EKYL improves the quality of its adult training in cooperation with Latvian colleagues
17.11.2023
A successful sustainable housing management system can’t develop without skilled and professional adult educators who can train managers, consumers, households, and other stakeholders in the housing network. This is why the Estonian Union of Co-operative Housing Associations (EKYL) has been working already 25 years to give adult educators in Estonia not just the information they need but also the tools and confidence to use it in different training programs on housing management.
The Estonian Union of Co-operative Housing Associations (EKYL) is implementing a cooperation project “Train the trainer: developing the skills of adult educators” in cooperation with the housing management company of the city of Riga, Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks. The project, which will last until February 2024, is supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers within the adult education program Nordplus Adult.
The aim of the project is to share experiences, learn from each other’s good practices, and organize practical training in the field of adult education in order to improve the quality and efficiency of adult education provided by both partner organizations in Estonia and Latvia.
Both organizations participating in the project are very active in the field of adult education. However, both have similar problems: due to the specifics of the training programs offered in the field of housing, the adult trainers of both organizations often lack pedagogical education. Trainers are always experts in their field, but not often professional teachers. This lack of knowledge can lead to the ineffectiveness of the pedagogical process. The main challenges for adult educators in both organizations are also the same: adult learners are of different ages, educational levels, professional backgrounds, and motivations.
The main expected result of the ongoing Nordplus Adult project in Estonia is the improvement of the skills of the trainers of the EKYL Training Centre for Apartment Associations, a private school belonging to EKYL, and the increase in the ability of EKYL adult education team members to develop and implement high-quality educational programs, focusing on the specific needs of adult learners. The implementation of the project helps to develop the pedagogical competence of its participants and to acquire new teaching methods and knowledge of the needs of adult learners. As a result of the project, the entire learning process becomes more efficient, attractive, and inclusive for adult learners, thus increasing the learning motivation of students and improving the results of training.
On November 6–10, 2023, a training week was held in Riga, during which the study group from Estonia got acquainted with the continuing education for specialists involved in the management and maintenance of apartment buildings in Latvia. In addition to getting to know the training activities of the Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks, a lecture program for adult educators was completed, a private educational institution that trains real estate managers in Riga, Juridiskā koledža, was visited, and practical solutions for the renovation of apartment buildings in Riga were seen.
Anu Sarnet
Head of International Relations and Projects
Anu.Sarnet@ekyl.ee
Project data from Nordplus database ESPRESSO:
Train the trainer: developing the skills of adult educators
| Programme: | Nordplus Adult |
| Call: | Nordplus Adult 2023 |
| Project ID: | NPAD-2023/10289 |
| Year of allocation: | 2023 |
| Period: | Jun 2023 – Feb 2024 |
| Project Status: | Active |
| Allocation: | 27 900 EUR |