European initiatives in education and training underline the increasing role of lifelong and lifewide learning. They emphasise that learning must encompass the whole spectrum of formal, non-formal and informal learning for promoting personal fulfilment, active citizenship, social inclusion and employability. The necessary skills that people need today to enable them to become informed, active and responsible citizens can be acquired through learning in all settings and contexts. Especially young people take part in a wide range of activities outside mainstream education and training systems, in youth work and youth clubs, in sports and neighbourhood associations, in voluntary and civil society activities and in international exchange and mobility programmes.

Principles of validation in the youth field

Principles that are established by the European Commission and Council of Europe in the field of non-formal and informal learning in youth activities are: the voluntary and often self-organised character of learning, the intrinsic motivation of participants, the close link to young people's aspirations and interests, the participative and learner-centred approach, the open character and structure, the transparency and flexibility of the underlying curricular construction, the evaluation of success and failure in a collective process and without judgement on individual success or failure, the 'right to make mistakes', a supportive learning environment, a preparation and staging of activities with a professional attitude, regardless of whether the activity is run by professional or voluntary youth workers and trainers, the sharing of results with the interested public and a planned follow-up.

• working paper pathways to recognition
• principles of validation

European level policy

The Council of Europe encourages the Member States to promote equal opportunities by recognising training and skills acquired by young people through non-formal education/learning, and by identifying various ways to certify experiences and qualifications acquired in this framework. All those who shape educational policies should acknowledge that non-formal education is an essential part of the educational process and recognise non-formal education as a de facto partner in the lifelong learning process and in youth policy. Following a Recommendation on the promotion and the recognition of non-formal education/learning of young people Member States should “work towards the development of effective standards of recognition of non-formal education/learning”.

The European Commission White Paper on Youth underlines that “youth associations, social workers and local authorities in many countries are involved in in-depth work with young people. While continuing to be innovative and non-formal, and as part of the overall package of lifelong learning measures, this work would benefit from a:

• clearer definition of concepts, of skills acquired and of quality standards;
• higher regard for the people who become involved in these activities;
• greater recognition of these activities;
• greater complementarities with formal education and training”.

Both institutions, the European Commission and the Council of Europe developed a common position and action with regard to non-formal learning / education in youth activities as part of voluntary and civil society activities, in particular on the validation and recognition of these activities.