Focus Group
Project “YOUth Ambassadors of Non-Formal Learning”
Country: Slovenia
Organization: Društvo za razvijanje prostovoljnega dela Novo mesto
Facilitator: Miroslav Strniša
Participants: Young people aged 15-30: Emilija, Dijana, Nikolina, Dejan, Jovan, Filip.
Date and location: June 20, 2020
List of questions for Focus Group
Do you think for NFE is important age, gender, nationality?
No. Everyone has the right to NFE, no matter the age, gender or nationality.
What does NFE mean to you? Can you define?
In my opinion, non-formal education is everything we learn in all our daily activities that are not in school, university or other institutions in charge of educating people.
It means work training through which we learn everything.
I would formulate NFE as a type of lifelong learning. Provides the opportunity to learn through a variety of interesting non-school related situations.
Education outside primary, secondary and higher / university education. The NFE is an extension of knowledge that does not require a valid certificate.
Have you ever been a participant in an NFE program? If yes – in which one?
Yes, I was, and I still am. I study in Slovenia and talk to new friends in that language, so I consider it as a non-formal education.
No, not yet, but I would like to be.
No.
Yes, I attended NFE, specifically Slovenian language class, since I am foreigner in Slovenia and wanted to learn the language.
Do you know something about Youth Law/Strategy/Action Plan, as well as other documents related to youth?
No. No. No.
I think I know a few things because I study abroad but I had to learn, new information always comes in handy.
Have you ever participated in the youth decision-making process? If yes, in which one?
No.
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?
I do not know much about it, so my answer is neither yes nor no.
Yes. Government assistance could come in financial terms as well as in “advertising” – so that more young people could become acquainted with such forms of education and have the opportunity to participate.
Every organization needs some kind of help. Therefore, the government can be the greatest form of support for that society, whether financially or in some other way.
I believe that for organizations where young people are present, the authority of the government is also important because of the better effect and impact on young people.
Definitely yes. Greater financial assistance can help young people to gain a better position. The flaw can be if members of the government and young people differ in age and if members of the government have too little understanding of the needs of young people.
I think government support is very important for the NFE. Any support for the NFE is very important.
Does NFE activities help you for your personal development. If yes, how? If not, why?
Yes. Various learning aids at the youth centre help me to progress linguistically and to have support every day.
Non-formal education has helped me to acquire knowledge that is difficult to find in an institution. It helps me live my life in a better and healthier way.
Yes. Any additional knowledge is beneficial to an individual’s personal development. It enables the acquisition of additional knowledge and skills that are not available in formal education.
I believe that NFE influences development on a personal level, while formal education tends to develop within a society. At NFE, an individual develops through some activities that he likes to do, so in my opinion, progress is faster and more obvious.
Yes. Specifically on the example of learning the Slovenian language. I quickly mastered the basics of the language and started communicating with friends at the faculty, professors, taking exams in Slovenian… means a lot even though we did not get a certificate for it.
Of course, they help. We learn until we live, so something more always helps.
I cannot say that it builds a person as a person, but it certainly influences development and improves it.
For you, why is it important to be involved in activities through non-formal education?
Involvement in such activities is important because it provides a kind of socialization with people, acquiring knowledge and curiosity at work.
I think it is important because of course we do not teach everything by fax, help comes in handy.
Because it helps me learn new things in a fun way.
Non-formal education is, in my opinion, necessary for the general development of personality, because, as I mentioned earlier, development happens imperceptibly, through the processes we like to do, in a circle of people with whom we feel comfortable…
It is important because I can learn in the field where I am interested. I meet new people and I have support at every possible time.
It is important because we have to work constantly on ourselves. We feel nicer and more confident. It is the job of every human being to learn as long as he lives.
Facilitator: Participants did not have experiences or very limited experiences with NFE, and due to that fact, the results are interesting. I would have expected that they do not know anything about the NFE and its importance.