FORMA is a training institute for adult education and learning, with the goal of offering adults the opportunity for education, training, and/or schooling, so that they can take a full and valuable place in the labor market.
FORMA consists of four departments:
- Department of Literacy
- Department of Social Opportunity Pathways for Youth (SKJ)
- Department of Secondary Vocational Education (MBO)
- Department of Courses
The Mission:
“To offer adults and young adults, and thereby also the future generation, the opportunity to develop themselves so that they can function optimally in the labor market and in society, always taking into account and anticipating the demands that society places. In addition, to inform and advise organizations, institutions, and governments about the situation of the target groups.”
FORMA also aims to function as an advisory body when it comes to issues related to FORMA’s target group. FORMA works with these groups on a daily basis and knows them better than anyone else. The information and knowledge obtained about the target group form a resource from which other organizations can draw. FORMA wants to play an active, advisory role with policy-making institutions when it comes to the target groups.
In the Caribbean Netherlands, FORMA has a privileged position, since it has the most expertise and experience in the field of adult education. FORMA aims to position itself to help other organizations in the Caribbean Netherlands and the region with the development of offerings for this group.
FORMA strives to ensure that every participant, after completing an educational, training, and/ or a learning trajectory, has a personal perspective in which he or she:
- possesses sufficient communication and social skills;
- has a positive work attitude;
- is self-reliant and able to think in terms of problem-solving;
- is professionally competent.
FORMA assumes that every individual is capable of developing into an independent member of society through training activities, education, and guidance. The organization takes the individual as its starting point and creates the necessary conditions to enable everyone to follow education and thus complete a program, course, or a work-study trajectory. Creating opportunities for personal development also has an impact on the future generation when participants are stable in life. Then, they can also create a stable environment for their children in which they can grow up safely and participate in society.
The Vision
FORMA aims to achieve its goals by ensuring:
- the availability of basic conditions, such as benefits, childcare, and transport, that make it possible to participate in education or training;
- the provision of tailor-made basic training programs, so that participants can acquire the skills needed to take part in education;
- the offering of educational programs and work-study trajectories that prepare participants well for the labor market;
- the establishment of partnerships with social and business partners to create opportunities for participants to further develop;
- the provision of training, courses, and tailored educational programs, aligned with the demands of the business sector on Bonaire;
- the offering of services to partner organizations in the region;
- advising on substantive issues;
- evaluating and implementing methods, and sharing expertise about the target groups with institutions in the region;
- informing the community in support of the target groups;
- advising government institutions, funders, policymakers, and legislators on matters concerning the target groups.
The Target Groups:
FORMA provides education to adults who, for one reason or another, have not had the opportunity to pursue education and/or who have found themselves in life circumstances that make it difficult to complete their schooling. In addition, FORMA offers courses for adults who are already active in the labor market and want to continue their development.
FORMA focuses on four different target groups:
- illiterates and people with low literacy skills
- teenage parents and young adults without a starting qualification (ages 18 to 24)
- the long-term unemployed
- the working population
The Guidance Concept
Each participant receives, where necessary, personal guidance to remove, in a practical way, the factors that create barriers, working together with the participant. This assistance includes psychosocial guidance, practical support, and help with childcare and transportation.
For participants where serious problems are identified, referrals can be made to specialized support in the form of a social worker (internal at FORMA) or a psychologist (external), addiction services, psychiatry, or other specialties.
Participants between 18 and 24 years of age can also make use of the services of the Expertise Center for Education and Care (EOZ), an island-wide partnership focused on providing support for learning problems or specific learning needs.
Educational Structure
The training institute FORMA offers full-time as well part-time programs in the following areas:
- Literacy
- Social Opportunity Pathways for Youth / General Education Pathways for Adults (SKJ)
- Secondary Vocational Education (MBO level 1)
- Vocational and language courses (in collaboration with and/or the request of third parties)
The design of these programs, as well as future programs, takes place in close consultation with the Scholengemeenschap Bonaire (SGB) and the labor market of Bonaire, so that progression is possible.
Due to the changing constitutional structure, FORMA also maintains close consultation with the Public Entity Bonaire (OLB) and the Ministries of:
- Education, Culture and Science (OCW)
- Social Affairs and Employment (SZW)
- Youth and Family (J&G)