Non-formal Education

For many years, the Piarists have been working with a series of educational actions that, parallel to the school, the parish, or as autonomous projects, respond to the desire to offer education to the weakest and poorest, who for various reasons remain on the margins of the EF. These inclusive alternatives, which we have traditionally called “other works”, are not only legitimately considered today as Piarist, but are also well placed within what we understand as NFE. That is why we now have the possibility of welcoming them, systematising them and strengthening them, because they “make the Calasanctian charism present, updating it with creative fidelity”. (Non-Formal Education. A path towards the poorest (46th General Chapter of the Pious Schools).

In fidelity to tradition, the Piarist mission is preferably carried out in the popular school in those countries where the social and legal conditions permit. In places where it has not been possible to open schools, the Piarist ministry is maintained in the areas of evangelisation, catechesis and non-formal education of children and young people.

The non-formal education centre: It is a community space for the development of various non-formal education programmes. It emphasises the relational aspects of education and is organised according to the educational needs and opportunities of the particular setting. It can be an autonomous centre with its own organisation, but it can also be linked to a school or a parish. Generally, it is more flexible than the school and adapts to the specific needs of the place. In the Pious Schools there are cultural centres, hostels, social centres, agricultural schools and houses of coexistence. All these institutions contribute to the integral development of young people alongside the work of the school.

Homes, residences and boarding schools: educational spaces where residents are accompanied in their educational process and mostly live in full-time boarding schools. The beneficiaries are children and young people at risk of social exclusion or who have difficult access to education.

(48th General Chapter of the Pious Schools)