Organisation of non-formal education in the child socialization centres

Profesorė habilituota daktarė Marija Barkauskaitė savo darbuose (2001, 2004) pažymi vaikų ir paauglių įtraukimo į neformaliąją veiklą mokykloje ir už mokyklos ribų svarbą asmenybės tapsmui. Mokslininkės teigimu, neformaliojo ugdymo organizavimas, užklasinės veiklos plėtojimas turi didelės reikšmės ne tik tenkinant mokinių interesus ir poreikius, bet ir jų socializacijai, taip pat yra viena iš galimybių sprendžiant nusikalstamumo mažinimo problemą. Straipsnyje, remiantis empirinio tyrimo rezultatais, analizuojami neformaliojo ugdymo vaikų socializacijos centruose (VSC) organizavimo ypatumai: aptariamas socializacijos centre gyvenančių vaikų ir paauglių požiūris į laisvalaikio organizavimą; neformaliojo ugdymo organizavimo problematika.In order to ensure versatile development of children, promote their development as mature personalities, upgrade professional skills and prepare children for reintegration into society, the focus in child socialization centres is given to non-formal education. Pursuant to the results of the empiric research, the Article investigates peculiarities of organisation of non-formal education in child socialization centres: the attitude of children and adolescents living in the socialisation centres toward organisation of leisure time; and problems in organising non-formal education. In order to use the research results for the improvement of the assistance in child socialisation centres, the decision was made to develop a questionnaire for pupils and organise the interviews with the assistance specialists pursuant to Articles 16–23 of the Law on Education of the Republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, No 23-593, 25 July 1991) and the Law on Minimal and Average Care of the Child of the Republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, No XI-1238 of 19 July 2007; Official Gazette, No XI-1232 of 14 December 2010). A quantitative survey was executed during the period of March-May of 2011. The sample included the children provided with the average care in six child socialization centres (Vilnius, Čiobiškis, Gruzdžiai, Veliučionys, Kaunas and Kaunas "Saulutė"). A total of 124 children have been interviewed during the research (79 percent of the general set respondents). During the qualitative research semi-structured interviews with the providers of the socio-pedagogical assistance were carried out in six child socialization centres. The article provides the general data of 28 interviews. The method of content analysis was used for the analysis of the interview data. In order to ensure the research ethics, relevant principles of confidentiality have been pursued. According to the research, in order to bring a delinquent child or adolescent back into the socially acceptable life, it is necessary to organise targeted non-formal education directed toward self-realisation and development of social skills, and the abilities of critical and problem-centred thinking. It should be noted that children and adolescents living in the child socialization centre are satisfied or partially satisfied with the organisation of leisure time since they have a possibility to be engaged and select the acceptable leisure activities. Yet, children and adolescents living in the socialization centre are not inclined to take part in the organisation of leisure events. The main problems in organising non-formal education in the child socialization centres are related to the illaffected experience of children and adolescents and lack of motivation, as well as to the lack of funds and restricted possibilities in selecting non-formal education services according to children’s needs and expectations