Youth policy: Youth in action programme for 2007-2013

The Council has adopted a Resolution in which it recognises that non-formal and informal learning are important elements in the learning process. The Council notes that the Youth in Action programmes contribute significantly to the acquisition of skills and are therefore key in providing young people with opportunities for non-formal or informal learning in a European context. As a result, the Council invites the Commission:

-          To encourage the development of a comparable and transparent youth-specific element within Europass for identifying and recognising the skills and competences acquired by young people through non-formal and informal learning, that could be attached to or form an integral part of, certificates or other recognition tools in order to make it easier for third persons to understand what the original certificate means in terms of knowledge and skills.

-          To enable by these means the identification of those skills acquired and actually used, with a view to their recognition on the labour market.

-          To encourage public bodies and NGO’s to use and where appropriate, adapt comparable and transparent instruments for recognising competences of those active in youth work and youth organisation, in accordance with the European Portfolio for Youth Leaders and Youth Workers currently being developed within the Council of Europe.

-          To support the contribution made by youth organisation and other non-governmental organisations in providing non-formal and informal learning.

-          To promote the application of common principles for the identification and validation of non-formal learning to the specific needs of youth.

-          To encourage further research into the impact of non-formal and informal learning provided by those working in the youth field and youth organisations and in particular their contribution to society and the economy, inter alia, by making comprehensive use of the information provided by the European Knowledge Centre for Youth Policy.

-          To encourage the social partners to acknowledge the quality and diversity of young people’s non-formal and informal learning and to recognise its social and economic added value.

-          To encourage innovative partnerships between formal and non-formal learning providers, in order to develop pedagogical approaches that could be attractive for different groups of learners.

-          To promote access to Europass and similar instruments existing at national and European level and to encourage young people to use these on a voluntary basis.