1. FUNCTIONAL ILLITERACY and non formal education
Theoretical background
FUNCTIONAL ILLITERACY and non formal education

2. What is functional illiteracy?
Functional illiteracy is when people have difficulty in reading, writing and/or accessing written and digital information, as a result of which their skills are inadequate to enable them to function independently in society, to achieve their goals and to develop themselves as a person. Or we can say The inability to use skills acquired in the process of education socialization (reading comprehension, writing, ability to use resources to function in society).

3. Reasons of functional illiteracy
The socioeconomic situation. A low income position seems to be related to illiteracy.
The sociocultural situation. In certain specific „subcultures” there seems to be more illiteracy in others.
The educational system.
The indyvidual situation. This is usually seen a complex of indyvidual problems combined with one or more of the aforementioned clusters.

4. Who can be a functional illiterate?
studies show that a significant proportion of illiterate people come from dysfunctional families, where alcohol abused members used physical and psychological violence against children and other family members
migrants (because of second language, lack of knowledge new socio - cultural system)
families surrounded of the long-term social help
women are more likely exposed than men (discriminatory practices because of the role)

5. How functional illiteracy is connected with social care?
Functional illiteracy is the reason of social exclusion. Exclusion refers to the lack of opportunities to participate in the mainstream of public life which is decisive for the prosperity of life. Functional illiteracy is a factor contributing to exclusion and poverty that restricts democratic and social participation and is seriously detrimental to personal fulfillment and the defense of rights.

6. How functional illiteracy is connected with social care?
Language determines the inclusion or social exclusion because all human actions are as a result of social communication. It plays a key role both in the private sphere (family life) and social (professional issues, official media).

7. How functional illiteracy is connected with social care?
Problems with understanding written language transfer into problems in the functioning, not taking activity, acceptance passive attitude which affects into life situations the client and his family. Therefore, it is important to do a good diagnosis of the client's problems, to know how to help him. That working with the client went the right way fulfilling his needs in order to be effective.

8. Who should be a family assistant?
Family assistant is one of many people / institutions (the social partners) that support the learning process of people with functional illiteracy problem. He is one of the key persons in helping.

9. How we can help?
In addition to formal education as school, courses, vocational education, where we can guided the client's, family assistant / social worker can work with them individual using to work methods of non-formal education.

10. What is non formal education?
Learning that takes place through the planned actions (in terms of objectives and the time dedicated to learning), in which some form of support is present, but that is not part of the formal education or training system. Get to know the philosophy of non-formal education "Tell me, I'll forget. Show me, I'll remember. Involve me, I'll understand”

11. What is non formal education?
Non-formal education means:
Learning through practise and experience in accordance with the principle: "Tell me and I will forget, show me and I will remember, involve me and I will understand"
based on different from the traditional one teacher - student relation. The first one plays the role of facilitator/mentor/trainer/coach, who instead of passing "truth", knowledge included in textbooks - supports voluntary participation in the educational process of the student who becomes his partner
based on the voluntary participation of learners
carried out in a planned and organized way
takes place: outside the school/university or other formally organized training course; in the spare time; under variety of contexts and variable social environment

12. What is non formal education?
relaying on involvement, creativity and self-expression of the participants
enabling and aiming at outcomes in the form of self-development, self-fulfillment of the recipients
based on the student's responsibility for their learning process
corresponding with and address the needs of participants
understood as a multistage process
based on the multidimensional nature of learning outcomes, results not only in intellectual development but also emotional, social, physical and spiritual
using interactive methods of learning

13. Comparison of formal and non formal education
AIM
yes
PLAN
PARTICIPATION
Mainly obligatory
voluntary
LEADER, TEACHER, TRAINER
directive
Indirective, moderator, facilitator
TEACHER – STUDENT RELATION
hierarchical
partnership
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Knowledge, information rarely practical skills
Competences, practical skills
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESULTS
educator
Participant, group, educator
GROUP - AGE
peer
intergenerational
GROUP - ROLE
Has fluence but it is not crucial
Crucial, essential
GROUP - INTERACTIONS
competition
cooperation
METHODS
Standarized methods, eg. lecture, lesson, training
Innovative methods, based on experience and participation, responding to the individual needs of the participants eg. workshops, project method, events, experimental methods, couching, voluntary work