How to develop youth creativity & innovation?

MAIGA GIDEON

1. Explaining non-formal learning to employers and educators.  It  is essential to  increase the recognition  and validation  of  non-formal learning in  business contexts  and  in  the total  education sector. This  will  help providers,  young  people and potential employers to  appreciate  the  learning and development that  occurs. Recognition  of  non-formal  learning is  a  crucial objective of Erasmus +.  It is  important  to understand that  the  wide range of competences gained  are not  limited to  so called ‘soft’  skills,  and to demonstrate how  they  contribute  to  innovation and creativity –

2. Translating non-formal learning outcomes to the world of work There is a  need to promote the validation of learning outcomes gained in non-formal  learning and youth work in  a vocabulary that  is  understandable to  educators and employers..  A link  to  the European  Qualifications Framework  is needed.  It  will be  important  to  develop,  provide and make  the most  of  existing  user-friendly,  accessible tools (for example Youthpass, Europass) that can  enhance the ability of non-formal  education workers and youth  workers to offer  activities that  promote innovation and creativity in young  people,  and make  young people aware of  the skills gained through participation  in  such  activities.

3. Enhancing the ability of those working directly with young people

4. Developing a strong focus on entrepreneurship Non-formal education  workers play  a crucial ‘catalytic’  role,  especially  with those young people  who are disadvantaged  and hard to reach. There  is  a need to enhance the capacity of these  workers, especially  youth workers, to promote innovation and creativity in  young people.  Training and continuing professional development needs to  be  informed  by  EU  wide  reviews  of  nonformal learning, practices and  qualifications frameworks.  The Entrepreneurship  Action  Plan  and the Communication  on  Rethinking Education, asks Member States to ensure that  all young people  have  a concrete  entrepreneurial experience before leaving education.  With  a stronger focus on entrepreneurship youth  work can play a greater  role  in connecting  young people  with the  local community, including social enterprise and business, thus  enhancing  their opportunities to find a job, or to start  their own  project.

5. Improving partnership working and cross-sector innovation There is a  need to bring together representatives of the  public, private and voluntary sectors, including employer  organizations, large, medium and small companies, young people and youth organizations, to raise  awareness of the benefits of non-formal  learning. To achieve cooperation and joint action between stakeholders  and the social  partners, there is a  need to incentivise  all stakeholders.  Partners should pay  particular attention  to reaching disadvantaged and unskilled young  adults with  a specific focus on local,  municipal and regional  levels.  This  will  enable a favourable operating context  for the work  by optimising resources and helping to provide more.