ESC: ACT NOW 2

Adult Education Center Ormož is an institution with a long tradition. It has developed greatly since its foundation in 1959. The primary goal of the institution was to offer formal adult education that allowed participants to complete primary school or enrol in secondary school to change their professions. Based on new trends, we have switched to non-formal adult education, which means that we offer various courses (language and computer courses, courses for CNC machine operators, forklift drivers and similar) and participate in various national and international projects. We pay special attention to the development of the local environment and promote learning in all stages of life as well as socializing and learning between different generations through an Intergenerational learning Center and a Third Age University. Through these programs, we carry out various informal activities, such as craft workshops, herbalism, personal growth workshops, ICT courses, English courses and others. The entire program is based on volunteers who lead the workshops. We also implement study circles, where participants mostly engage in various handicrafts. We pay special attention to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the long-term unemployed, women and foreigners. Since 2015, the Ormož Youth Center unit has also been operating in our organization. Since its establishment in 2005, the Youth Center has operated as an independent institution and at the end of 2015 it was merged with the Adult Education Centre. The Youth Center has spatial autonomy (it is located at another address, on Grajski trg 3, in the Ormož castle), where young people have the necessary youth infrastructure at their disposal. Autonomy of young people is also ensured in the design of the program, as the institute has a Youth Program Council, which consists of 7 members and discusses issues from the professional work of the center, determines the professional basis for work programs and development of the center, gives opinions and proposals work, professional bases for work programs and conditions for the development of the center's activities, actively participates in the preparation of the annual work plan of youth work. The youth program focuses on young people, pupils and students participating in non-formal education programs, leisure activities, social participation, culture and innovation, entrepreneurship and international youth programs. The main goals of our youth programs are to strengthen the competencies of young people, to spend their free time creatively, to provide information and counselling, and to promote youth mobility and volunteering. We help young people by conducting workshops, lectures, courses, conversations and other methods of work to address current topics such as self-esteem, unemployment, violence between youth and domestic violence, addiction, delinquency, intolerance, dropping out of school etc. Every month we prepare a wide range of activities intended for young people, some are also intended for adults and local associations. We want to empower young people between the ages of 15 and 29, offer them the conditions to gain important life experiences, learn about youth work and solidarity, strengthen and acquire important competencies, knowledge and experience for life and career development. We bring both programs (ESE and Erasmus +) closer to organizations, institutions, associations and all young people in the local and regional environment, involve them in our projects and thus make them aware of the opportunities and motivate them to become more actively involved and to apply to these projects independently. As a host organization, we offer young people from abroad the opportunity to learn about the positive sides, benefits and added value of living and creating in a stimulating environment of our green and calm local environment. Our main target group is young people up to 30 years of age, to whom we want to offer opportunities to acquire, develop, upgrade their skills, gain new knowledge, learning opportunities, competencies in the areas of personal development and growth, career development, project management, intercultural dialogue, solidarity, which will undoubtedly help to improve their self-confidence and employment opportunities. In our environment, we will take care of promotion, encourage young people to participate more actively, offer support and assistance to all interested young people and organizations who want to gain new experience and, of course, continue to develop our international work. We have extensive experience in the fields of youth work, adult education as well as diverse international cooperation with various partner organizations in the field of the youth sector and adult education. In the last three years, we have implemented and participated in several international projects in the fields of youth, adults, farming, lifelong learning, environmental protection and farming.