The challenge addressed by the project is COVID 19 emergency situation which, with all the restrictions of face-to-face meetings, affects the adult education, much more than other education sectors. It is obvious that adult educators will have to work in new environments. A lot of adult education will have to be implemented trough new distance channels from now on. Most of adult education participants in partner organizations, belong to one of the vulnerable target groups of adults. All of the vulnerable adults’ characteristics will (are) represent a big barrier in transition to distance learning. It is also important, that a lot of adult participants in our organization are involved in nonformal programmes. Their motivational factors for learning are totally different in comparation to youngsters, and harder to harmonize with characteristics of distance learning. Therefore, in adult education just passing classical learning to an e-classroom is not enough. We have to find and develop the most effective ways and choose the right distance learning strategies and methods for, not only each vulnerable target group of adults, but each participant. Because they are different in terms of motivation, needs, opportunities, capabilities, competences, … The direct project target group of the project are adult education providers, counsellors and teachers. Project basic aim is to develop, adapt and share good practice strategies and methods for distance learning of the indirect project target groups of adults: elderly, immigrants, adults with special needs, unemployed, dropouts and rural population. Strategies and method for distance learning of vulnerable adults will be developed and tested in the project. The specific characteristics and needs of each group, that affect learning will be taking in to consideration. We are of course not sure how exactly the COVID 19 pandemic will affect adult education in future, but we are sure that at least part of our educational work will be implemented trough distance tools. And, if ever, vulnerable adults’ needs knowledge and skills to act in the new situation brought by pandemic. We also anticipate that this pandemic situation will show that distance learning is possible and effective for vulnerable adults and will be using it in in future regardless health situation.
The main objective of the project was to share strategies and good practices and to complement and adapt them in order to improve the quality and scope of distance learning for the following target groups of adults: older adults, immigrants, adults with special needs, unemployed, school leavers and rural populations. The project aims to develop and strengthen the knowledge, skills and competences of adult education staff by transnational peer learning, sharing ideas, practices and methods. All partners involved were facing challenges, that happened suddenly and caught us more or less unprepared. In finding solutions we were all benefit from transnational cooperation. Partners saw the project as an opportunity to explore and share experience and knowledge in a crucial field of our work that needs be developed also in future. Transnational dimension of working in the project allowed participants to get in touch with new visions and ideas – combining them will lead to solutions that could never happened in just one national environment.
The project idea arises during the worst of the COVID19 crisis, with the complete closure of adult education organisations. Most of the participants in the non-formal programmes in the partner organisations belong to one of the vulnerable adult target groups. Most of the characteristics of vulnerable adults make or hinder distance learning difficult. In adult education, especially in non-formal programmes, the transfer of traditional learning to the e-classroom alone would not bring the desired results. We had to find and develop the most effective ways and choose the right distance learning strategies and methods not only for each vulnerable adult target group, but also for each participant. Participants differ according to their motives, needs, opportunities, abilities, competences, etc.