The Informal Education Program consists in an educational methodology focused on dialogue that is suitable for application by community-based organizations or institutions like correctional institutions. IFE does not lead to certification but, instead, to the awareness that learning is always exciting and possible.
IFE’s emphasis is on providing safe spaces for learning in a positive, supportive social environment, and on facilitating attention to encourage personal growth and development in children. Parents, older students, teachers, and volunteers can all make a contribution to the learning experience of children in this modality.
IFE is an entry point to other educational opportunities for children who never enrolled in school, dropped out, or have been otherwise traumatized by their life experiences.
In the application of IFE, participatory interaction between children, families, communities, teachers, and others is incorporated into activities that result in children building a mental map of their lives, the factors influencing them, and their priorities.