Focus Group
Project “YOUth Ambassadors of Non-Formal Learning”
Country: Kosovo
Organization: Kosovo Center of Diplomacy
Facilitator: Shqipe Morina
Date and location: 27.05.2020 – online via zoom
List of questions for Focus Group
- Do you think for NFE is important age, gender, nationality?
While non-formal education is lifelong learning then age cannot be a cause that non-formal education is not practiced at any stage of life, indeed, the activities will have a variety of experiences from different ages.
Gender has not any effect on the development of non-formal education.
Different nationalities in non-formal education can bring positivity, exchanging new cultures, experiences and new languages, but everyone must know ONE language with which they can understand each other, otherwise any activity with different nationalities would fail.
- What does NFE mean to you? Can you define?
The answers of participants were:
– To learn from practice
– To learn having fun
– Exploring new cultures, new places is an adventure for life-long learning
– To be FREE in learning
– Learning what you want and need
- Have you ever been a participant in an NFE program? If yes – in which one?
Most of the participants have been a part of any NFE program. Some of them in local NFE activities, some of them in international NFE activities.
- Do you know something about Youth Law / Strategy / Action Plan, as well as other documents related to youth?
Some of the participants had no information about any law on non-formal education in Kosovo. Some of them, who were members of local youth action centers in different municipalities, said that all young people who do volunteer work are provided with a document issued by the same institution and that the period of time they have served as volunteers will had to be recognized as work experience, based on law no. 03 / L-145 – Law on Empowerment and Participation of Youth -Article 3; 1.9.
- Have you ever participated in the youth decision-making process? If yes, in which one?
Just one participant mentioned that is a part of Pro European Students Union – a student organization and she is part of the council of faculty of Education in University of Pristina. She said that she is always part of the presidency meetings of this faculty and that her vote was equal to the vote of each member.
- Do you think that more support from the Government is needed to improve the status of young people and in the NFE sphere? If yes, what are the benefits of this, and what are the disadvantages?
The answer of one of the participants was: ‘As a matter of the fact yes I do. I think it could greatly benefit in our favor because I have noticed that we are highly close-minded people and think that the only way to be successful is ‘to become a doctor’. I find the quote ‘work smarter not harder” very convincing. We could be successful without draining all our energy but trying too hard because that could be very harmful for our mental health. The government should encourage us to be more creative in our daily lives and actually give us a chance to express our talents. As per disadvantages the only one I could think of, is that perhaps a bit of rivalry could be shown between individuals, – which is a good thing for a country but not that good for individuals”
And after this answer most of the participants said that there few opportunities for the youth to be part of NFE programs and the government MUST to support these activities.
- Does NFE activities help you for your personal development. If yes, how? If not, why?
All the participants answered that NFL activities help them for personal development, adding:
– improving self-esteem;
– developing communication skills
-developing critical and creative skills
-developing solidarity
- For you, why is it important to be involved in activities through non-formal education?
They answered as:
-to explore new cultures
-to learn foreign languages
-to travel
-to create contacts in different places, etc.
- Does virus Covid19 influence on non-formal education and how in your opinion?
Most of participants said that, the only influence of Covid19 on Non-formal Education is that most of the activities are postponed.