The conducted pilot activities have demonstrated models how community can support the main objective – to bring people back to education. ETKA Andras has proposed several models for cooperation and has tested them in communities. A specific outcome is that 56 persons started their studies in 4 schools, in order to complete their formal education. As a result of the pilot activities, well-operating models were developed that allow measuring the efficiency of the activities.

The target group of adults with lower levels of education were informed about learning opportunities in all the 15 upper secondary schools of adults via social media campaign „Come and finish your studies at upper secondary school“. The schools evaluated the latter dissemination campaign and communication form very highly. Many members of the target group are social media users, which therefore serves as a suitable means for contacting them.

The issue of adult counselling was raised. So far the focus in Estonia has been on counselling of the young and the unemployed. For people who are employed but need to finish their formal education, re-training or support in career design, the state-provided systems are just launching their services. Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund and Rajaleidja regional centres of the Fundation Innove have started offering adult the counselling services. Awareness of the general public of the opportunities remains modest, though. The information gathered as a result of information exchange within the Agenda framework has provided valuable input for in order to determine means how the adults who need counselling would be able to access it. Cooperation among the organisations offering counselling (including the area of administration of the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Social Affairs) has improved.

ETKA Andras has acted as a facilitator in systemic change of adult education framework. With the two consecutive projects, all 15 counties in Estonia are covered by engaging stakeholders (training institutions, local municipality officials, NGOs, employers, providers of guidance services like Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, Rajaleidja regional centres of the Foundation Innove) into cooperation patterns. Throughout the project duration, the seminars, meetings and workshops with major stakeholders produced input for planning further activities within European Social Fund programmes, primarily the development of capacity of upper secondary schools for adults.

At a competition organised by the Ministry of Education and Research „Promoting adult education and widening the range of learning opportunities“, ETKA Andras was selected as a partner who is going to carry out the planned activities in the framework of ESF (2015–2020). The partner’s main task is to bring the people with lower levels of education and competitiveness back to formal education. Due to having participated in Agenda projects, ETKA Andras has acquired the necessary expertise and experience for successful completion of the task.

Cooperation between different adult education organisations of adult education from other countries involved in Agenda, provide valuable experience and inspiration for development of the Estonian Adult Education as a whole. Introducing the knowledge and experience obtained from the study visits is still in process with the highlight on Estonian needs.

The field of adult education in Estonia has received inputs for implementing the Estonian lifelong learning strategy.

Contribution to EU Policies

At all the regional seminars priorities and directions of Estonian adult education and the renewed European Agenda for Adult Learning were introduced by chief experts of the Ministry of Education and Research. The counties’ representatives provided an overview about the current state of adult education in the corresponding county. As representatives from various ministries and agencies (Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Research, etc.) participated in the seminars, the proposals made at local level are forwarded to the respective institutions.

The county representatives considered the information exchange at the seminars very important, including the national priorities and trends introduced by the representatives of the Ministry of Education and Research. Participants reached a common opinion that keeping up with the developments supports and consolidates regional and local initiatives and development.

As a result of testing various cooperation models (involving local governments and communities) ETKA Andras acquired particular input for bringing potential learners back to formal education system, e.g. how to measure the efficiency of different support activities for bringing back the people of the target group, which methods to use, etc. Also, evaluation policies were developed, that can be used for evaluation of activities in the future.

As a result of the project activities, a comprehensive dissemination of European trends in adult education as well as of the current issues, including the refugee crisis, has taken place. Activities of the project helped to raise general awareness of lifelong learning.