Objectives: - To improve the competencies of FO-Aarhus administrative and teaching staff; - To engage in peer learning among FO-Aarhus staff and that of similar partner organizations abroad; - To engage in job shadowing and training to provide staff with inspiration and experiences from European partners; - To provide staff with an understanding of European practices and cultures.
Since its creation in 1973, FO-Aarhus has provided non-formal adult learning courses to the citizens of Aarhus. From a non-formal adult education provider, it has expanded its reach both to adults and young people particularly to disadvantaged groups (migrants, unemployed, people with learning disabilities) to enhance their quality of life and to integrate (or re-integrate) into society and the workforce. Moreover, in 2020, we started the process of a 3 year generational shift which was completed in 2023, wherein the former CEO retired, and a younger leader took over bringing with her new ideas and perspectives. More than ever, the organization must improve the competencies of its staff. To be relevant, we need to learn from the experiences of our colleagues abroad, particularly in the EU. We wanted to encourage and broaden the international thinking of our staff, which primarily operates within the framework of “folkeoplysning,” the very Danish concept of non-formal education. We acknowledged the fact that there is a wealth of information that organizations and social enterprises across Europe can impart to us; organisations involved in adult education that do not have the same tradition of public funding as in Denmark. We believe that our relatively “new” organizational and administrative staff could learn ways of managing a non-profit, social enterprise organization, both from small- and large-scale organizations. Our staff would also learn new training methodologies, the value of collaboration and gain a wider European perspective that is so important in the context of our membership to the EU.