I came across Andreas' work at nonformality.org when he added to the reasons why youth workers should be blogging. And now Andreas and the team at the National Youth Agency of Estonia are taking the initative to kick start even more dialogue about how the informal learning sector across Europe can get far more engaged with the web by pulling together a Networking Seminar in Tallin, May 30 – 31, 2008.
From the Seminar flyer:
The context – why?
Non-formal education is an exciting way to learn: full of opportunities to be discovered – but not very well recognised at times. The internet is an exciting place to learn, too: full of different opportunities to be discovered – but also quite lonely and confusing at times. Imagine the power unfolding when the two come together!
This networking seminar wants to offer time and space to people, groups, teams, initiatives, projects, and organisations who bring together non-formal education and the world wide web. There is surely something we can learn from each other! And there might be something we could do together, too…
The timing – why now?
In recent weeks and months, more and more websites have emerged about and around non-formal education and learning. It seems to be the right time for bringing them together for an exchange of experience and some dreams about the future!
The aims – what for?
The networking seminar aims to offer space and time:
- to get acquainted with different web-projects and initiatives about or for (raising awareness on) non-formal education and learning,
- to discuss the role and potential of these projects and initatives for the recognition and valorisation of non-formal education and learning, and
- to explore needs, potentials and strategies for co-operation between such initiatives and projects in the future.
I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to make it (it's a little tricky to just slip in a trip to Estonia whilst pledged not to fly in Europe…) but it would be great to see some representation from England there. Perhaps we could host a bit of a pre-discussion to feed into the seminar at BarCampUKYouthOnline which is taking place just before on the 17th May.
I've attached the full flyer to this post below. Deadline for applications is the 26th March 2008.
Attachment: NFL goes WWW call and application-1.doc
lol now theres a predicament – should you be encouraging others to fly? 😉
Being a person with very loose morals I am hoping to go along. If I do I’m happy to meet up with anyone at the airport (here or there).
Theres another event that may be of interest to people in the Youth Participation World – this one is in Ireland – details here:
http://www.youthparticipation.ie/newsarchive
You could get the boat to that one Tim – although from what I hear boats are worse polluters than planes (but maybe thats just the big ones?)
Well, I’d strongly encourage anyone thinking of going to take the train and ferry (http://seat61.com/Estonia.htm). It’s quite do-able…
I’ve just not quite got the three days either side for the journey I need to make the trip. That is, unless a) anyone fancies coming on the journey and making it a working trip, and b) I can get good wireless net access along the way… 😛
I’m not 100% on the enviro-geek technicalities – but as I understand the key issues with flights is the altitude at which emissions are released – so a direct comparison with ferry doesn’t work. But I’ll look at the sums and check out if I do end up able to go…
I’d take you up on that offer if only I had the time to spare.
I think you’re right they’re different kinds of pollutants so difficult to make a proper comparison – the original article I’d read was in BBC Focus magazine months ago – the best I could find online was this:
http://philbattos.blogspot.com/2007/04/green-travel-ship-or-plane.html
which is not conclusive either.
I tried to have a look at the site you gave to get an idea of costs (just out of interest) but my broadband has decided to operate at sub dialup speed tonight!#!
No matter how you travel, seeing what we have in mind there will surely be good online connectivity at the venue in Estonia! That, at least, I can promise…