Flipchart Number 1 Feb 2016 | Page 59

We are also an EVS (European Voluntary Service) Sending and Coordinating Organisation. In the last 2 years, we have sent abroad for EVS long term projects about 20 youth. We also work on Adult Education on skills and competences development-also focused on work-, learning facilitation and innovative methods for learning/teaching for educators and learners. A couple of years ago we developed also a Grundtvig Project for Seniors. Thanks to the cooperation with other professional organisations in Europe we see how the quality of our projects is increasing day by day. Agrado staff is composed basically by 3 persons with different competences: Laris: international Trainer with Psychological Counselor skills, responsible for project design, management and coordination; Francesco: Youth worker, an expert in education and learning methods, Trainer in local activities and animator; Maila: youth worker, an expert in youth activities, project management and dissemination and media manager. We have some collaborators and every year we train our (over 18 years old ) youth as leaders for youth Exchanges abroad. What do you think it is the role of NGO’s in general, in the educational system? NGOs have an important role, which is the capacity to connect formal and non-formal education and provide different patterns of education. They have on their side the possibility to “dare” much more than traditional institutions: dare new paths, new approaches to learning, trying new tools- sometimes even the possibility to fail and learn from this. It is a creative process producing sometimes also innovative solutions and outputs! NGOs can connect a lot of different entities, and Erasmus+ Programme addresses just in such direction in order to develop cross-sectorial competences and offer quality learning but also trying to solve some social problems like NEET phenomenon, unemployment, lack of skills and motivation for learners and educators. Another important role NGOs have is the capacity of inclusion: non-formal education activities are quite attractive also for youth with educational difficulties, and they can represent a great learning tool for their development. 59