Voksenopplæringsforbundet, studieforbundenes interesseorganisasjon, VOFO
website: http://www.vofo.no/
Contact person
Astrid Thoner, Senior Advisor
astrid.thoner@vofo.no
About
NAAL is the national NGO umbrella for adult learning in Norway. Our members are 18 governmentally approved adult learning associations with a member network of +460 nationwide adult learning NGOs.
The purpose of NAAL is to:
- Advocate the common interests of the associations and their participants towards the Government, the Parliament and the Ministry of Education
- Promote non-formal adult learning in the society in general
- Guide members and other third parties concerning laws and regulations
- Advice within the field of Adult learning theory and practice
- Counsel within Educational planning
- Project coordinator
- Advocacy and lobbying
A common denominator of the adult learning organized by the NGOs, is a profile of equality and equal opportunities, a humanistic adult learning theory and practice, a belief in every person’s development potential.
As a result of the Norwegian Adult Education Act of 1976, the adult learning organized by the member associations of NAAL receive, through a legal system of criteria’s, grants from the Government. A new Adult Education followed the first one from 01.01.2010 and the Governmental grants for 2012 are 184951 mill. NOK.
NAAL is conducting or member of relevant national, Nordic, and international projects and networks, among them Adult Learners’ Week.
NAAL is the national coordinator of Adult Learners’ Week. The campaign is promoting adult learning by offering conferences, stands, open classrooms etc. The local events are usually cooperation between local authorities, libraries, schools and study organizations. Adult Learners’ Week was initiated at the UNESCO Adult Education Conference, CONFINTEA in 1997, aiming to give adult learners stronger rights, motivation and opportunities of learning.
NAAL is member of a Nordic network of Adult Education umbrella organizations, is cooperating with the Nordic network for adult learning, member of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA – www.eaea.org ) and member of the Executive Committee of the International Council for Adult Education ICAE, http://www.icae2.org/ , represented by the secretary general.
Relevant links
Quality in non-formal learning: http://www.europeanqualitymark.org/home/