Events and Activities

Chat session

A chat session was organized between three groups of people (elderly people, adolescents, and immigrants), the Minister of Education and a provider of education on the topic of learning.

Leaflets, posters, minutes of meetings

Classroom with glass walls

A “classroom” was placed on the market place. Visitors could view this as a taster session of the variety of courses in their own and nearby cities.

Banner with the programme

Workshops in libraries

During the festival week, people got the chance to sample the variety of courses they could take part in within their own area and in nearby cities.

Leaflets, posters, bookmarker, course handouts/planners

Educational Fair – exhibition of educational projects and programs

At the official opening of the Bulgarian learning festival (Lifelong Learning Days), one of the leading events was the Educational Fair, an exhibition of educational projects and programs. It was an Open Air event, organized in Sofia, on the “Day of Sofia” and opened by the mayor. All the guests of the “Day of Sofia” were at the same time guests of the Educational Fair.

The fair was organized as a learner-oriented activity with the aim of informing and motivating potential learners to choose the best option for their learning.

Leaflet and posters

Sharing the responsibility

In 2005, the responsibility for the planning, organization, implementation and evaluation of the opening conference of the Lifelong Learning Days was shared between the main coordinator and the main partner organization. The conference targeted policy makers, helped build capacity within learners and led to the acquisition of new skills.

Shared programmes, press releases and promotional materials of the two institutions

Learning festivals in the adult education centres

Four district festivals took place with thousands of learners involved. Exhibitions, traditional dances, music, and theatrical performances were organized by the local adult education centres of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Invitation letters, programmes of the educational centres

Learning train and learning tram

Lectures were given in a train of which travelled for 1.5 hours per day during one week. University students and professors lectured on subjects included memory training, accelerated reading and many others. The Event was organised by the students themselves. At the same time, an especially designed tram with a similar programme ran for two weeks in Tallinn.

Leaflets and posters in the train, flyers, notebooks, special ALW sweets

E-learning day

Several activities were organised by the e-learning University for free during ALW. They included a web-based course and a quiz. In addition, a video about ALW was produced and presented.

Leaflets, website, video

Using non-conventional places for an educational fair

The opening ceremony together with a fair was organized for two days at the main railway station. Throughout one week, three different events took place on three different railway stations in Helsinki’s metropolitan area.

Organising activities where ordinary people come and go regularly meant that it was a good place to raise their interest. The orchestra also captured their attention for the display, demonstrations and provided a way of making learning fun. The National Railroad Company supported the activity by providing technical facilities.

Printing ads, snacks and beverage service;

Public performances to introduce a “fun” element

Distribution of learning materials to acquire computer skills

During the festival week, booklets to learn how to use computers were distributed for free in a variety of locations to adults. Production and printing was funded by the Ministry of Education.

Booklet distribution via libraries, educational centres and NGO’s

Open air cultural and educational activities

In the public gardens in different villages, a one-day programme was performed including traditional local music, dancing, and a food market with products from the local producers. Informal discussions with the learners of the village were moderated by a local celebrity. This provided learners with a good opportunity to talk and to be together.

Local TV and press

Book park

People socialized with books in a special green place in the centre of the city to play a game in the form of exchanging an old book for another one. 100-500 books were needed to be displayed on the grass as a starting point.

Leaflets in libraries, schools, book shops and posters

Learning activities in a shopping mall

The idea was to be in the centre of the public arena, and so education providers were invited to set up a stand and to present their opportunities, courses etc to potential learners.

Leaflets, posters, ads, e-mails and sign-up campaigns

Company day

Companies were contacted through their human resource manager and encouraged to organize learning events and provide information sessions to their employees on a particular day. The events or the session took place at lunch breaks, coffee breaks etc. This activity turned out to be a good method to reach people that could not be targeted in any other way.

Invitation letters, e-mails

Visits to companies

Training centres in all regions visited companies and presented their training opportunities and guidance, for instance during lunch breaks. This activity turned out to be a good method to reach people that could not be targeted in any other way.

Distribution of training programmes and guidance brochures

Opening event

The opening event took place in a historical square with intense pedestrian traffic and included a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the participation of important public figures which attracted the general public and the media.

Often opening events are seen as a mere formality and thus are not exploited to their full potential. Instead this type of opening is a valuable opportunity to bring the festival and its objectives to the attention of political figures and a general public that is often not aware of the lifelong learning opportunities that exist in their own city. The opening ceremony attracted a great number of participants bringing together public figures, the media, learners, and a general public which learns about the lifelong learning for the first time.

Press releases, programme, website, e-mail, electronic newsletter

Conferences at local, regional, national and European level

Conferences were organised during ALW to promote lifelong learning opportunities at different levels with the participation of politicians, local authorities, experts, professionals, teachers, and practitioners. The purpose of the conferences was to take stock of the situation of the adult learning field while all stakeholders are present.

Programme, website, invitation letters, e-mails, electronic newsletter

Learning by visiting

During ALW, guided tours were organised by teachers of the Popular University of Rome. To visit exhibitions, art galleries, and archaeological sites free of charge stimulated people to gain a deeper understanding of history and culture, and created a desire for more learning.

Programme, website, invitation letters, e-mails, electronic newsletter

Video conferencing

Video conferences were used as opening or closing events of ALW. Video conferences were broadcasted from the central distance learning centre to regional distance learning classes. The main conference reports were presented in the distance learning centre and participants in the distance learning classes could participate in the discussions. The welcoming speeches included those of the President of the Republic and of the Minister of Education and Science. Although being located in different parts of Lithuania, the participants felt that they are part of the common event. They can see each other, talk to each other, participate in discussions, and share their experiences.

Leaflets, posters, books, programmes of the conference and of ALW, PowerPoint presentations of lecturers

Grundtvig Day

In cooperation with the national Socrates Agency, the Grundtvig Programme outcomes were presented and disseminated at both regional and national level.

Outcomes of projects, posters, website, leaflets

Photo exhibition

Learners were given 80 cameras at their disposal. They were asked to take pictures of “meetings” in any way possible: meetings on the street, meetings in a shop or in their learning centre, and informal meetings between people. An exhibition of the resulting photos was opened during ALW, and visitors were asked to choose the best picture.

In parallel, the theme ‘Meetings’ was used in several other ALW activities.

ALW flag, leaflets, balloons, exhibition of phots/pictures

Chain-letter

A chain-letter “What I gained from learning” with stories and poems of adult learners travelled with a dispatch-rider through several education facilities in a certain local area. During the dispatch-rider phase, activities and workshops were held at all the education facilities.

ALW flag, promotional gifts such as pens, balloons etc.

Dictation

The ALW Dictation was inspired by the national Dictation which is a well known activity in the Netherlands. In the town-hall, a dictation was organized and anyone interested could participate. The mayor gave a short speech related to adult learning and read out the dictation, which focused on a theme of local interest. After consideration by a jury, awards were later given to the winners.

Key individuals in politics, councils, employment agencies, and companies were brought together based on the fact that through such a popular national activity you can attract people for ALW.

Posters, local radio broadcasting, local press announcements

Opening events in public spaces

From 7.30 in the morning to 20.00 in the evening, the opening event was held in the main railway station. This included short speeches, singing, dancing and celebration of award winners. Stands of posters and leaflets were also on display and intercultural activities such as cooking, handicrafts, and wood carving were presented. Every year the venue is changed to another public place e.g. a library, market, or museum.

Posters, leaflets, materials/information about adult education

Panel debates

Politicians together with providers and a large public debated the overall strategy of the adult education system with specific reference to content and funding

Invitation letters, announcements, lobbying

Open door days

The Association for Adult Education opened its doors for other training organizations and provides the location and opportunity for debate around organizing courses or training activities on cultural and intercultural issues as well as for disabled people.

Announcements in newspaper

Outreach activities for specific target groups

A series of cultural programmes organized in prisons, especially targeting ethnic minorities and disadvantaged people, provided a significant platform for social inclusion.

Programme, e- mails, posters, website

Questions about adult education asked on the street

Adults on the streets were asked four questions about adult education in order to make them think about lifelong learning. The results were later used and presented by professionals and organisers in seminars in relation to evaluating the lifelong learning week.

Programme, website

Founding popular universities in rural areas

This initiative was carried out by two regional centres: In four villages, authorities, teachers and learners participated in the opening of a popular university. It was an opportunity for the population (both young and old) to discuss learning issues together and in addition demonstrates cooperation between regional centres.

Programme, posters, learner representation

Opening and closing events

The opening ceremony was organized at the national level by the national coordinator. Its most attractive part was the presentation of national awards for outstanding achievements in adult education /lifelong learning. Life histories of award winners were presented via video-films. Learners, politicians and professionals made statements, and there was a cultural programme emphasizing the link between learning, art and cultural heritage.

In addition, opening and/or closing events were organized at the local and regional level. This gave the opportunities for presenting all providers of events within that region at the same place and time – in addition to their own venues throughout the week.

Poster, leaflet, bulletin, website with internet calendar of events, video presentations of award winners, Power point presentations,

Small material: paper cubes, bookmarks, etc

Reading on trains

In cooperation with the national railway company, members of study circles promoted a culture of reading by associating with passengers and reading together with them on certain train routes throughout the festival. In addition, there was an opening event at the central train station in the capital as well as celebrations at smaller train stations throughout the country. Free books were given away to passengers.

Logo, poster, leaflet, scarf decorated with the logo worn by study circle members to be recognized

Informal meeting of teachers, parents and pupils from primary and secondary school

These meetings offered a chance to discuss burning issues that concern parents, teachers, pupils/students and other stakeholders. For example: fighting the misuse of drugs; violence in schools; effective approaches to learning; how to fill up leisure time; environmental issues; active citizenship etc.

Teachers who organized and coordinated such activities received certificates/recognition for advancing in their career.

Leaflets, brochures, posters

Gatherings of people living in retirement houses and children from a nearby kindergarten or school

This was an opportunity to bring together different generations and to pass on knowledge and experience from the older to the younger ones; in return the elderly got the feeling of being needed and appreciated. This type of events also illustrated very well the life-long and life-wide perspective of learning.

Leaflets, brochures, posters

Producing a book on “The pleasure of learning“

Learning testimonies were collected and presented in our regional ALW festival. The learners had been previously asked in some workshops to use 10 minutes to write about their experiences of learning in the Popular University. They answered enthusiastically (some of them anonymously) expressing what they wanted. Later on all the testimonies were published in the book. Two of the stories were read by the respective author/learner during the festival.

As a result of this activity, it could be noted that the objective of the majority of the testimonies was to communicate “the pleasure of learning” rather than to refer to specific themes learned. Reading their own testimonies encouraged the respective authors/learners to continue learning, and encouraged others to begin. In addition, the Popular University obtained a fantastic promotional material based on learner participation.

Publication of learners’ stories and public readings

A tram for parents

A one-hour tram ran in Berne during ALW, and fathers in particular had the opportunity to play with or to tell stories to their children.

A common programme issued by the city with all events

Launch of ALW with particular emphasis on media literacy

At the launch of ALW – the most high-profile event of the Week, attended by over 350 learners, practitioners, opinion-formers and policy-makers – the regulator of the independent television networks presented one of six national group awards to a project with teenage single mothers who produced a film to illustrate their stories. At the ceremony, as well as presentations from the main terrestrial stations, one station agreed to pilot TV clubs: the media equivalent of book groups.

The event also saw the formal launch of a media literacy book for providers, “And Now Press the Red Button”. One film director, talking about media literacy, revealed his own experiences of learning and congratulated the ALW award winners.

Personal/institutional invitations

Regular correspondence

During the time preceding ALW (one month), an information note and/or flyer on the coming festival and activities was attached to all regular correspondence (both printed and electronic).

Standardized info text/flyer in both printed and electronic version