4th Stakeholders’ Meeting in Latvia
On 30 October 2024, Latvian stakeholders gathered to discuss the role and development of non-formal education (NFE) in youth work in Latvia, alongside good practices from the RuralYouthFuture (RYF) project. The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia (MoES), the University of Latvia (UL) and the Zemgale Entrepreneurship Centre (ZUC).
Participants included local employers, youth workers, and young people (youth organisations). The discussion aimed to raising awareness (specifically among employers) of the importance of NFE in youth everyday learning and volunteering, helping them acquire skills and competences needed in the labour market.
Promoting NFE is one of the key tasks in the National Youth Policy Programme 2025–2026 – an action plan aligned with the Children, Youth, and Family Development Guidelines 2022–2027.
Experts from the MoES, associate partners in the RuralYouthFuture project, shared findings from the study "Non-formal Education Offer in the Field of Youth Work in Latvia" (“Neformālās izglītības piedāvājums darba ar jaunatni jomā Latvijā”) - the first comprehensive analysis of NFE in Latvia. According to the study, 13% of young people under 25 participated in NFE activities in 2023, with the highest engagement (5,3%) among high school-aged youth. However, many young people still lack clarity on what NFE is and how to recognise it various forms, making it difficult for them to acknowledge their involvement in such activities.
To inspire local initiatives, participants explored good practices from other RuralYouthFuture partner countries and discussed their potential application in Latvia, including:
- the Young Creators volunteer programme in Elva municipality (Estonia);
- the Tartu Extended 2024 youth development programme – as part of the Tartu European Capital of Culture 2024;
- the Experimental Learning Academy a youth summer café, LOHVIK, in Nõo Municipality (Estonia);
- the Slovenian Rural Youth Association, and many more.
These examples illustrate how accessible NFE opportunities can help retain youth in rural regions while developing digital and transversal skills
Key discussion questions included:
- How do local institutions and employers assess young people's NFE experience?
- What support do employers need to consider NFE as relevant work experience?
- What messages should be communicated to NFE providers to align with labour market needs?
- How to develop a more diverse and labour market relevant NFE offer for young people?
Stakeholders agreed that NFE (e.g. volunteering, project writing, etc.) is essential in developing transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, and project management. These experience also fosters self-confidence, discipline, and personal growth. Yet both youth and employers often underestimate the value of these experiences. NFE often serves as a first step toward gaining practical work experience and industry-specific skills.
The need for stronger collaboration between NFE providers and employers was emphasized. Participants also called for greater visibility of youth success stories and the creation of more attractive NFE programmes that reflect both youth interests and employer needs.
Accessibility to NFE remains a challenge for youth living far from municipal centres. While urban centres offer a wide range of NFE opportunities, youth from remote areas often face financial, logistical, and time-related barriers.
The event took place at the Zemgale Entrepreneurship Center co-working space, which plays an important role in engaging and activating local youth and providing opportunities to develop entrepreneurial and job-related skills. Participants also took an opportunity and discussed potential models for co-working spaces sustainability. D. Ponomarjova shared examples of coworking models in other countries – Kupland (Estonia) and The Remote Lab (Sweden), which were learned during the Interreg Europe PLP matchmaking session on coworking in rural areas that took place in Burgos.
More about the RuralYouthFuture project:
Denize Ponomarjova, ESASAC Project Manager, LU: [email protected]
Website: https://www.interregeurope.eu/ruralyouthfuture
Project page on the LU website: https://www.lu.lv/cets/research/euproject/rural-youth-future/
Project page on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rural-youth-future/
Project page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruralyouthfutureproject/