In the past 30 years, the European Union has recognized the importance of combining formal learning with non-formal and informal education (ENF) methodologies. The ENF in particular has been recognized as vital to provide young people with the necessary skills when it comes to getting a job, being active citizens in their community and in Europe and to promote European values ​​such as intercultural dialogue, social inclusion and solidarity.

Even so, the connection between formal education and the ENF is insufficient. In many countries, the university, institutes and schools do not know about the work of youth organizations even if they work with the same group of young people. In Europe, educational organizations need spaces, times and resources to meet and cooperate.

That is where our “E2” project, a training course, an open space for debate and exchange of good practices between organizations from different countries of the continent.

This course took place last March, from March 21 to 26, in Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona) where the Mundus Association has its physical headquarters and where it carries out regular cooperation with the public non-formal education system, carrying out a training process for the international mobility of its students through Erasmus + professional training practices.

Through debates, round tables with policy makers, dynamics and visits to the educational institutions of the municipality, the international participants of E2 exchanged methodologies and good practices following the main objective of the project: to design a common strategy to make formal education benefit of the ENF adopting its methodologies, spaces and principles.

France, Greece, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Poland, Finland, Macedonia, Italy, Turkey and the Czech Republic were the countries participating in this meeting attended by professors, educators, youth workers, trainers and volunteers from organizations working around to the education of the youth sector.