What happens in a project, doesn’t stay in a project anymore About the research The aim of the research was to learn about the learning experiences of people who are participating in international learning mobility projects – training courses. We wanted to know the personal, experienced and realistic stories rather than the grand narratives and to give voice to the learners. The research was carried out with participants from 2 mobility projects: “Formal meets Non-formal: upgraded”, project No. 2016-3-LT02-KA105-005013, implemented by VšI “Jaunimo epicentras” and “Baltic Youth Project LAB”, project No. 2017-1-LT02-KA105005107, implemented by VšI “Politikos tyrimu ir analizes institutas” 6 narrative interviews were carried out. The interviews lasted from 37 minutes to 1 hour 21 minutes. The research participants were asked to tell a few stories: first of all to remember how they got involved in international learning activities, then to remember a story from a project when they felt that they are learning and last – to tell a story from a project when they felt that something important is happening. The participants were asked to tell as detailed stories as possible, to remember the places where stories happened, the people who were participating, the feelings that they were feeling. Some stories were complemented with beliefs, feelings and thoughts about learning in both formal and non-formal settings as well as plans and aspirations for the future. Ethics All the participants of the study were informed about the purpose of the interviews and where the data will be used. All the names of the people, countries, cities and places were coded so that there would be no possibility to trace the informants. In the transcription the names of people are changed in order to maintain a readable text. The names of informants are made up too. Data analysis The interviews were recorded and transcribed. Texts were analyzed according to the rules of inductive qualitative content analysis, which means that the text was coded according to the main thought that was said by the participants of research. Afterwards the codes were organized into code categories to the abstract level. The categories have shown that 2 main themes have emerged from the interviews – participation and learning.
Categories in the theme of PARTICIPATION Accidental involvement A way of traveling Convinced by friends Lack of connection with the youth field Unknown gain Addictive participation Seeking to repeat experiences Arrangements with people Returning to the venue Following trainers Unfulfilled expectations Informed participation Openness to learning opportunities Topic-centeredness Quality concern Stressful application Developing friendships Convinced by friends Bringing friends Facing new friendship challenges Comforting relationships Knowing personalities of trainers Open connection Fun relaxation Attentiveness Comfort in the group Building cooperation network Building trust Common understanding Developing partnerships Support network Creating youth field related plans Discovering youth field Quitting office job EVS volunteering Making a difference Working in NGO Becoming a trainer Working in projects Accidental involvement The participants of the research remembered different reasons to go to the first mobility project, but most of them signal about the accidental involvement, which means that they were not going to learn. Training courses and youth exchanges were seen as a way of traveling: “It will be very stupid, but I was like: “OK, the topic is quite interesting and I will go to [City1], I’ve never been in [City1] and I’ve never been in [City2], so why not” (Aleksandra). “- Please take me to this training course, please take me to this training course! - OK. I will take you to the training course. It will be in [Country]. - uuuu!
I was so excited because like traveling and so like in every training there are some travelers and I was like this traveling thing I had in my head as well” (Maja) The participants were also convinced by friends or went because their friends went: “He said “but actually I really think it will be good for you because if it’s first training then it’s really cool that it’s high quality and so you don’t loose the interest” and so on etc. I was “ok, then I’m going” (Maja) “2 of my classmates were going as well” (Laura) It was also stressed out by the participants that before going on the first mobility they were not connected with the youth field: “And actually before going to my first project I wasn’t connected to youth anyhow. It was one year ago. <…> During my first training course I didn’t think that OK I know I want to work with youth.” (Emilia) Other participants did not know what they would gain from participating in the international project: “I just went there like hm, why not. I’m trying many things so why not try this one. I think I wasn’t aware that I will have a lot of experience after this” (Aleksandra) Another subcategory here is the addictive participation, which means that after the first international project the participants of the study kept going on various international project, started planning other trips with the members of the previous group. This is not to be considered a planned learning or informed decision to participate in a learning activity since the reasons to continue varied and were not connected to personal or professional improvement: “I was like 2 times in a month… Every month I was abroad on some training course, some stuff like this. It was good” (Aleksandra) “And I remember how excited I was after I came back and I realized that I want more. When I came back from my first training course, the only thing I was focusing on was finding another training course” (Emilia) Seeking to repeat experiences This category is important in order to understand the behavior and motives of involvement of the participants who are new to the youth field and/or international programmes. Seeking to repeat experiences is the between of accidental involvement and informed participation. This category includes sub-categories such as: Arrangements with group members “I was so tired and the first day I was so happy about seeing everybody. Seeing Ana and Paul and Helen and everybody and Tom and like yeah!” (Maja); “Actually this is amazing. Seriously. Maybe because in this group that there are 8 or 9 people who I have met before” (Emilia) Returning to the venue “So I wanted to go to X once again, because I liked that place” (Laura); “I know that it’s definitely the place where I will enjoy being” (Emilia) Following the trainers “I was curious what is John (laughing). And meeting Mario. And hoped that I will meet Adele (laughing). It was so exciting” (Maja) Unfulfilled expectations “And first day of… like real day… We had simulation game. First of all it was a little bit confusing” (Daniel); “and even with the coordinators from this youth project I didn't speak at all with them” (Laura)
Informed participation After participating in a number of training courses and finding ones self in youth work (deciding to pursue a career in youth field), the participants of the study start making informed choices about the projects that they want to participate. The category of informed participation is comprised of the following sub-categories: Openness to learning opportunities: “I found your training course on salto-youth” (Aleksandra) “And I’ve learned about this project in my previous project which happened one month ago in the same place with the same trainer” (Emilia) Topic-centeredness: “For the first time I was “ok, it doesn’t matter I just want to go somewhere” and then I’m looking like oh, I don’t want to go to this course, it’s not my topic, let’s choose another one” (Aleksandra) “Then I’m trying to find something that matches this topic. That is really useful for writing a project and at the same time I’m checking all the time program. What topics are going to be discussed and aims of the project. And they are always linked to like project writing or education.” (Daniel) Quality concern: “Basically from the info-pack I can see how dedicated the organizers are and if info-pack if written in not a quality way I mean you can see it. <…> If I apply and I get accepted then I also usually look at the communication through e-mails. Through that I can also see the quality of the project that is going to happen” (Emilia) Stressful application: “preparation and thinking about going and filling my first application form it was so scary. I would write something down and I was calling Adam “can I write like this?” Then I called my friend who is working in NGO with refugees and some stuff like that “Diana, can you help me a little bit?” (Maja) Developing friendships The category of developing friendships is distinguished in order to stress out the importance given to friends by the participants of the research. Some people were convinced to go to a training course or a youth exchange by friends or went because their friends were going: “I had a friend who had a friend, who had NGO” (Emilia) “Two of my classmates were going as well” (Laura) Other participants wanted to bring or brought their friends to projects: “Right now I brought my friend and she’s first time in these projects” (Daniel) “First I asked my friend if she can go with me. And she said “no no, it will be in English, no I’m not good enough” (Aleksandra) The ones who managed to come with old friends to projects, had to face challenges: “We know each other from high school and it feels like some summer camp or something. Like always joking and always doing some shitty things” (Aleksandra) “once we need to split into groups and I am looking at Tomas and totally understand that we will be working together and he said “no, go to somebody else.” And the thing what he was doing it was very cool actually, because I have a
chance to talk to other people, but still I’m a bit upset about it because we came here to do this” (Maja) Comforting relationships A category that is slightly different from developing (or maintaining) friendships is the newly built comforting relationships that are built during the mobility projects. The friendships and built informal relationships serve different purposes. It is important to the research participants to communicate and know the personalities of trainers: “But there were some lessons and the most meaningful that was for me was… There were 3 to 5 private conversations with the trainer <…> easy going language… Like she was living in different places” (Maja) Opening up and creating connections are meaningful during the participation in the training course: “and one guy told about his father and everything, about problems and after that I was talking to him and I was like I have the same problem” (Laura) “a lot of sharing from participants inside. They were coming to me or I was going to them and we were sharing a lot” (Daniel) Attentiveness is developed during training courses, as the participants start caring for each other: Peter was feeling very bad. He had like blood pressure or whatever it is in English I don’t know. And I was giving him pills and also it helped. He had a headache. Because it was a lot of stuff going on in his home and I am really caring about it” (Maja) Fun relaxation is not the least important as well: “I don’t know setting not setting when you just go and talk about different things which have nothing in common with training and just whatever you like. Like we were talking about rafting and those things. It really connects.” (Maja) “And then we were talking with Pietro yesterday and I have some chats about everything and it was very cool and making some jokes and relaxing” (Maja) Comfort in the group is the end result of all the relationships that are developed by opening up, having fun and taking care of each other: “And then I realized: maybe because again I know so many people already that I feel so safe that almost nothing can make me feel uncomfortable” (Emilia) Building cooperation network Building cooperation network means creating ties between people and planing future cooperation. First aspect that is important in building a cooperation network is building trust, which is deeply connected with comforting relationships: “It’s also the moment of trust I think as well that during the project people see who is doing what and the feeling of trust is the best <…> feeling that you can ever get.” (Daniel). Second sub-category is the support network: “Yeah, after the projects now I feel that I've met important people. So I know if I don't understand something I can just write and ask. So that's very good.” (Laura) Developing partnerships is the following sub-category: “Like for example my partners are all people from previous project. And we do communicate through e-mail already and some of them already sent the mandate
that this is filled and this is signed and from Croatia we have already participants. So it’s a good thing I think” (Daniel); “participation in the projects, that’s how you get to know people with whom you want to work, with whom you have the common understanding” (Maja). Developing common understanding is one of the most crucial parts of building a cooperation network and the participants of the study spoke about it through addressing the challenges that rise if there is a lack of common understanding: “Now I’m working in team… and it’s (exhales several times)… they are like… this is first Erasmus+ experience for them and they are thinking in different kind of way” (Maja); “he participated in <…> this training course and he got very interested and now I see really what is non-formal education <…> and now the third person also from my team is here now and it’s for me now it’s a little bit easier to communicate with them” (Daniel); “When you understand the common ideas like to be together with those people and understand with whom you are ready to work and happy to be and happy to meet” (Maja) In this category it is important to note that building trust and building friendships is equally important to developing common understanding of Erasmus+ programme or NFE methodological principles. The development of partnerships is happening with the people with whom the friendships were built. Creating youth field related plans This category is rather extensive and combines general new feelings of appreciation of the youth field and more concrete plans or aspirations to work in the newly discovered field. Discovering youth field: “It’s like hard work, but it’s quite satisfying. Not quite. It’s satisfying. Yeah so these ones… It’s like my field” (Aleksandra) “Working with youth is definitely something where I feel myself that I belong here. <…> And then suddenly the next project I was going to I was already really proud that I’m finally somehow connected with youth” (Emilia) Quitting office job: “I’m not going to sit in my boring office <…> so I need to work hard in the nights to write projects so I can go away from my work” (Maja) EVS volunteering: “And after this I’m going to EVS to [Country] For 2 months. Yeah, it’s short term.” (Aleksandra) “And then I want to go to EVS I think. But the short one for the 1st time” (Laura) Making a difference: “So that was amazing to see that you’ve changed their mindset. You made the difference” (Daniel) “Help them to understand themselves. And what they like and what they want to do” (Laura) Working in NGO:
“I think about opening NGO because right now we are informal group of young people applying for project” (Daniel) “I spoke with <…> some guys from this organization NGO. And they’ve told me that they would like to take me when I will come back that maybe I will work there. But it’s not for 100 percent. But hopefully I will.” (Aleksandra) Working in projects: “And all these experiences like already 4 years in this field helps me to understand that I’m into these projects and I cannot avoid. I can’t get out. Like something inside me tells me that you should do it. You should. You should because you like it. And I enjoy it very much.” (Daniel) “But I know that both of us me and my friends we want to work in some kind of nonformal education and also writing some projects or something.” (Aleksandra) “But actually I’m thinking about. Like now at this project we are discussing project writing and I realize that maybe I should try” (Emilia) Becoming a trainer: “Because I know and I have a hope that this experience which I can have on the training course it will be more and more and it will help me in the future that maybe one day I will be also like a trainer.” (Aleksandra) “I think for me it’s just the work of a trainer and a facilitator and generally the person who makes people learn or realize something I think probably that’s my dream job.” (Emilia) In the theme of participation it makes sense to present the categories in a model of a process that the participants are experiencing.
Developing Developing friendships friendships
Accidental Accidental involvement involvement
Seeking Seeking to to repeat repeat experiences experiences
Building Building cooperation cooperation network network
Informed Informed participation participation Comforting Comforting relationship relationship ss
Creating Creating youth field field youth related related plans plans
Categories in the theme of LEARNING Framework by trainers
Happening of learning
Acceptance of feelings
Becoming-trainer
Taken responsibility
Professional improvement
Personal development
Extended application of learning Facing the difference
Attention to group processes Push to practice Simulating real life Multi-layered exercises Educational encounter Leaving comfort zone 24/7 learning Importance of feedback Tiring dynamics Unaware learning Strong uncomfortable feelings Upset with people Open communication Enjoyment Safety in the group Analyzing trainers’ job Knowing personalities of trainers Appreciated professionalism Aspiration to become an educator Decision to learn Self-regulated involvement Multi-purpose note taking Need for reflection Practical understanding Confidence to work Willingness to take more challenges Topic-related learning outcomes Shifting focus Building self esteem Experimental behavior Me time Altering behavior Work improvement Unclear hopefulness (un)documented rules Choice of method Shared power Putting theory to practice Preference Non-formality in school
Framework by trainers is the learning process that is organized and led by the trainers. First it’s the planned attention to group processes: “In all projects I’ve participated there was always group work and group dynamics from the beginning that people know each other” (Daniel) Push to practice: “well because we had the task during the training course that we had to implement the activities, workshops and yeah, this is how I kind of gained the skills of being better maybe in some activities” (Daniel)
“That was the moment when I’ve learned through practicing” (Emilia) Simulating real life: “Some people were first time there and we have simulation game. But it was actually surprising for me first time for people got very motivated and responsible for every single task they had. It was very chaotic, it was very intense. A lot of emotions. Moving from one room to the other room, finding people where are they and everybody was motivated from the very beginning. And more or less we’ve accomplished the task. It was a good example of real life. How things are working (Daniel) Multi-layered exercises: “As it’s called for example receiving emotions which is a method from psychology. Using the technique of that you make the person realize where the emotion comes from and where is the basement of this emotion and once the person realized that he can change it” (Emilia) “we had to do this bridge, but it was so many things behind the bridge: this collaboration and everything. So it was really like wow - you can use this for the first sight it looks like nothing, just build the bridge, but then there is many levels of learning or non-formal education.” (Aleksandra) Happening of learning is a category of aspects that the participants do not connect with the work of trainers and claim that in a certain way learning is happening as magic. The category involves the following sub-categories: Educational encounter: “I learn more from this kind of simulations and activities when I’m interacting with participants <...> When someone tell kind of story, you learn immediately. Rather than just sitting reading it. Because it stays longer as I receive it from people in communication or peer learning or group learning or something like that” (Daniel) “We were really supporting each other so much and we were doing it all separately but together and I was amazed” (Emilia) “Just talking to people, seeing how they do some kind of things, how they speak to each other and you just kind of get interested in it so you ask them what about this what about this. And they tell you. And it's interesting to learn” (Laura) Leaving comfort zone: “Still I love him because he’s doing a good thing for me like he is pushing me and out of my comfort zone. It’s really cool. Stretch zone is nice” (Maja) “And I will go out of my comfort zone in different ways, but always in a project. So that's what I like the most” (Laura) Importance of feedback: “And then the feedback that you receive from people. Positive or negative. This helps me to learn. On my own experience where I have to improve and what should I do” (Daniel) “for me it’s really. I cannot imagine how important for me is to receive a feedback” (Maja) Training courses are a space where learning is more concentrated than in other environments and participants are stressing out that once a person is open to learning it can happen 24/7:
“Couse you have time of one week when the learning happens 24/7. Well, whenever you’re not sleeping basically. <…> Yeah even in the coffee breaks things happen and sometimes they are more kind of important” (Emilia) Tiring dynamics: “It was the end of the project and I was so tired and everyone was so tired because it was very intense project” (Emilia) “And there is always sense of discovering new, always new. Because in these projects all the time you have like… It’s like dynamic” (Daniel) Unaware learning: “I think it’s the magic of non-formal education. You are not aware. Some kind of not aware that you are learning and then you realize that “O! I have the skill. Wow. How?” (Aleksandra) Even though a lot of learning is happening regardless of the methods that are chosen by the trainers, becoming trainer is an important topic that can be found in all the stories: Analyzing trainers’ job: “And this facilitating and guiding from trainers side is also very interesting for me because I see different methods and approaches from two people. Like everything I observe – the gestures, the time, how much time they take or the way they talk, eye contact… Everything that they distribute the time on…” (Daniel) “and how are the trainers reacting and how are participants doing and like learning from all that we are doing” (Maja) “I already know things. Some of the things. Then the way to look into the situation like more deep and see what is actually behind this and behind that and behind what was before.” (Emilia) Knowing personalities of trainers: “easy going language… Like she was living in different places. In one year she posted like 52 flights I guess. She was living, working in all the world” (Maja) Appreciated professionalism: “Because anytime you can approach to trainers that are professionals and they can answer you a thousand of questions” (Daniel) “And then I went and the processes started and I really loved the way how the trainer was making everything” (Maja) “it was my first that when I took part in a course like this and I was “wow it’s possible!” We had really great… They were really well prepared… Our trainers” (Aleksandra) “And I think it’s a super power to do that. To be able to do that… You can never control it. But at the same time you can try to do it and educate yourself as much as possible and to be able to do that” (Emilia) Aspiration to become an educator “Because I know and I have a hope that. This experience which I can have on the training course it will be more and more and it will help me in the future that maybe one day I will be also like a trainer” (Aleksandra)
“on their homepage I saw that there will be training of trainers in June and I was like “aaaaa I want to go” (Maja) What is important in learning during training courses, especially bearing in mind that learning “happens” is to take the responsibility for ones own learning. Participants believe that in order to fully take the responsibility one needs to: Make the decision to learn: “Things happen 24/7 and if you’re open to the learning process then you can learn from anything. <...> in non-formal education the learner has the responsibility for learning” (Emilia) “Like here we're in the project and then we listen and then if we think it's important, we write it down or something” (Laura) Self-regulated involvement means that the group helps each other and encourages full involvement in the learning process: “But it was actually surprising for me first time for people got very motivated and responsible for every single task they had <…> Even today for example when we had like individual or group work. I have not seen that someone has gone to their room and sleeping or doing something else. Everybody is involved” (Daniel) “But yesterday evening and night we were really working. And today one of the girls she woke up at six and started to write. And we also like woke up after her and also started to write this project” (Aleksandra) Multi-purpose note taking: “And I always try to make some notes during training course or I do it after going home still fresh mind” (Daniel) “Not because they were giving information, not on the theories on something. That was the project where I was making notes like almost every minute” (Emilia) During the training course the participants develop the need for reflection and take charge of it: “Having conversations in the evenings like evaluation and reflections about how the processes are going on and I think it’s so important to have some people with whom you can talk about it. Like what are the processes in the group and what is happening, and how are the trainers reacting, and how are participants doing and learning from all that we are doing” (Maja) Acceptance of feelings is a category showing the importance of feelings in the process of non-formal education and more importantly the acceptance of both positive and negative emotions. Strong uncomfortable feelings: “There was a lot of strong feelings it was not comfortable for me. But I’ve learned a lot” (Daniel) “Maybe 2 or 3 days I didn’t feel comfortable, but then I realized that yeah, it’s ok that I didn’t feel comfortable. That it was a process.” (Aleksandra) Getting upset with people: “what I see is that… this is my observation I don’t know if it’s true or not. but I see that sometimes participants are not learning anything as they say or that they think what
we do in a project is just for the sake of doing the project. even the methods that are used in the project are called games. So we came to the project to play games and then say goodbye to each other then add each other on Facebook and that’s it” (Emilia) Open communication: “In this one people were like openly saying what's bothering them and I felt that that is quite important. Now always when I'm in the circle of something, I say things that I don't like, what I do like… So I think it was very good experience” (Laura) Enjoyment: “I liked the atmosphere” (Daniel) “When it’s reflection time, then the trainer is giving the time for people to share whatever they want and people are just satisfied” (Emilia) “It was like really really good experience” (Aleksandra) Safety: “there’s no conflicts going on. It’s amazing. I couldn’t believe that it can be without conflicts. <…> Actually I realized that when I feel myself safe in the group…” (Emilia) Category of professional improvement is comprised of practical understanding how things work: “Since I’ve started to participate in this project, I’ve learned a lot of practical things” (Aleksandra); Improved confidence to work: “and now when I have this experience that I have to do something. I don’t know build a bridge for example. And I also can go to this NGO and tell to our teenagers “let’s create a bridge” and observe them like how the process is going” (Aleksandra); Willingness to take more challenges: “Even if I think I’m not good at it, but it’s a practice and I will try. I like to meet challenges that’s the… I think main motivation for me because I see that then I grow professionally” (Daniel); Topic-related learning outcomes: “Aaaaa like the basic one is about Erasmus plus. Because when I went to first projects I didn't understand like a lot of things what's going on and didn't understand those fancy words. But like the last project one guy asked me about PIC code and I could answer him. And that was like wow, I didn't know I can answer something like that” (Laura); Since learning is happening on different levels during training courses, the category of personal development is equally important. It involves: Shifting focus: “I was definitely that kind of team player who would think that his or her idea is the best one. Or not the idea but my way of doing it is the best one. And the rest should accept it and agree with it and choose to do the same way, because it’s the best one. I would probably also ignore how the whole process is done. I would literally ignore the way how others feel in the group. I would definitely be oriented towards them other then the result like the project result <…> I think that the biggest change that I have after attending the projects is becoming more conscious about certain things. For example I was less conscious definitely <…> What I like the most is to bring the consciousness towards the process” (Emilia)
“Because I had so many AHA moments and some realizations that changed my perception not on the theories on something, but just the way I see life. And the way I behave in my life.” (Emilia) Building self esteem: “It wasn’t so good like you know everybody has their own point of view. But still it was like “o I can do this and it works.” So you know my self confidence went a little bit upper because of that” (Aleksandra) “Or I can sit like there is no me and like making notes and observations. And actually understand that I can a lot” (Maja) Training courses are a space that the participants are using for experimental behavior: “And then I remembered about that bringing focus from my own feelings to the feelings of the person and here on the first day I had a conversation when I’ve been doing that. I was sitting, the person was talking to me but I was pretending to be in the conversation but I wasn’t. And then I realized that OK, this is so wrong. Why do I do that? <…> And I started to do that next time <…> It was amazing how well it worked. So the perception of the whole situation changed” (Emilia) Participants do take time to work on their own realizations and have me-time: “but from other way I had a very very quality me time. And finally I had the time to write down everything I wanted to long time ago. Not all but still.” (Maja)
Extended application of learning is connected to the previously described learning outcomes mentioned by the participants. Extended application of learning includes altering behavior: “Well at my work I work individually so I don’t have a team to work with. But <…> basically it’s the projects where I practice this the most” (Emilia); work improvement: “So I took a lot from the exercises and experience from that project that I later implemented in the summer camp” (Daniel); “I’m using the materials and all these methods with adults or with teenagers” (Aleksandra); and unclear hopefulness that the participants are sure that they will use the learning outcomes, but haven’t done that yet: “I hope I will remember everything or I will find all my notes. Almost everything and I will use it in the future” (Aleksandra) Facing the difference category shows the main differences between formal education and non-formal learning that the research participants pointed out. First of all it’s the (un)documented rules: “When I think about formal education I really see the rules like you have to follow and a lot of documents <…> in non-formal education you cannot… You have to follow the participants and see how they will behave” (Aleksandra) Another subcategory of differences lies in the choice of method: “They said a lot of good information like formal. Really formal. Like about Erasmus+. It was hard to take it. (Maja) “Wooooow you can do very very interesting things or you can provide the knowledge but it more interesting way than in formal education” (Aleksandra) “And also I’m not really into reading the books” (Emilia)
It is important to note that when it comes to choosing a way of learning it’s all about the preference: “For me it was really interesting and I really enjoyed the time, but they were all the time waiting for some formal stuff and then on the last day we had some formal… It was some presentation or something like this. It was really boring. But they were like “finally finally something for us” and I was like ok ok, not for me” (Aleksandra) Shared power is another aspect of education that differs in formal and non-formal education: “You need to go and do what the teachers tell you to do” (Laura) “Take the responsibility for learning. While in formal education you’re kind of forced to learn” (Emilia) “Of course there is some structure, but it’s not very strictly and we are on the same line as participants” (Aleksandra) Putting theory to practice is more of a link between the two ways of learning and can give more appreciation to the theories: “I did bachelor in adult education and when I was studying adult education I didn’t feel like it’s my field like it’s my “wow it’s interesting.” I didn’t see <…> That all these courses will work. <…> But now I can see that it was useful and it is useful still I’m coming back to courses to some notes which I have from this time” (Aleksandra) Non-formality in school shows the attributes from non-formal education and nongovernmental field being applied in schools: “So it means that students not only formally are studying and you are talking and they are listening. They’re researching and then we are implementing it in real life that they touch the topic with their hands, they’re using like methods that are not like typical for this age in different other schools, but we do this so and here comes informal learning because this is how you evolve” (Daniel) “Useful materials I take flipcharts and I do it informal way so we sit together, discuss. Like basically it’s discussions, reflection itself this whole curriculum is about reflection, research skills.” (Daniel) “There was like a project. It was organized by my school” (Maja) Conclusions The process of participation that goes from non-connected to the youth field to explicit willingness to work in the field can be interpreted as a pro of including a few people that have not been involved in the youth field before. The research shows that even though the projects are meant for youth workers and youth leaders, they are also appealing for people with no background in youth field but because of the appeal new people find youth work as an option (and a very attractive one) for their careers. What is also important is that after finding out about the opportunities and trying several of them out (youth exchanges, different types of training courses), people start taking their learning, participation and future cooperation plans seriously and expect the seriousness and full involvement of other participants on the learning mobility project. Interpersonal relationships play a crucial role in the training programmes: building trust and building friendships is equally important for developing common
understanding of Erasmus+ programme or NFE methodological principles. The development of partnerships is happening with the people with whom the friendships were built. This is resulting in a growing youth field both in numbers and in quality of youth-related activities and international cooperation. In terms of learning during the learning mobility project, according to the participants of this research, everything is important: the place and the space of learning that is secluded from the “real world”, the work and framework provided by the trainers, the time that is taken by the participants to give meaning to what is happening during the training programme and outside of it, the importance of the group as a source for learning, the context of learning and help. This leads to interpretation that a learning mobility project (a training course in this case) is a temporary closed community created for the sake of learning. The interesting part is the relationship with the reality: the participants of the study noted in different contexts that: reality is simulated in the projects, it is important for learning process to isolate from the “real world”, it is difficult to go back to the “real world” and to explain what has happened to the real people who were not there. This is in line with the common problem with youth projects and the challenges that the NGOs and youth-work organizations are facing – explaining the learning processes and outcomes to the people who have not been involved not only in the concrete project, but in the international learning programme as a whole. Also it raises the question if the learning experiences in the projects should be more connected to the “real world” and how it could be achieved without loosing the positive impact that the “isolation” does on learning and the participants. The conducted research shows several processes that are important while participating in an international learning mobility. First of all it’s the growing interest in the youth field, building friendship-based partnerships for future cooperation and searching for other ways to work in the field. All the participants of the study were rather new to the youth field therefore the impressions about learning and working in the international environment were more genuine and less theory-based. Even though in some interviews one can notice the learned “right answers”, appearing terminology from the theories, which is not bad per se, it rather means that the participants are learning fast and adopting the new specific vocabulary. In the theme of learning the most noticeable aspect is the holistic involvement in the process and the connections to the main principles of non-formal learning in the youth field. What is interesting is that there were not a lot of contradicting ideas or opinions regarding learning. This might also be a sign of the developed common grounds and common understanding of non-formal education, project quality criteria. In order to have a more diverse perspective on the learning in international projects, it would be valuable to take participants from different projects implemented by different organizers and networks.