April 2015

5. Project activities and Methodology
Activity 3:
Conducting an international meeting with 30 youth leaders, trainers, educators, experts in order to develop two common methodologies:
Control the quality of non-formal educational youth activities and adapting existing practices and standards (as a result of action 2). The methodology is aimed at managers, team leaders, organizations, project managers, and includes procedures and records for monitoring and control in managing the quality of non-formal learning activities. They will act as multipliers of the methodology in their countries and in regular activities by applying the methodology in its 3 more organizations;
To conduct informal educational activities - the methodology is aimed at trainers, moderators, facilitators and includes basic standards, practices, planning, teaching behavior. They will be multipliers of the methodology in a minimum of two training courses.
Venue: Sofia, Bulgaria
Start: 01 June 2015 and End: 08 June 2015
Number of participants: 30

6. Project activities and Methodology
Activity 4:
Conducting the first international training course for 30 youth leaders and leaders of organizations associated with the introduction of the developed methodology and documentation of quality management.
Venue: Bran, Romania
Start: 10 July 2015 and End: 17 July 2015
Number of participants: 30
Activity 5:
Conducting the first international training course for 30 youth trainers and trainers, facilitators associated with the introduction to the methodology for conducting informal training and acquire the additional core competencies.
Venue: Sofia, Bulgaria
Start: 01 September 2015 and End: 08 September 2015

7. Project activities and Methodology
Activity 6:
Testing of both methods in real world:
Authorization of the organization and implementation of the methodology and documentation in a minimum of 32 training organizations (4 organizations in each country) - by conducting staff training on how to apply the developed methodology and documentation;
Conducting monitoring and evaluation of the functioning of the piloted methodology for quality - the application of methodology in specific activities (trainings, trainings, seminars - minimum 60). Implementation of the system and method for feedback and performance measurement.
Venue: Each partner country
Start: 15 September 2015 and End: 31 December 2015

8. Project activities and Methodology
Activity 7: Develop interactive tools (e- platform) online distance learning for youth leaders and trainers to work with the proposed methodologies. Platform and a forum for sharing good practices in the field of informal activities validation and dissemination. The methodology of e-learning platform is based on interactive methods , with emphasis on working with documents, case studies, exercises, tests, discussions, simulations and role plays. Envisaged two modules –for managers and trainers and each consists of 3 levels (2 Theoretical and Practical 1) and include the following information:
For Youth managers - guidelines for developing business/strategic plan; guidelines for working with documentation of the quality management core competencies for education providers and implementing guidelines for conducting preventive and corrective actions , etc.
For trainers - theory of non-formal education standards for trainers in non-formal education; Practice - simulation cases / simulations.
The platform will be translated to the partner language. During the training online moderator/mentor will assist participants in providing methodological guidance, information, documents. After all modular levels, participants receive a certificate of successful completion of training.

9. Project activities and Methodology
Activity 8:
Conducting a final international conference to present the results, recommendations/ issues after testing the products, successful practices.On themeetingrepresentatives of national and European institutions will be invited andissues such as quality of informal activities, the possibility of legal recognition and validation of non-formal education and learning will be addressed. The establishment of an informal network of youth organizations – training services providers is considered. The aim is to create a working group that will be responsible for multiple projects and track its development in the longer term.
Venue: Sofia, Bulgaria
Start: 11 June 2016 and End: 16 June 2016
Number of participants: 40
Activity 9: Dissemination of results and products of the project, visualization and validation
Venue: Each partner country
Start: 01 January 2015 and End: 01 July 2016

10. Results:
Established a single, unified system for quality control in the conduct of non-formal educational activities;
In-depth understanding of how to maintain and develop the quality of non-formal education and its validation;
Extended disciplinary horizons of young people, their knowledge and skills; developed professional ability to share and disseminate the acquired experience with colleagues and trainees in the national and international level;
Created long-term partnerships with similar organizations in the field of non-formal learning, local and European authorities, built networks;
In long term the project is expected to lead to important institutional outcomes primarily in the integration of qualitative methods and standards in the work of the youth NGOs and trainers in conducting non-formal activities. Through the created online platform for distance learning and the proposed innovative forms is expected the skills and qualifications of the workforce to be improved and to increase the relevance of the education and training systems according to the labor market.
The project activities will be implemented in collaboration with eight leading international organizations from Europe, Asia, Africa and America, which will strengthen the impact of the project at national and international level regarding the application of the latest and best practices in the field of non-formal education.

11. Project logo:

12. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE
Palermo, Italy