The Power of Non-Formal Education: Learning Beyond the Classroom in Rome

Some of the most meaningful learning experiences in life do not happen in a classroom.

They happen when we meet people from different countries, exchange perspectives, challenge our assumptions, work together on unfamiliar problems, and discover new ways of understanding both ourselves and the world around us.

This is one of the reasons I am particularly excited to take part in “The Power of Non-Formal Education,” an Erasmus+ training course taking place in Rome, Italy, from 27 October to 1 November 2026.

For me, this opportunity represents much more than travelling to another European city. It is an opportunity to learn, contribute, exchange experiences and deepen my understanding of how non-formal education can create meaningful learning environments.

What Is Non-Formal Education?

Education is often associated with classrooms, textbooks, exams and formal qualifications.

But learning does not have to happen only within these structures.

Non-formal education creates learning opportunities through participation, experience, interaction and reflection. Workshops, simulations, group activities, discussions, role-playing, collaborative projects and experiential exercises can all become powerful educational tools.

What makes this approach particularly interesting to me is its focus on the learner as an active participant.

Instead of simply receiving information, participants are encouraged to explore, experiment, communicate, make decisions, solve problems and learn from one another.

This can make learning not only more engaging, but also more memorable and meaningful.

Why I Am Interested in This Training

My academic and professional background has always been connected to learning, communication and working with people.

For more than a decade, I have also worked as an independent educator through my own education business, teaching students from different countries, age groups, academic backgrounds and levels. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with learners from around the world and teach a wide range of subjects, including statistics, mathematics, economics, business, management, marketing and English. This experience has taught me that effective education is rarely one-size-fits-all. Every learner has different needs, expectations and ways of engaging with knowledge, and understanding these differences has become an important part of my approach to teaching.

As someone with a background in statistics, management and teaching, I have experienced education from several different perspectives. I have taught students, worked with people from different backgrounds and continuously explored new ways of communicating complex ideas.

Non-formal education offers another perspective that I find particularly valuable: learning through experience.

I am especially interested in discovering how non-formal methods can support young people in developing skills such as communication, teamwork, creativity, critical thinking, adaptability and self-confidence.

These are skills that are difficult to develop through theory alone.

Sometimes, the best way to learn teamwork is to actually work with a group of people you have never met before.

The best way to understand intercultural communication is to experience it.

And sometimes the best way to discover a new perspective is simply to listen to someone whose life experience is completely different from yours.

Learning Through International Exchange

One of the aspects I value most about Erasmus+ opportunities is the international dimension.

Meeting participants from different countries creates a unique learning environment.

People bring different educational systems, cultures, professional experiences and ways of approaching problems. Even a simple group discussion can therefore become an opportunity to see a familiar subject from an entirely different perspective.

I believe this kind of intercultural learning is particularly important today.

We live in an increasingly connected world, and the ability to communicate across cultural and national boundaries is becoming an essential skill.

International mobility is not only about visiting new countries.

It is also about becoming more comfortable with difference.

Representing Ankara Education Volunteers Association

I am also very pleased to be participating in this training with the support of Ankara Education Volunteers Association (ANDER), which is supporting my participation and sending me to the training as a representative of the organisation.

I am especially grateful to Yalçın Yılmaz, President of Ankara Education Volunteers Association, and the organisation for their support and trust in this opportunity.

Participation in Erasmus+ activities is not only an individual experience. It can also create value for the organisations and communities that participants represent.

I hope to bring the knowledge, methods and ideas gained during the training back into my own work and future youth and education activities.

For me, international learning becomes much more meaningful when what we learn abroad can eventually be shared with others at home.

Rome as a Learning Environment

There is also something particularly exciting about experiencing this training in Rome.

Rome is a city where history, culture, art and contemporary life exist side by side. Walking through a city with such a long history already creates a sense of learning beyond conventional educational spaces.

I am looking forward not only to participating in the training sessions but also to observing the city, meeting people and experiencing Italian culture.

Perhaps this is another reminder that education does not have to be separated from life.

A city can be a classroom.

A conversation can be a lesson.

A new friendship can change the way we think.

And a completely unfamiliar experience can become one of our most valuable learning opportunities.

Learning, Sharing and Bringing Something Back

I am going to Rome with the intention of learning, but also with the intention of contributing.

Every participant brings something to an international training: professional experience, personal experiences, ideas, questions and perspectives.

I believe the most valuable learning environments are not those where one person teaches and everyone else listens.

They are the ones where everyone has something to contribute.

That is what I hope to experience in Rome.

I want to learn new non-formal education methods, exchange ideas with youth workers and educators from different countries, reflect on my own experiences and discover approaches that I can use in my future work.

And, most importantly, I want to return with something that can be shared.

Looking Forward to Rome

I am very happy to have been selected for “The Power of Non-Formal Education.”

For me, this training is another step in a broader journey of international learning, professional development and personal growth.

I am looking forward to the people I will meet, the conversations we will have, the activities we will experience and, of course, discovering Rome along the way.

Sometimes we think of education as something that happens before life begins.

I increasingly believe that education is something that happens while we are living.

We learn when we travel.

We learn when we work with others.

We learn when we leave our comfort zone.

We learn when someone challenges the way we think.

And we learn when we are willing to remain curious.

I am looking forward to continuing that learning journey in Rome.

See you in Italy. 🇮🇹

This article was written ahead of my participation in the Erasmus+ training course “The Power of Non-Formal Education,” taking place in Rome from 27 October to 1 November 2026, with the support of Ankara Education Volunteers Association (ANDER).