Non-formal education - Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

The below list shows priority professional training topics/courses:
SEWING
FELT/TAPESTRY
WOOD CARVING
SOUVENIRS PRODUCTION
KNITTING/EMBROIDERING
HAIR DRESSING
COSMETOLOGY
AGRICULTURE
CULINARY
PAINTING/PLASTERING/
PLUMBERING
TOURISM/TOUR GUIDE
REPAIREMENT OF
HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES
CAR REPAIRING
CAR DRIVING AND
DISTRIBUTION
SHOE MAKING AND
REPAIRING
COMPUTER REPAIRING/
PROGRAMMING
An average duration of courses range from 1 month to a year and a half and the fees – vary
from GEL 10 to GEL 1000 (EUR 5-500), however there are providers offering free classes for socially
unprotected people, IDPs and refugees and youth.
As an example of successfully functioning non-formal education institutions which implement many
types of above mentioned education programs the case of Georgian Adult Education/Community
Education centres might be described. These centers were established in3 regions of Georgia by the
German organization dvv international in 2006-2009 with the financial support of the EU and German
government. All the centres were established in the regions with specific challenges: poor infrastructure,
socially disadvantaged overall atmosphere, lack of possibilities for further education, multinational
environment, resettlement of internally displaced persons, etc. Primarily programmes by the centres
were focused on problems of the maqin target groups: national minorities and IDPs.
The Centres started functioning with few courses based on the requirements of the targeted population.
Gradually the CECs expanded its scope of activities providing numerous free vocational and personal
development training programmes, youth and social initiatives, capacity building and awareness raising
projects thus assuring their inevitable presence and recognized place among the beneficiaries. The Centres
managed to maintain an extinguished position through needs-based and innovative study programmes,
open and equal, friendly and truthful atmosphere created against the previous prejudice, reluctance and
mistrust of population who lack awareness on non-formal and adult education programmes and did not
believe in power or learning and knowledge. Quite soon increased motivation of IDPs, national minorities
and the rest of community to involve in the activities offered at the CECs also emphasized the significance
and effectiveness of the project. Acquired skills and knowledge was a strong support to beneficiaries to
develop further, find employment and become active members of society.
Knowledge and skills acquired as a result of the vocational and personal development courses was
a strong support for the graduates to develop their competence and create opportunities for employment
or self-employment. Beyond the professional benefit the major impact the entire training programme
had on the beneficiaries was the unique possibility to realize themselves, regain self-esteem and
confidence, overcome stress and despair and promote interaction and integration.
In addition to the tailor-made training programmes dvv international organized a wide range of
sessions to complement the educational component and promote awareness of the targeted population
of general issues of their concern. The initiatives aimed to meet the need among targeted communities
to improve their knowledge, to have free access to the information and get better understanding on
specific issues through public lectures, talks and discussions. The topics of the lectures covered politics,
economics, arts, culture, public diplomacy, ecology and many other issues of common interest.
The course in life-skills covered the sessions on Leadership; Communication and Presentation
Skills; Conflict Management, Problem Solution, Tolerance, Citizenship and Democracy, Team building,
Proposal writing, NGO formation and management, Strategic planning and Fund-rising. Those were the
main topics, increased awareness on which supported to the acknowledged function of the beneficiaries
among the society, active participation and full membership in the community life.
The centres become a strong incentive for the entire community, and particularly for women (socially
vulnerable, single mothers, handicapped, having large families) to overcome stress and despair and
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