During the week from January 25th to February 1st, 2026, two German teachers – Kaya and Marleen – took part in a three-day training session entitled “Let’s make inclusion at school. Non-formal education is the key”. The training aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of Non-formal education (NFE) as an integrated educational approach for creating more inclusive and safer school environments.
On the first day, participants were introduced to the definition of non-formal education (NFE) along with its core elements and guiding principles. Particular emphasis was placed on the complementary nature of NFE as a transformative educational tool, highlighting its contribution to the development of knowledge and skills for lifelong learning, also in the context of formal learning. The role of social change as a key outcome of the learning process was also strongly underlined.
The second day opened with reflective moments in which participants shared their professional experiences in their teaching contexts. Students’ challenges and needs were identified in order to explore how non-formal methods could be applied into their educational practice, especially as effective tools to foster inclusion and active participation in the classroom. A special attention was given to the role of students’ emotions and to how educators can recognize, manage, and channel these emotions in constructive ways that support learning and personal development.
In the afternoon, the training course moved to outdoor settings, allowing participants to experience learning through non-formal activities. These sessions demonstrated the potential of experiential learning, fostering engagement, trust, collaboration, and a stronger connection with the learning process outside the classroom.
On the third day, the German teachers were involved in a visit to the IFMA school in Soverato, where they had the opportunity to meet special needs teachers and observe their methodologies and approaches. The second part of the day was dedicated to the design of a non-formal session proposal, in line with their students’ needs and the educational objectives they would like to achieve. This phase offered teachers the opportunity to reflect on their own practice, exchange ideas, and translate the insights gained during the training into applicable learning activities.
This training experience provided the participating with concrete tools, practical methodologies, and renewed perspectives on inclusive education, contributing positively to their professional development as well as to their ability to create more inclusive, participatory, and emotionally aware learning environments.
Author: Giusy Froio (JUMP Team – Italy)
