LSE – Life Skills for Europe

As part of the LSE project, we have collected, compared and are further developing educational approaches to the development of life skills (these are more complete and comprehensive approaches to the development of key competences). We will research and provide tools and recommendations for the development of life skills of selected vulnerable adult groups. We will develop transferrable models and modules for the development of life skills in the EU. We will prepare concrete proposals regarding the development and implementation of a strategy for the development of life skills on the local, regional and national levels and in doing so create a tool for policy planners on various levels – from the regional to the European level.

The definition of the concept and theoretical basis for ‘life skills’ will ensure important value added in the area of adult education, primarily in the preparation of theoretical and professional groundwork for connecting life projects for vulnerable adult groups and the measures and programmes for adult education. The definition of the terminology will enable the collection of excellent practices in the area of life skills development and innovative educational approaches and tools for the development of life skills from around Europe. Examples of excellent practices and innovative tools will be published on the project website. The project aims to influence the development theory and practice of adult education and simultaneously enable the exchange of practical experience in the area of life skills development. The project will help improve the benefits of adult education and consequently raise the quality of life and inclusion in society and the labour market.

Purpose and objectives:

  • increasing the participation rates of adults in lifelong learning,
  • fostering cooperation between agencies and stakeholders dealing with refugees on the one hand and the low-skilled on the other hand;
  • improving health conditions, better school attendance of children, more chances for employment of the life skills learners;
  • increasing the recognition of the role of non-formal (adult) education in achieving social inclusion in the EU.

The project gradually results in several concrete outcomes:

Report on Life Skills Approach in Europe

Within the framework of the LSE project, a report on educational approaches for the development of life skills in Europe was prepared, where different approaches in understanding the concept of life skills in Europe (IO1) were analyzed. The work on IO1 consisted of: designing a glossary and defining lifelong skills through survey,

  • surveys and interviews between organizations and individuals,
  • collecting and analyzing good practices for developing lifelong skills from all over Europe to deepen understanding of effective and innovative approaches,
  • collecting and analyzing innovative tools used in different environments, and the possibilities of their transferability and application to increase the effectiveness of educational work and intercultural understanding in Europe.

The IO1 activity was coordinated by SIAE, where a methodology for collecting data in instruments was prepared and the data  were collected and presented in the report. The report on the approaches to the development of life skills in Europe (hereinafter “Report on Life Skills Approach in Europe“) is available in English on the EAEA website.

The project partners also prepared summaries of the Reports on Life Skills approaches for the development of life skills in Europe in their national languages. The Slovenian summary is available here (in Slovenian language; in English will be available in a few days) as well as on the EAEA website, where you will find also summaries of other participating partners in their national languages.

Collection of good practices in the area of life skills development

An online collection of good practices of life skills initiatives across Europe and an analysis of the practices to help understand effective practices and understanding of effective approaches to life skills development will be carried out (IO1-b) is set up and available here.

Collection of tools for the development life skills

An online collection of life skills development tools that are being used across Europe in order to promote and enhance life skills and intercultural understanding is set up and available here (IO1-c).

Expert groundwork for the development and implementation of transferable modules

An indicative professional framework for the development and implementation of transferrable modules will be designed for the preparation of educational programmes for life skills development, incl. modules on: e.g. language, literacy and numeracy capabilities as well as financial, digital, health and civic capabilities (IO2).

An Awareness Raising and Strategy toolkit for the development of life skills

An Awareness Raising and Strategy toolkit will be prepared that will not only provide findings from the terminology analysis and the analysis of excellent practices and tools, but also recommendations for life skills strategies at different levels (IO3).

Two international promotional multiplier events will be conducted for the professional presentation and in-depth understanding of the project outcomes. The first workshop will be held in Patras, Greece, in April 2018, and the second in Brussels, Belgium, in October 2018.

You can find more information about LSE project in the leaflet in English and in the presentation of the project here (Powerpoint in the Slovenian language) or by visiting the website on the LSE project.

Project details

Timeframe: 28 December 2016 – 27 December 2018
Programme: Erasmus+, K2
Coordinator: European Association for Education of Adults – EAEA
Partner countries: EAEA, Denmark, Great Britain, Greece and Slovenia
Project coordinator for Slovenia: Estera Možina, MA (T: 01 584 2591, E: ester.mozina@acs.si)
Project associates in Slovenia: Petra Javrh, PhD