Learning throughout life is an active process of great importance in the 21st century. However, does the same apply for learning about life? How do we better prepare individuals for the practicalities of life in society? Do they know how to cook a healthy meal, budget and use money, fill in official forms, manage their time, or stay healthy and safe? When, where and who is involved in developing individuals’ life skills?
Life skills can be broadly defined in terms of the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for individuals to solve problems, to become critical thinkers, to manage their lives and to participate in the community and the labour market. The World Health Organisation states that life skills enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life, preparing them to live independently and productively within a society.
There are more specific skills that we may call “everyday” skills, such as:
-cooking food
-budgeting and using money
-filling in official forms and contracts
-finding and managing a home
-safely navigating urban and rural areas
In some cases, individuals acquire life skills without being aware of it, because they are modelled by parents, older people and friends in daily routines. However, many young people may experience difficulties in understanding, observing or learning these life skills. They may not have the opportunity to practise these skills in order to learn them.
In order to ensure that every child already has some of these skills and is prepared to cope with the everyday demands of life in the future, what can or should take place at school? Who should be involved? Are these skills already adequately covered in curricula?
Please share your views in this short, multilingual survey by 9 May 2021. The results will be published on School Education Gateway.
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