E-N.L.L - Soros International House

E-N.L.L Never Late to Learn! Promoting Opportunities for Learning in Later Life Lifelong Learning Programme GRUNDTVIG Multilateral networks

E-N.L.L is a network, planned to promote cooperation in offering learning opportunities for learning in Later Life.

Although the problem looks well known and explored at European level, it states much more issues than what is visible at first glance. Elderly people need a different approach to get involved in learning, as specific learning paths and encouraging support, and on the other point – the training institutions need additional support to being entering to elderly audiences. Moreover, the new LLP actions offer new possibilities for learning in later life, incl. mobilities and volunteering, but they need to be popular and operational amongst the stakeholders.

A lot of European projects and networks are discussing the ideas of senior education, offering tools and approaches.

- E-N.L.L. is a neither an academic network nor a network of policy makers; E-N.L.L. network works on provision level, looking directly into practices;

- E-N.L.L. network will combine experienced partners with partners that are new in the field, but would like to learn;

- E-N.L.L. network will combine institutions with various economic domains (incl.- building, agriculture, ecology...), which are interested in exploring various possibilities that could be offered to seniors in each of these domains;

- E-N.L.L. network will directly promote cooperation to further exploring the possibilities of learning in later life, offered by the LLP actions.

The delivered products (collections of case studies and practices, guidelines, cooperation models, events) will directly contribute to achieving the aim of the network.

The network activities will impact both the senior citizens in the partnering countries, who will learn more about the new opportunities, and the stakeholders on provisional level that will be offered new collaboration models.

The work programme is designed to assure vast cooperation between the partners, as well as to provide enough time for exchange and cooperation amongst the partners concerning their large number (25 partners from different countries) and the time needed for the discussion flows. The proposed methodology is transparent and clear enough to be understood by all the partners with different previous experiences.

The impact on the project is envisioned for two main direct target groups – the seniors and the stakeholders on provision level:

- the seniors will be offered new challenging learning paths, coming from proven case studies in practices in the European countries.

- the stakeholders will experience models for cooperation and will be able to see more clearly the opportunities for the development of the LLL practices in their domain.

In both cases, the impact is significant and tangible, as it is based on a good balance between learning needs and learning opportunities.

The project is coordinated by ZNANIE Association, Bulgaria and will be implemented through the year 2009-2012 (project duration 36 months).

SIH were responsible for the organization of the meeting and socio-cultural program for the participants. Vilnius has welcomed the participants with the wonderful weather and blossoming lilac trees.

The meeting was attended by project partners from Austria, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Romania and Lithuania. SIH was represented by project coordinators V. Mirinavičiūtė T.Pinigis, G. Kierienė.

The aim of the meeting was to review the results already achieved and to discuss the further project activities.

During the meeting, the project partners from Romania, Switzerland and Germany shared good practice examples in promoting learning and voluntarism ideas among seniors. Later, the meeting participants discussed the preparation for the year 2012 - European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations and shared responsibilities. On the second day of the meeting the project partners discussed the project dissemination strategy, reporting procedures. It was decided to hold another partners meeting in Valencia in April 2012.

Adult Learners’ Week, 15th - 21st November, 2010

On the 15th - 21st November, 2010 there was an annual (11th) Adult Learners’ Week coordinated by the Lithuanian Association of Adult Education.
Like every year, Soros International House participated in the Adult Learners’ Week and organized various events: a competition “My beloved teacher”, open lessons “Visit each other, learn from each other” for public and students, teachers of SIH, a seminar for language teachers “Educational video films in a lesson”.

During the Adult Learners’ Week we arranged an exhibition of children and teenagers artwork who participated in the EUROCHILD talent competition and Lifelong Learning and Nordplus programme projects’ exhibition “Learning myself and teaching others”.

On the 26th of November teachers of SIH Lauryna Butrimienė and Robin Alexander Muck arranged a seminar “The Unity of Teaching and Learning Methods and Tools when Organizing a Successful English Lesson” for the emplyees of Pakruojis Adults and Youth education centre and teachers from Pakruojis region. International project coordinator Nijolė Šmitaitė presented projects being implemented by SIH under Lifelong Learning and Nordplus programmes.

The second partners meeting of the project “E-N.L.L Never Late to Learn! Promoting Opportunities for Learning in Later Life”, October 2010, Prague, Czech Republic

The second partners meeting of the project E-N.L.L Never Late to Learn! Promoting Opportunities for Learning in Later Life Lifelong Learning Programme GRUNDTVIG Multilateral networks took place in Prague, Czech Republic on the 14-15^th October, 2010.

The first day was assigned to the analysis of the E-NLL Best Practices by World Caffee.

The second day of the meeting was assigned to the planning of the future activities. It was agreed to update the forms for the best practices, regroup the categories and to upload all the best practices on to the project’s web page until the end of November. Later on, until the end of December, all the partners have to prepare the analyses of best practices.

During the meeting partners also discussed the project management issues, agreed on the deadlines for all the activities.

The meeting was attended by the all partners from 25 European institutions. Daiva Malinauskiene and Gintarė Daučiūnienė represented Soros International House.

The next project’s partner meeting will take place in Dublin, Ireland on 10-11th January, 2011

The first partners meeting of the project “E-N.L.L Never Late to Learn!” in March, 2010, Sofia, Bulgaria,

The first partners meeting of the project E-N.L.L Never Late to Learn! Promoting Opportunities for Learning in Later Life Lifelong Learning Programme GRUNDTVIG Multilateral networks took place in Sofia, Bulgaria on the 4-5^th March, 2010 with the participation of all representatives from 25 European organizations.

During the meeting the project’s activities were presented, roles and scope of activities assigned. It was also agreed on the activities until the next partners meeting.

The next project’s partner meeting will take place in Prague, Czech Republic on 14-15^th October, 2010.