Trebnje AEC operates in an environment where many adults with low basic skills participate in educational activities. They face various disadvantaged target groups: convicts, Roma, the unemployed, immigrants, and others. They all have in common that, as a rule, they have poorly developed basic skills, low self-esteem and negative experiences with formal education. At the same time, they have diverse life experiences and plenty of hidden knowledge, which unfortunately remains unnoticeable to others. Therefore, counsellors are daily faced with challenges when validating basic skills in terms of bringing their expertise to light. They often also lack knowledge of suitable tools for identifying and validating previously acquired knowledge.
- We have designed a digital collection of various tools for validating language, numeracy and digital skills, as well as literacy.
- We have developed a methodology for validating basic digital and numeracy skills and literacy for counsellors in ALE. The adult is placed at the centre of the guidance process, and knowledge validation is based on four stages, as defined by Cedefop (identification, documentation, assessment, certification).
- As a tool for carrying out guidance activities, we have developed guidelines for counsellors to validate previously acquired knowledge of adults with low basic skills. They are available as an e-book and guide the counsellor through the validation of basic skills.
- Recommendations for mainstreaming the methodology into adult education systems and guidance activities in the EU include instructions for counsellors, providers and policy-makers. To the latter, they explain how to integrate project results into guidance activities systems.
We presented the results of our intensive two-year work at the final conference on 21 December in Ljubljana, which we organised in collaboration with the SIAE. We are pleased that the significance and quality of our new products were widely recognised. Counsellors from all 34 organisations in Slovenia that make up the public network of ALE guidance services attended the presentation of the results.
With the project, we have developed valuable solutions in the field of guidance for adults. Counsellors will be able to use them directly in their work with users.
All project results are available for free on the project’s website.
Sabina Tori Selan (sabina.tori-selan@ciktrebnje.si), Trebnje AEC
