350.000 Steps for Innovations in Education

To have 10.000 steps per day is an exceptional performance since I have a small kid who does love to walk (and observe all the stones, animals and machines around). And so I'm challenging myself and you as well - will we manage 350.000 steps in October? That's 11.290 per day FOR THE WHOLE MONTH. Uf. During nice sunny autumn it seems like a piece of cake, but I guess it will be less funny in the rain, cold and dark. :-) In my case, part of these steps will be done with a 19kg toddler on my back. Well, if it was easy, it wouldn't be a challenge, right?

Of course, I also connect this challenge with a call for contributions to an NGO. Together with my colleagues, we have been working in Association of Non-Formal Education for years now, we take care of it, develop it, explore it and move it forwards (and us, too). Our main goal is to develop education, so that young people are able to learn through the ways that suit them, and develop skills needed for the life in 21st century. With loads of experiences from the non-formal education, we support the youth workers, who work with young people in their free time, as well as teachers or social workers. Our activities include education, creation of publications and e-learnings, experimenting and bringing innovations from abroad. We strive to move forwards the non-formal education sector as well as school sector. There's really quite a lot. 

On the European level, the financial support for international projects in this sector exists, but on the national level the opportunities are quite limited. Foundations and funds are focused on the schools or universities and the state budget for the youth work is so limited, that the organisations, which don't have direct activities with youth, have a poor chance to be funded (and yes, eventhough we have a bigger impact, because 10 of youth workers trained by ANEV positively influcence tens or hundreds of young people). We try our best, but sometimes we need support of small donors to keep the activities running. Just as now.

And what will you get for it? Well, one selected donor (which will be decided by drawing one of all the contributions above 1000 CZK / 40€) will get a lovely cake! To increase the income of calories after we walk that much for the whole month, haha :-) Of course, it also depends on if you reside in CZ or we will be able to see each other in person. But cake is the best motivation to figure it out :-)

Huge THANK YOU for all the support! Lenka