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Learning in groups, about things of one's own interest, without teachers, grades, tests…
Study circles are a non-formal way of learning, which gather people who wish to learn something new on certain topics, to keep each other company and to do something useful for their living environment or for other people.
Study circles have spread all over Slovenia and present a way of motivating those parts of the population who rarely get engaged in standard forms of education. For small places and places where there is a lack of learning possibilities, study circles present an opportunity for learning, meeting and being active in the community. Their aims are to promote knowledge necessary for the development and preservation of rural areas, and for active citizenship, as well as to stimulate the participants' personal development.
Subject matters dealt with in study circles are multifarious, such as environmental and ethnological topics, local history, handicrafts, communication…
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A study circle operates within an organisation and consists of 6 to 12 participants, led by a mentor. Provided that certain criteria are met, the organisation can apply for financial support by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.
SIAE has been conducting the project, we are in charge of its development and dissemination, we train leaders and mentors, and monitor the operation of study circles at the field level.
For some years now the annual number of active study circles across Slovenia has been 160 and they comprise about 1.800 members. In the past seven years, about 10.000 Slovenians have participated in various study circles. Within the framework of this project a special form of 'reading' study circles has been developed; it is called 'Let's read with Manca Košir'.
Contact: Nevenka Bogataj, MSc, head of project, phone: +386 1 5842 579,
nevenka.bogataj@acs.si
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