CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND Non-formal learning plays an important role in supporting the development of essential creative, interpersonal, communicative and cognitive skills. Critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication rank among the most important 21st century skills. Coupled with relevant digital and technological competencies, they open more opportunities in the employment scene. However, an existing offer of technological education is of limited availability for young people, especially those with fewer opportunities due to economic, social or geographical obstacles. PROJECT IDEA Our project idea is to bring the emerging 3D technology to open youth centers where young people can learn, create, innovate, communicate and collaborate with their peers in an open, non-formal environment. PARTNERSHIP Partner organisations from 3 countries, which represent open youth work, non-formal education and non-governmental sectors, indicate a need to offer quality leisure activities for young people, which stimulate their creativity, engage them together with their peers, reduce their exclusion due to social, economic or geographic reasons, develop sought-after skills, and promote quality employment. TARGET GROUPS 1. Young people aged 14-19, including those with fewer opportunities due to economic, social or geographical obstacles. 2. Youth workers. OBJECTIVES Based on the context of the project and the needs of the target groups, partner consortium has set a goal to develop creative skills among at least 300 young people and to strengthen at least 30 youth workers and educators’ competencies in delivering innovative non-formal activities by offering a 3D workshop methodology to respond to the limited availability of up-to-date, non-formal technological education. The objectives of the project are to: 1. Develop a 3D modelling and printing workshop methodology. 2. Provide competence development for youth workers and educators, as key actors in the implementation and sustainability of the produced intellectual output in partner and associated organizations. 3. Engage young people, including with fewer opportunities due to social, economic and/or geographical obstacles, in exciting technological activities based on non-formal learning principles in their community/city/town. 4. Disseminate the project’s intellectual outputs across youth, governmental, non-governmental, various educational sectors. ACTIVITIES - Development of 3D modelling and printing methodology with practical guidelines and recommendations for youth workers. - Delivering training for youth workers from partner and associated organisations. - Testing and validating the methodology with young people at partner organisations and associated partners. - Implementation of a product quality and skill development survey to collect feedback from the testing activities for the upgrade of the guidelines. - Presentation of the project’s results at local, regional, national and European levels. RESULTS The activities will lead to the following tangible results: - A 3D modelling and printing workshop methodology for young people (I01). - At least 30 youth workers and educators and 300 young people, at least 100 of them with fewer opportunities, involved in piloting of the methodology. - At least 60 young persons, youth workers, educators, policy makers, industry representatives involved in multiplier events in 3 partner countries. - 1 staff training event and 3 transnational project team meetings. Non-tangible results: - Increase of skills and competences of partners’ staff and collaborators. - Increase of skills and competences of young people. - Expansion of the non-formal educational offer for partner and associated organisations. IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY Youth workers will enhance skills related to technological tools and implementation of relevant education methods. They will build self-confidence in delivering innovative non-formal technological activities. Youth will develop 21st century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, artistry, innovation, initiative, and others. All partners will strengthen their role as non-formal learning institutions and channels of good practice dissemination. The project will provide the opportunity to implement similar activities at local, regional, national and European levels.
Partner consortium set a goal to develop creative skills among at least 300 young people and to strengthen at least 30 youth workers and educators’ competencies in delivering innovative non-formal activities by offering a 3D workshop methodology to respond to the limited availability of up-to-date, non-formal technological education. The objectives of the project were to: 1. Develop a 3D modelling and printing workshop methodology for beginners. 2. Provide competence development for youth workers and educators, as key actors in the implementation and sustainability of the produced intellectual output in partner and associated organizations. 3. Engage young people, including with fewer opportunities due to social, economic and/or geographical obstacles, in exciting technological activities based on non-formal learning principles in their community/city/town. 4. Disseminate the project’s intellectual outputs and best practices across youth, governmental, non-governmental, formal and non-formal educational sectors.
Skills that are essential to have success in the professional world of the digital age differ a lot from what was demanded earlier. Digital and technological competencies, together with creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication, rank among the most important 21st century skills. They open more opportunities in the employment scene. However, an existing offer of technological education is still of limited availability to many young people, especially those with fewer opportunities due to economic, social or geographical obstacles. Project partners initiated this project in order to bring 3D printing technology to non-formal learning environments where youngsters could learn, create, innovate, communicate and collaborate with their peers. Through non-formal learning, we could support the needs of young people to develop essential creative, interpersonal, communicative and cognitive skills. 3D printing was chosen as a topic of the project as it is one of the key technologies that represents the digital era. It enables individuals all over the world to design their own custom products. Therefore, 3D projects are a promising approach for preparing young people for the emerging needs in the labor market.