However, our research suggests that often young people are not able to recognise the relevance of such learning itself, nor to relate it to more formal competences. Furthermore, programmes to accredit informal learning tend to focus on the particular competences required for a qualification and thus may ignore wider learning gained by young people or competences outside the spheres of a particular programme or qualification route.

The ICONET project, building on work undertaken through the earlier ICOVET project, focused on the broader achievements of the young person themselves and seeked to support young people in exploring their previous informal learning, regardless of subject or context.