Type of organisation (legal status, main areas and type of activity)

The National Association of Folk High School in Lithuania (NAFHS) was founded and authorized on 3 of February 2000 as non-–governmental and non- - profit organization.

The purpose of activity is to coordinate activity of institutions, of adult education movement in order to develop the variety and accessability of non - formal education system, providing broad possibility for different folk movements such as folk high schools, folk academies to make them more flexible in satisfying people’s needs in a transitional society.

Size of the organisation, in terms of the total number of personnel (use full-time equivalents).

NAFHS comprises of the first three folk high schools established in Lithuania in 1998-1999. The administrator, who is also the chairperson of the Board , and an accountant are part time employed. The president and the members of the board are working as volunteers.

Evidence of experience of the organisation in the field covered by the project and experience in international cooperation.

Non formal education is a completely new area of activity in the country. However gressroot movement of non-formal education has started 5-6 years ago. Majority of people from NAFHS has experience in the field covered by the project. Separate FHS have great experience in cooperation with Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German FHS: participation in conferences, such as "Lifelong learning, Liberal Adult Education and Civil Society", Turku, 1999; "Open and Distance Learning WIS’99", Kaunas; " FHS and European Integration, Poland, 1998; participating and training courses at Nordic Folk Academy in 1997-1999; participation in joint project with Adelfors FHS (Sweden), Silkeborg FHS (Denmark), Folk Academy of Estate of Rumsiskes (Lithuania) 1996-2000; participation in activities of Kaunas Region Information Centre of Adult. Education; preparation of Adult Education week in Lithuania. NAFHS was coordinator of successful preparatory visit: 85001 -PV-1-1999-1-LT-ADULT EDUC-ADPV in which basis project has been made. All this evidence suggest that there are enough skilled people in the organization of NAFHS which has the intention to develop international cooperation among European adult educators on a new level.

International projects