The Romanian Large Families Association (ASFANU) carried out the Erasmus+ project ‘Together for Large Families’, in partnership with the Large Families Association of Poland Związek Dużych Rodzin “Trzy Plus”.
As part of this project, 14 ASFANU members — parents with at least three children and volunteers — participated in a training course in Poland on adult education, focused on Active Citizenship and Community Engagement, as well as in a job-shadowing experience alongside the staff of the partner organization.
This participation in Erasmus+ programme represented a valuable opportunity to practically learn the principles of active citizenship and community involvement within the context of adult education. The mobility provided an ideal setting for the exchange of good practices, the development of civic competences, and the strengthening of cooperation between organizations representing large families in Romania and Poland.
The programme included interactive sessions and workshops dedicated to civic education, where participants explored essential topics such as citizens’ rights and responsibilities, democratic participation, and the importance of social engagement. The Large Families Association of Poland, with over 18 years of experience, facilitated an experiential learning process through case studies, role-playing, and debates.
During the mobility, the Romanian participants took part in two study visits: one in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, where they learned about municipal programmes supporting large families, and another in Kraków, where they explored family-friendly policies implemented by the local authorities, as well as similar initiatives from other European countries such as Italy, Portugal, and Hungary during the th Convention of European Network of Family Friendly Municipalities organised by European Large Families Confederation (ELFAC).
The Together for Large Families project enabled the establishment of a sustainable partnership between the associations from Romania and Poland, laying the groundwork for future collaborations and contributing to the development of innovative methods for promoting active citizenship among adults from large families.
The Erasmus+ experience demonstrated that adult education is a powerful tool for fostering civic engagement. ASFANU successfully created a supportive environment for developing civic competences, empowering participants to become agents of change within their own communities in Romania.
By implementing the good practices acquired, ASFANU continues to support the formation of responsible and active citizens, thereby enhancing the positive impact of adult education on society as a whole. This Erasmus mobility not only enriched the participants’ personal and professional journeys but also opened new perspectives for future European collaborations focused on community development and civic involvement for families with 3 and more children.
Project funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the ANPCDEFP. Neither the European Union nor the ANPCDEFP can be held responsible for them.
