SIQA – Georgian Association of Educational Initiatives

SIQA focuses on fostering critical and creative thinking through non-formal education and empowering people of different ages to become active citizens committed to personal development and positive change. Since 1999, SIQA has worked extensively with children and young people across Georgia through training programmes, youth camps, civic engagement activities, clubs, seminars and other educational initiatives. Its work covers all 11 regions of Georgia, and in 2013 SIQA was recognised as Youth Organization of the Year by the Ministry of Sport and Youth. SIQA also implements entrepreneurial education programmes for youth and adults and promotes the 5R strategy (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair, Refuse) as part of its work to support sustainable and responsible communities. SIQA also has experience working directly with schools and bringing participatory, non-formal education approaches into formal education settings. Through its project on incorporating 'Global Goals at Stake - Georgia', SIQA worked with schools and pupils to promote critical thinking, social responsibility and active participation, using a Danish board game. The cooperation also gave SIQA valuable insight into other challenges and needs within the school environment, including issues related to bullying and peer relationships, and helped establish strong partnerships with schools, creating a basis for further cooperation to address these needs through participatory and non-formal education.