Tuesday, 25 October 2022 09:19

Sustainable Modular Houses for People in Need

Sustainable Modular Houses for People in Need

Start: 28-02-2022 - End: 27-02-2024
Project Reference: 2021-1-EL01-KA220-VET-000025502
EU Grant: 236.288,00 €
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Partnerships for cooperation and exchanges of practices
Action Type: Cooperation partnerships in vocational education and training

Project Summary

The escalating reality of displaced people and people in need due to a number of reasons is present not only in Europe but worldwide due to migration (from war zones), natural disasters caused primarily due to climate change (flooding, severe storms and hurricanes), local particularities (seismic areas) or due to a number of health epidemics. These human mass movements are unpredictable and increased day by day. This becomes even bigger when additional settlements and facilities have to be constructed in a very short period due to an emerging health crisis (COVID-19 pandemic). The capacity to host these people in temporary residences or develop health facilities in pandemics have to take under consideration a number of criteria in order to achieve fast yet sustainable (in terms of materials, energy and logistics) settlements.

The core idea of the HOPE is to approach the basic principles of sustainability and focus on sustainable design with regard to constructing a modular house for several and different needs. This is translated into viable engineering by adapting Τechnologies, processes and materials towards a smart use of natural resources as well as residue materials or reused ones.

The idea is to firstly identify natural materials and by-products (I.e. wood products and wood residues) with limited potentials up to now, which may be used as a raw material for constructing off-site building units. The sustainable design principles are expected to be implemented in creating pathways towards exploiting such materials and finally “upcycling” them into a useful new modular product/unit. The most critical part of this project is to take under consideration all these parameters (design wise and material wise) which will allow to disassembly of all these modular units after the end of its use with the ability to further reuse those in a future project with the least possible non-reusable percentage of this primary modular unit.

The main need to be addressed regarding this project is the reskilling and/or upskilling of the final users of the outputs. Two main groups (engineers and technicians) are anticipated to gain new skills and enhance their business profile by using the four designed outputs of this proposal. The outcomes are expected to be suitable to encourage cross-curricular learning, connecting mainly with designers, engineers, technicians and builders and all other relevant stakeholders (i.e. Governments, public bodies).

Different skills and experiences with regard to sustainable design exist in each country. However, the complications in managing and reusing resources and waste are global, therefore this cooperation will benefit all parties in exchanging ways of addressing all current sustainability and engineering problems with universal solutions.

This consortium is necessary in order to pull and combine the expertise of partners and create a platform to advance knowledge and implementation principles. Also, to share experiences and good practice, create showcases and innovate teaching and learning approaches to contribute to the development of novel ways of thinking and tackling global challenges in a resource-constrained world, which would not be achieved on a national level.

Objectives

The project is about creating not only a philosophy but also a practical guide on how to design, prefabricate, transport, build-assembly, reprocess after the end of its use modular construction with timber as the primer material. Basic pillars through this procedure are to respect the natural resources, the people, and the places where these units will be temporarily placed. Small modular units are to be joined together to form a practical and comfortable modular micro building to host size-wise different ranges of people with dissimilar needs.

The challenge that this project is expected to address is to identify the availability of the resources at a local level (available timber species in the Mediterranean area) and design a detailed guide to build a modular housing unit. The adverse weather conditions throughout the year (a huge range in temperature and humidity values which impact greatly the raw materials which are to be used) have to be taken into consideration towards applying innovative solutions during all the stages of the modular unit construction – from design to assembly and finally disassembly after the end of its use.

The key objective is to create new opportunities and better chances of employment for the final users of the proposal’s outputs as a tool for recovery from the COVID 19 and the associated economic crisis. The primary target groups are-1a: unemployed engineers, students and graduates of several University departments such as building engineers, forestry engineers, materials engineers or engineers who need to reskill themselves getting familiarized with a totally different method design-wise and construction-wise, 1b: craftsmen and technicians from the construction sector who can adapt themselves to a fresh-sustainable approach on how to create a structure with respect to a sustainable holistic approach. The secondary target groups are Regional and national agencies of public protection, construction business associations, other educational institutes and training centres and policymakers.

This scheme is expected to match public bodies, companies and the University's expectations with regard to learning process outcomes, considering short- and long-term sustainable planning, common business and academic language.

Collaboration in this project levers the complementary strengths of the partnership in the fields of Technology and Business. Universities and private companies from different countries act as partners with direct involvement in the need’s analysis, design, development, implementation and dissemination of the sustainable design. A key element that is expected to add value to this cooperation is the effort to present a number of outputs that will assist in adopting the idea that micro modular houses have to be designed to last longer. Those houses will be easier to reuse, repair, disassembly and final reassembly elsewhere. Moreover, a number of groups of professionals are expected to be upskilled or reskilled through the four outputs of this proposal and build a robust job profile with competencies that can boost their career.

Activities

Activities of the proposed project are divided into two main categories. The first category (through the duration of the project) includes all activities that are supported by that part of the grant under the Project Management and Implementation category. Indicatively are:

  • Coordination and scheduling of the project.
  • Financial management of the project.
  • Creation of internal documents templates for use by the partners.
  • Internal communication and collaboration platform for the partners.
  • A good practice guide for project management.
  • Information, promotion and dissemination material (brochures, leaflets, website, etc.) of the project.

These activities are divided into three major groups.

The first group (A) relates to the management of the project leads by the Institute of Wood, Furniture and Wooden Packaging (IWFWP), as coordinator and applicant organisation.

The second one (B) relates to internal monitoring and evaluation of the project. The Irish Wood and Furniture Manufacturing Network (IWFM) in cooperation with the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) will prepare the presentation of the monitoring and evaluation plan of the project activities. These activities are described in the corresponding field of the proposal.

The third group (C) concerns the dissemination of project results and deliverables. The University of Belgrade (UOB) in cooperation with the MIKSER ASSOCIATION, will be responsible for the dissemination activities, create the first version of the official website of the project, the logo of the project and the project page (draft version) on social media.

The monitoring and evaluation activities that will be covered by this category are: evaluation procedures with the help of focus groups, creation, sending and management of all necessary documents and monitoring and evaluation activities, cost of human hours of monitoring and evaluation, etc. Finally, this category will help in case of emergencies (additional corporate meeting, dealing with certain situations as mentioned in the field of risk management).

Every partner organization will undertake the management of specific topics (subcategories) of each Output (O) in collaboration with the program leader. In this way the division of activities within the partnership are as follows:

1. The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) has been appointed as the leader in the development and management of the O1. In this output, the University of Belgrade (UOB) will assist as another experienced partner in this field and also the Institute of Wood, Furniture and Wooden Packaging (IWFWP).

2. The University of Belgrade (UOB) has been appointed as the leader in the development and management of the O2. Their experienced approach on circular economy and sustainable development is expected to format clearly the structure in order to set the job profile principles. They will be supported by the Irish Wood and Furniture Manufacturing Network (IWFM) acting as co-leaders with great experience in business management providing support and solutions in various cases.

3. The Institute of Wood, Furniture and Wooden Packaging (IWFWP), has been appointed as the leader in the development and management of the O3.The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) will be the co-leader.

4. The AKETH (Developmental Centre of Thessaly – D.C.T.), has been appointed as the leader in the development, management and monitoring of the O4.The City Council of Mollet del Vallès will be supporting the AKETH-DCT in the management and monitoring of the O4.

Impact

During the project and after its completion, all the partners, the stakeholders and the groups of trainees are expected to benefit and gain greatly from this collaboration and the anticipated deliverables.

The key project goals to be achieved are to:

  • Promote diversity awareness and openness, cultural knowledge and intercultural sensitivity.
  • Explore personal narrative practices that will help to develop autonomy, engagement, creative action, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making.
  • Improve the knowledge of new technologies and interactive tools as educational means.
  • Increase digital literacy (knowledge + skills + tools) from users and partner members.
  • Stimulate virtual and face-to-face forms of collaboration and communication.
  • Upskill or/and reskill existing professions (engineers, technicians) by providing tools and skills based on the principles of sustainability and wise use of materials with regard to building modular houses primarily for people in need.

On its completion, four outputs will have been developed to lead not only in creating a guide but mainly in adopting a philosophy on how to design, choose the right materials, prefabricate, transport, build-assembly, reprocess after the end of its use with regard to this prefabricated flexible construction. Small modular cells will be joined together to form a practical and comfortable modular micro building to host size-wise different ranges of people with dissimilar needs. All these, based on the principles of sustainability, will assist in managing resources in an efficient and environmentally friendly way. Basic pillars through this procedure are to respect the natural resources, the people, and the places where these units will be temporarily placed. Most of all, certain groups of professionals are expected to be trained and acquire competencies, knowledge and skills towards shifting their job profile into what the current circumstances ask for with respect to a sustainable and green approach.

The most important expected outcome in this project’s completion is the ability to comfort people in need when an emergency occurs, without delay once the procedures and the steps to provide the necessary solution will be available for the stakeholders dealing with a present crisis.

Coordinator:

  • INSTITUTE OF WOOD, FURNITURE AND WOODEN PACKAGING - Greece

Partners:

  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
  • AJUNTAMENT DE MOLLET DEL VALLES - Spain
  • Case Lemn Bernard SRL - Romania
  • CHLIAPAS SA - Greece
  • GALWAY-MAYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - Ireland
 
Published in Erasmus
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IMPROVING CREATIVE AND DIGITAL SKILLS OF ADULTS

Start: 01-12-2021 - End: 30-11-2023
Project Reference: 2021-1-DE02-KA220-ADU-000033453
EU Grant: 216852 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Summary

Createch has great potential to contribute to economic growth and job creation, based on the underlying technology and the expected wide applicability of Createch innovations to different sectors and contexts. A common finding in studies on the future of work is that employers will increasingly demand digital skills and creative skills. Many researches shows that combinations of skills – technological, artistic, organizational and management are important for creative work. A report on the future of jobs by the World Economic Forum (WEF) considers creativity, along with complex problem solving and critical thinking, as one of top three skills in 2020, and estimated 87% of creative jobs are ‘at low or no risk of automation’.

Regarding to the 35 million job adverts posted between 2011-2018, It found that the occupations that mention “createch” skills the most were: graphic designers; photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators; artists; arts officers, producers and directors; and product, clothing and related designers. Given the importance that future of work studies attribute to both creative and digital skills, it is reasonable to suppose that ‘createch’ skills will be associated with roles that are expected to grow in importance in the future. With the current pandemic COVID-19 crisis, there is also sudden need for creative and digital solutions in the current circumstances. Many Europeans have been suddenly thrown into conditions demanding the use of digital technologies. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is having a severe effect on adults who need to find ways to continue in these challenging times which now relies on the access to and use of digital technologies.

KEY OBJECTIVES:

*To identify what the createch skills are, which roles require them, and their importance to the future jobs market

*To provide learning opportunities for adults in lifelong learning;also to provide incentivise and enable greater employer engagement in training; and cement the value of creative education

*Give adults the opportunity to acquire and develop skills and abilities that contribute to their full participation in the information society.

*Develop an Online Training programme which includes modular training courses

*Develop an Online self assesment tool which allows adults identify gaps and shortages in digital skills

*Deliver training courses at least 60 digitally low skilled adults to increase their createch skills and competences

*Support at least 12 trainers

 

Coordinator:

  • Euro-Med Youth Federation (EMYF) e. V.   - Germany

Partners:

  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
  • Aydin Kulturel Gelisim Dernegi - Turkey
  • Association Hexagonale de l'Innovation Sociale et de l'Education - France
  • Gestión Estratégica e Innovación SL - Spain
  • PROGEU-PROGRESS IN EUROPEAN UNION -ISTITUTO PER LO SVILUPPO APS - Italy
 
Published in Erasmus
Thursday, 14 October 2021 15:17

LIVE WITH CULTURE - LIVE THE CULTURE

LIVE WITH CULTURE - LIVE THE CULTURE

Start: 01-06-2021 - End: 31-05-2023
Project Reference: 2020-1-UK01-KA227-SCH-094521
EU Grant: 198069 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: Partnerships for Creativity

Project Summary

COVID19's socio-economic impact on the cultural and artistic sectors has been unprecedented, as social distancing measures meant that they could not remain open. In addition to the devastating financial consequences, the promotion of culture and the use of art as tools for cohesion and education almost disappeared staying only at the core family level. In this context, steps should be taken to initiate real change in the way we protect and develop our common cultural heritage from an early age.In today's conditions, digital approaches to culture that promote active citizenship and social inclusion related to people's participation in culture are gaining importance.

"Our Cultures" brings together 7 cross-sector institutions from 6 different culturally diverse countries ( UK, Spain ,Turkey ,Portugal ,Italy and Greece) including schools, cultural and civil society NGOs.

Our project focuses on providing art-based learning, creating digital concrete content and making the created content easily accessible open source in order to live, sustain and promote our common cultural heritage.Our project aims to create learning tools, resources, materials and training modules in order to encourage creativity and multiculturalism.Our main goal is to create active learning opportunities in formal and non-formal education institutions, through the use of technology in arts and education.

Our project's intellectual outputs are:

O1; Virtual Culture Travel (Time and Space Travel) (Mobile application)

02; Experiential Learning Activity Books (Primary / Secondary School)

O3; Cultural Heritage Awareness Materials (Digital Arts)

We will also organise:

6 national multipliers

1 international multiplier

2 LTTs

KEY OBJECTIVES:

* To grow a sense of curiosity and tolerance among students and educators for living in a global and interconnected world with digital cultural data tools by placing our cultural heritage at the very centre of our lives,

* To obtain concrete inputs that will increase the intercultural interaction between cultural, artistic and equational institutions in a sustainable way and carry our cultural heritage to the future,

* For children and young people to discover and experience our common cultural heritage inside and outside the classroom; to enable them to develop and strengthen their different identities within an interactive, democratic, and multicultural conscious citizenship perspective,

* To ensure that children and young people have direct experience with the original heritage phenomenon (Experiential learning), be actively involved in the process, gaining commitment to the idea of ​​protecting cultural heritage, interpreting cultural heritage and seeking their own meaningful context behind the facts,

* To make our students realize the local / universal dimension of culture through digital tools and arts: Students will reveal their feelings, thoughts and perceptions freely and sincerely through artistic activities, they will offer creative products for our cultural heritage.Students will be able to transfer their creative abilities to every aspect of their lives with the different perspectives they have gained on our cultural heritage, and they will be able to beautify their environment by gaining an aesthetic consciousness.

* Developing digital literacy, collaboration and critical thinking skills of our participants through digital data tool (Web 2.0 tools, augmented reality) studies:Our participants will be able to use these competencies they have acquired on different platforms.

* To make an impressive presentation of the cultural structures and areas in the region where our partners live, using the augmented reality method and 3D design technique:This tool will have interactive content that students can easily use in lessons and outside the classroom.Our Virtual Culture Travel Tool will make a tangible contribution to cultural tourism by making the regions where partners live a center of attraction.

TARGET GROUPS

Students (7-15 years old), teachers and other educators and professionals working in formal (e.g. schools) and informal (e.g. in the community) settings. Secondary target groups include policy makers, decision makers, the media and general public as well as parents and carers.

AMBITION

During times of despair, using the underlying values of restorative justice (e.g. power sharing, equality, dignity and respect) "Our Cultures" will create a sense of belonging and awareness about the common cultural and artistic heritage of Europe.The necessity of discovering different cultures through intercultural interactions and of course the dimension of the culture extending from local to universal make the transnational implementation of the project important and necessary in order to gain European awareness.

Target Group of the Project:

Coordinator:

  • Restorative Justice for All International Institute cic - United Kingdom

Partners:

    Fattore K - Italy
  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
  • Bozyazi Kultur Sanat Ve Muzik Dernegi - Turkey
  • ESPACIO ROJO - Spain
  • ANAMUR FATIH ILKOKULU - Turkey
  • Agrupamento de Escolas do Barreiro - Portugal
Published in Erasmus
Monday, 27 September 2021 11:55

Culture, Creativity, Inclusion

Culture, Creativity, Inclusion

Start: 01-05-2021 - End: 30-04-2023
Project Reference: 2020-1-IT02-KA227-SCH-094804
EU Grant: 155850 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: Partnerships for Creativity

Project Summary

In initiating the project “Culture, Creativity, Inclusion”, the institutions from Italy, Romania, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Latvia, schools and NGOs involved in intercultural education, started from the social and educational value of culture; the existence in their regions of similar contexts: multicultural students groups with discriminatory tendencies; their needs in intercultural education as a strategy for social inclusion, for reducing marginalization and to diversify the Curriculum; needs for non-formal education strategies to replace classical teaching based only on the transmission of knowledge, to create a positive working atmosphere, attractive lessons, and ICT resources; a rich national cultural heritage used as a support for intercultural education. Their strategic objectives are the orientation towards innovative, and attractive European didactics.

The aim of the project is to increase interculturality, creativity, and innovation in the practices of partner institutions, to develop skills through culture and creativity.

Project objectives for teachers as the main target group and for partner institutions:

  • 1. To offer the acquisition of innovative and motivating strategies for the social inclusion of students, using as support the national and European cultural and artistic elements.
  • 2. To provide the acquisition of types of non-formal intercultural education activities, through the exchange of good practices between partners, during LTTAs.
  • 3. To offer the possibility to create, through collaboration, efficient digital resources in learning about European cultural diversity and the appreciation of the common European values;
  • 4. To offer partner institutions their professional development, promote attractive non-formal teaching, and support schools in their regions with European digital educational resources.

The project's methodology consists of 6 LTTAs that each involves 20 teachers from partner institutions and 6-10 teachers from the host institution, and is based on innovative approaches: theoretical presentations and examples about the educational value of culture; cultural workshops; non-formal approach to a UNESCO monument; cultural theatre and creative workshops starting from works of art and cultural elements in the UNESCO Heritage; examples of involving students in cultural activities and promoting traditional elements: music, food culture, old occupations, handicrafts, folk dance; cultural ICT workshop using the media with a cultural message, to create certain types of videos and the "Digital Photo Story" as a final product.

Students will only be involved in Virtual Exchanges with partner students and in local activities included in LTTA in their schools; they will be presenters of cultural elements, actors in theater and cultural workshops, promoters of their cultural values.

Expected results through LTTAs: the acquisition of information on classroom management for inclusive education, good practices in encouraging the students ’integration; non-formal strategies and valuable multimedia resources for learning interculturality and developing students' creativity; types of cultural and ICT creative workshops; learning experiences to develop intercultural skills; educational practices using as support the national material and immaterial cultural elements of the UNESCO heritage and the traditional elements; ICT creative skills based on the cultural elements; "Digital Photo-Story", the final project product; creating E-twinning Space and the project website as tools for promoting and disseminating results.

Expected results through the students' participation: superior intercultural competencies, respect, and tolerance for other cultures; new motivations to get involved in the group's life: more oriented towards group knowledge, discovering common and different cultural aspects, an improved position towards the group culture.

The project impact on teachers illustrated by their future professional behaviors: the use of a wide range of innovative approaches; integration in their activities of the digital resources acquired through the project, especially of Digital Photo-Story, a valuable product in intercultural teaching, in the process of social inclusion; new professional skills in organizing non-formal activities, using as support the cultural elements and capitalizing on students' creativity; new ICT skills and the interest in their integrating into lessons.

Impact indicators on students: more tolerant behaviors towards students of different ethnicities and living environments; new intercultural competences: more tolerant in the interaction with students of other cultures; more eager to get involved in national cultural projects and Erasmus +.

The project sustainability can be ensured by developing new projects using at a higher level the results obtained, by integrating the results in the didactics and the Curriculum through new optional courses of intercultural education.

Target Group of the Project:

Coordinator:

  • IISS Jacopo del Duca - Diego Bianca Amato - Italy

Partners:

    ASOCIATIA EDUPURTUS - Romania
  • Rigas 80 vidusskola - Latvia
  • SEPUGS "Vasil Antevski Dren" - Republic of North Macedonia
  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
  • Özel Antalya Vizyon Koleji Anadolu Lisesi - Turkey
Published in Erasmus
Monday, 27 September 2021 11:50

INSPIRING CREATIVITY FOR CREATIVE EUROPE

INSPIRING CREATIVITY FOR CREATIVE EUROPE

Start: 01-06-2021 - End: 31-05-2023
Project Reference: 2020-1-TR01-KA227-ADU-098179
EU Grant: 116931 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: Partnerships for Creativity

Project Summary

Cultural and creative sectors (CCS) are all sectors whose activities are based on cultural values and/or artistic and other creative expressions which include architecture, archives, libraries and museums, artistic crafts, audiovisual (including film, television, video games ,product design, fashion and multimedia), tangible and intangible cultural heritage, design, festivals, music, literature, performing arts, publishing, radio and visual arts. Undoubtedly the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) play an important role not only for the European economy but also as part of a wider cultural and historical understanding of the European development.

The creative industries frequently require a combination of highly specialized knowledge combined with transferable, generic skills. The demand for skilled creative workers is strong and rapidly evolving, both in cultural and creative sectors and other sectors of the economy. And there is a big challenge is related to the mismatch between the skills needed by employers and self-employed creatives and the skills provided by education and training providers.

The project aims to create a sustainable and efficient education program for low skilled adult learners involved in the creative industries and it addresses a gap in cultural and creative industries where there is low emphasis on the use of new digital technologies, creating and design skills, marketing skills and support skills. In our Project we mainly focus on the skills of cultural industries (film making, multimedia, book press publishing),skills of creative industries and activities such as fashion, graphic, social media and product design; and advertising; and ICT.

The target group of the Project;

  • - unemployed/newly graduated adults
  • - unemployed adults who lost their jobs in covid-19 pandemic situation
  • - low skilled adults in creative industries
  • - freelance creative workers

The objectives of the Project;

  • - Develop skills and competences of adults who aim to improve their chances of employment or performing better in their current employment for future working and employability,
  • - Strengthen local, national and international collaboration and innovation in arts, cultural and creative learning
  • - To improve the achievement and recognition of creative skills through by e-assessment for adult education
  • - To enhance collaboration between education providers, universities, cultural organisations, SMEs in creative sector, civil society SMEs in creative sector, civil society organizations, creative workers and volunteers
  • - To design, develop and deliver a Creative Skillset MOOC to give the adults opportunity of having distance learning especially Covid-19 pandemic situation
  • - To provide added value in employability and local development through supporting the creative economy

In short term results;it will mainly adress the skills needs of Cultural-creative sectors and develop the training models,In long term results; it will maximize the impact of cultural and creative industries in local development and employment.The creative economy relies on creative talent as the primary source of value. The demand for skilled creative workers is strong and rapidly evolving, both in cultural and creative sectors and other sectors of the economy.

Our project will also provide training and development activity to offer a solution to skills gaps or recruitment difficulties and to reap these job creation benefits.The adults/unemployed adults/creative workser will have opportunity to gain skills and competences in creative sectors,to be employed or develop their works.Although the ones who stayed at home during the covid19 pandemic ,will have chance to have training,develop their creativity and have experience in creative works. The project will produce tangible and intangible results to contribute develop creative skills in recovering unemployment.

Target Group of the Project:

Coordinator:

  • Recep Tayyip Erdogan Universitesi - Turkey

Partners:

    Association Hexagonale de l'Innovation Sociale et de l'Education - Italy
  • METANU REKLAM ORGANİZASYON DANIŞMANLIK VE TİCARET LİMİTED ŞİRKETİ - Turkey
  • Asociación para la promoción del empleo y la cohesión social "Asociación Creativa" - Spain
  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
Published in Erasmus

Creativity tools to empower NEET´s on entrepreneurship

Start: 01-05-2021 - End: 30-04-2023
Project Reference: 2020-1-IT03-KA227-YOU-020559
EU Grant: 61760 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: Partnerships for Creativity

Project Summary

Non-formal education and learning has an important role to play in responding to youth unemployment. This is because it supports development by helping to transform young peoples’ potential, creativity, talents, initiative and social responsibility, through the acquisition of related knowledge, skills, attitudes and values.

The purpose of youth workers is not to provide jobs but engagement in the wide variety of personal and social development activities that it offers, helps young people to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are frequently said to be needed in the labour market.

In this way youth work contributes to closing the gap between the competences acquired by NEET´s and the needs of the labour market.

The COVID-19 crisis has turned from a global health crisis into a severe economic crisis. The policy responses taken to fight the pandemic have resulted in economic shutdown, leaving millions out of work, with young people, women and less-skilled people worst affected. That is why, this project responds to reality and offers the necessary creativity tools to our NEET to be able to find alternatives for employment and a good way to the development of necessary creaticity skills for life, either professionally or personally, and giving tangible options to develop projects that allow NEET to launch their business idea.

This Erasmus project aims to exchange good practice between partners and train youth workers to support, motivate and address better to NEETs’ needs, namely: the need to break the cycle of isolation/social exclusion; lack of motivation to become an active entrepreneur; lack of self-awareness of their passions/talents and, even, the low self-esteem and lack of key-skills that are required to take an initiative to create their own business. Therefore, the objectives of the project are:

Main objectives:

  • To introduce the concept and potential benefits of social entrepreneurship to youths facing social exclusion due to low skills and unemployment (NEETs).
  • To map and collect information on NEETs situation along with examples of best practices of young entrepreneurs to create a Ebook.
  • To promote the exchange of good practices among partners on social entrepreneurship , strengthening cross-cooperation and a multidisciplinary approach.
  • To professionalize and competence development of youth workers, supporting the acquisition of skills through non-formal and informal educational, to train and guidance NEETs with regard to the necessary skills NEET need in order to compete effectively in the business environment.
  • To support labour market inclusion of European youth not in employment, education or training (NEETs) through a training path that gives knowledge and new creativity entrepreneurial skills.
  • To provide entities with creativity tools and methods to involve NEET´s on social entrepreneurship.
  • To foster quality improvements in youth work, in particular through enhanced cooperation between entities in the youth field and other stakeholders.
  • To raising awareness and motivate the NEETs about entrepreneurship through local awareness activities.

Target group:

  • - Entities
  • - Youth workers
  • - (NEET) youths

Activities:

  • 4 transnational Project meetings
  • 1 Short staff training course C1
  • 5 Workshops focus on NEET and entrepreneurship
  • 1 Ebook of good practice young entrepreneurs
  • 5 Local campaign for dissemination and awareness.

Target Group of the Project:

Coordinator:

  • COMUNE DI POLPENAZZE DEL GARDA - Italy

Partners:

  • Educator, spolek - Czechia
  • Asociación USIT - Spain
  • Arte e Cultura Sociale - Italy
  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
Published in Erasmus
Monday, 25 January 2021 16:07

Digit@l Literacy Portal

Digit@l Literacy Portal

Start: 31-12-2020 - End: 30-12-2022
Project Reference: 2020-1-TR01-KA204-093446
EU Grant: 172480 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Summary

Today's students and adults can text messages, send or receive e-mails, learn what they are curious about instantly, do all kinds of shopping, follow newspapers, watch movies, videos, enjoy music, read electronic books or take notes and write different texts via computers or smartphones. All these developments have made it inevitable for people to have competencies in the field of information and communication technologies. The concept of digital literacy, whose use has become more widespread with European Union policy documents, is also included in Union policy and strategies. Europe 2020 Strategy Document, basically, consists of three main axes. These have been identified as “smart growth” within the scope of an information and innovation based economy. The basis of smart growth strategies is formed of making maximum benefit of information and communication technologies with education, vocational education and lifelong learning priorities.Therefore, new methods and curricula have been developed in terms of training methods to inform stakeholders through effective training, raise their awareness and correct their professional habits. Although there are many studies on these issues, there is no effective source for digital literacy that stakeholders can use to find all the necessary information.

In accordance with the EU 2020 targets and in order to meet these needs, our project aims to create an e-learning platform to provide individuals, who take part in every field of life like social, business and communication such opportunities to access correct and reliable information, analyse, question, evaluate and obtain information and documents and to teach them methods and techniques of digital literacy skills as a requirement of their personal responsibilities.

The target groups of the project were determined as institutions working in the field of information technologies, teachers, academic staff, personnel working in the institutions and the organizations, individuals with disabilities, university students, families and the public.

The project will create a resource on use of digital literacy can coexist. In addition, an E-learning platform will be set up to promote professional development and develop ICT skills in line with the EU 2020 objectives. The training modules will be used primarily for the staff training of the partners, and also for institutions working in the field of information technologies, teachers, academic staff, personnel working in the institutions and the organizations, individuals with disabilities, university students, families and the public in need.

Widely influential organizations from Turkey, Spain, Croatia, UK, Sweden, Greece which have high expertise in their fields and experience in project implementation, have come together for this project. The project outputs will be prepared in in the language of each partner, in English and Turkish Thanks to the wide realm of authority of the partners, they will be used in digital literacy training across 6 countries. Dissemination activities will also be carried out for non-partner countries. The training modules offered on the web platform will serve broadly regardless of the limit.

The aim of this new training model is to; Create a curriculum that will be used for many years, Ensure that ICT Adult Training reaches international standards,Deliver digital literacy adult training to more people via ICT technologies by using less time and fewer resources, Increase ICT skills of digital literacy stakeholders. Establish an easily accessible training resource in digital literacy adult training, Increase adult training and the competences of adult trainers,Establish an information network with institutions from EU member countries, Create a good example for similar works

The nine modules to be prepared within the scope of our project will consist of twelve topics. These are : 1-Digital Literacy and Information Literacy 2- Cyber Security and Digital Footprints 3-Cyberbullying, 4-Technology ,Media Literacy and 21st Century Skills 5-Educational Web Tools 6-Ethical Use of Digital Resources 7-Digital Citizenship8- MOOCs and Free Online Learning Platforms 9-Digital Literacy for PWD (People With Disabilities)

The short-term effects of the project;The Digital Literacy stakeholders will meet with the philosophy of lifelong learning,Project will contribute to the improving of digital literacy skills,Internationalization of the participating organizations will be assured,A new training model will be established in digital literacy adult training,A new curriculum will be established with international standards for digital literacy adult training,ICT stakeholders will be able to reach the accurate information easily.

The long-term effects of the project;The project will be a good example for similar works,it will contribute to gain digital literacy skills, and to improving digital literacy skills more consciously,to the widespread use of ICT.

Target Group of the Project:

Coordinator:

  • Bilecik Valiligi - Turkey

Partners:

  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
  • INERCIA DIGITAL SL - Spain
  • Be - Creative association - Sweden
  • BILECIK IL MILLI EGITIM MUDURLUGU - Turkey
  • Agencija za ruralni razvoj Zadarske zupanije - Croatia
  • BILECIK UNIVERSITESI - Turkey
  • UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER
Published in Erasmus
Monday, 25 January 2021 15:06

Vegan Food

Vegan Food

Start: 31-12-2020 - End: 30-12-2022
Project Reference: 2020-1-TR01-KA202-094129
EU Grant: 93315 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Summary

Our school is Kadıköy Abdülhamid Han VET High School, which is located in Efeler district of Aydın. Our school has Food and Beverage Services and Accommodation and Travel Services areas. Due to the fact that our school was newly opened, it has deficiencies as infrastructure, promotion, equipment, workshops etc. Our school continues its way by analyzing the tourism potential and needs of the environment. Our students receive vocational theoretical training in our school for 6 months and begin their internship for next 6 months. At the end of 4 years, the owner of the workplace certificate graduates as an international professional. In this educational journey, we have a staff who are open to learning, expert in their fields, innovative administrators and teachers. Our staff provides training to 200 students.

Our students are family children whose economic status is below the minimum wage. Dispersed families are prone to dropout due to economic difficulties and failure. The best part of our students is that they want this profession voluntarily. With the aim of contributing to international tourism, keeping up with innovations and eliminating prejudices, we decided to research the Vegan Nutrition System, which takes its place among 21st century nutrition trends, with young people who are passionate about this profession.

Veganism is a way of life that opposes the exploitation and use of animals. Vegan diet has increased by 350% in the past 10 years with the effect of religion and lifestyle. 17% of the population of the Netherlands stated that it reduced vegan consumption and 25% of the meat consumption. These statistics are followed by Greece and the United Kingdom as fastest growing countries. It has been determined that 59% of the European population are also doing research on this diet.

However, the food and beverage industry could not complete its preparations. International staff trained as experts in many fields of food and beverage services fall short in Vegan cuisine. Varieties and presentations of plant-based foods need to be increased. Seeing this gap in the industry, we want our students to be informed about vegan nutrition, to learn new products, to overcome their prejudices arising from religion or lifestyle, to experience vegan guest behavior and service and to get a new module.

A boutique restaurant with our partners Finland, Greece, Ireland; Preparation and presentation of soups, main meals, snacks, appetizers, pastries, breakfasts, desserts, yoghurts, cheeses, etc, and preparing a common menu constitute the main basis of our project. An E-learning platform where we can publish our common vegan restaurant menus, recipes and works, which are the products of many cultures prepared, will be created. All the knowledge and experience gained will be brought together into a digital vegan module. Awareness will be raised on a significant shortcoming of our curriculum.

The prejudices of our students who are involved in this experience in vegan nutrition will disappear. Respect for human rights, personal preferences, religions and self-confidence will increase. Their innovative knowledge flow in a little-known diet will increase their belonging to the school, which will bring along success. The increase of their professional knowledge will enable them to love their jobs and become the sought-after employees in the sector. Increasing added values will also increase their employment in direct proportion. Our good cooperation with the industry will turn into perfection. The industry will take its share from this benefit aswell. There will not be any more shortage of international staff. Students who provide internship and employment will transfer the information they have learned from their source and make the hotels, restaurants etc. enterprises preferred. The spirit of entrepreneurship will develop. Guests who are vegan will receive service without prejudice and in accordance with their system.

Our school will contribute highly to the catering curriculum by learning a new nutrition trend from its source. Our digital vegan module, which includes vegan restaurant menus prepared with our partners, will be delivered to all VET High School teachers and students in our country from the e-mail of the MNE, General Directorate of VET. We will open stands in the first and only vegan festival “VegFest” which is made in Turkey's Aydin province Didim district, presenting our project site promotions and intellectual outputs that will meet with visitors. The results and outputs of our project will be shared with E-Learning platform, modules and menus in Aydın, food and beverage establishments, schools providing education in this field, meb managers, institution managers, seminars, promotion and workshops. These works will be carried out in our school and our stakeholder, Aquasis Deluxe Resort & Spa Hotel. A wide audience will be reached all over the world by encouraging the unlimited use of the E-learning platform.

Target Group of the Project:

Coordinator:

  • Kadikoy Abdulhamid Han Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi - Turkey

Partners:

  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
  • OLEMISEN BALANSSIA RY - Finland
  • MOMENTUM MARKETING SERVICES LIMITED - Ireland
Published in Erasmus

Social Entrepreneurship for Community Empowerment

Start: 01-09-2020 - End: 31-08-2022
Project Reference: 2020-1-UK01-KA204-078880
EU Grant: 266694 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Summary

The imperative of Social Entrepreneurship is to drive social change, and it is that potential payoff, with its lasting, transformational benefit to society, that sets the field and its practitioners apart from other ventures. It is an approach in which individuals or groups develop, fund and implement solutions to social, cultural, or environmental issues.

Social entrepreneurship can contribute significantly towards achieving the objective of the Europe 2020 strategy: building smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, by fostering employment and social cohesion and it can also contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The Social Economy in the EU is made up of 2 million enterprises, representing 10% of all European enterprises, and employ over 14 million paid employees (the equivalent of 6.5% of the working population in the EU). Each country has different approaches, and takes different pathways towards social entrepreneurship.

Social enterprises create jobs, provide socially innovative services and goods, facilitate social inclusion and promote a more sustainable economy. Social enterprises also tend to be better integrated within the communities they serve and where their social impact is felt.

Despite its growing importance, there is a paucity of Adult Educators with the competence to support its uptake, particularly amongst low-skilled and low-qualified adults; and a lack of high quality learning materials on social enterprise for them to use.

In preparing for this project, our partnership undertook a survey using Google forms across the 6 partner countries (UK, Spain, Greece, Lithuania, Austria and Turkey) with a total sample of 292 social entrepreneurs/unemployed adults, in order to better understand the needs and expectations our target groups. The survey asked about knowledge and skill requirements for social entrepreneurship. 71% of respondents identified an urgent need for training/learning processes to develop the skills and competences needed for effective social entrepreneurship, 14% of adults said they don't need any support, and 15% of adults were unsure. Based on the results of this survey and our desk research, we identified a clear need for the provision of innovative developmental support for adults aspiring to become social entrepreneurs.

Although we appreciate that the potential benefits offered by social entrepreneurship are clear to many, the actual definition of what social entrepreneurs do to drive social change is less clear. Education plays a significant role in developing positive attitudes towards social entrepreneurship and can help to foster understanding of its specific functioning and role in society. Indeed, through education, people can learn how social enterprises work and contribute both to social and economic outcomes.

The project is designed to create innovative open source training interventions and materials that integrate tools and methods for developing effective social entrepreneurship primarily through self-employment.

Its purpose is to provide a learning model and high quality learning materials for use by adult educators working with aspiring social entrepreneurs in order to contribute to the success of their social enterprises.

Our main objective is to enhance the employability of adults and their position in the labour market, developing their competencies and skills for social entrepreneurship through digital tools and game based learning.

The project aims are to:

  • Raise awareness of social entrepreneurship among adults and promote its concepts in self-employment
  • Offer Adult Educators new approaches to the development of social entrepreneurship competence, including through provision of practical resources: a training manual, MOOC, digital tools and a board game, that focus on the development of the soft skills essential for the formation of an entrepreneurial mindset
  • Support adult educators, trainers and other experts in gaining the specific competence required for the provision of high quality education in social entrepreneurship for adults

The 6 experienced project partners will deliver a learning model and high quality learning materials for use by adult educators with aspiring and new social entrepreneurs. It will produce the following tangible outputs:

  • 1 Training Manual for Adult Educators working with social entrepreneurs (teaching materials, lesson plans, practical tools)
  • 1 MOOC: Social Entrepreneurship Education for Social Entrepreneurs.
  • 1 Board Game for Social Entrepreneurs
  • 6 Local Training Interventions (150 aspiring social entrepreneurs)
  • 6 Local Piloting and Evaluation Reports
  • 6 Multiplier Events

The project will add value to the social entrepreneurship model for each partner country. In the project, our objectives are raising awareness in social entrepreneurship, providing support to the social enterprises and potential social entrepreneurs through the innovative tools.

Target Group of the Project: Educators / parents

Coordinator:

  • APRICOT TRAINING MANAGEMENT LTD - United Kingdom

Partners:

  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
  • INSTALOFI LEVANTE SL - Spain
  • VIENNA ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATION VOLUNTEERS - Austria
  • EUROPOS SOCIALINIS VERSLUMO UGDYMO IR INOVATYVIU STUDIJU INSTITUTAS - Lithuania
  • Aydin Valiligi - Turkey
Published in Erasmus
Monday, 18 January 2021 10:41

no-man-no-woman-just-human

No Man No Woman Just Human

Start: 31-12-2020 - End: 30-12-2022
Project Reference: 2020-1-NO01-KA201-076451
EU Grant: 181405 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action Type: trategic Partnerships for school education

Project Summary

First prerequisite to ensure equal opportunities for both boys and girls is to ensure equal opportunities in education. Therefore gender equality in education has utmost importance to provide equal rights and opportunities for everyone regardless of gender. Education and training have a major importance in securing gender equality in society. Ensuring the gender equality in education is a necessary duty for all of us . The basic feature of the principle of gender mainstreaming has been defined by the EU as“The systematic consideration of the differences between the conditions, situations and needs of women and men in all Community policies and actions: this is the basic feature of the principle of “mainstreaming” which the Commission has adopted. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is convinced that the most effective way to promote gender equality is through education. This is why it adopted Recommendation CM/Rec (2007) 13 on gender mainstreaming in education, in 2007. This recommendation encourages the governments of member states to incorporate the gender perspective at all levels of the educational system - through legislation and in practice - so as to promote among young people the values of justice and participation necessary for the building of a society which guarantees true gender equality, both in the private and the public spheres. Gender equality in education, however, has many limitations and meets with various obstacles. These obstacles come from the cultural codes both in society and in schools. Even today there are limitations especially for girls for what they can do or can’t do as a woman beginning from the top of the system to the bottom. Gender issues must therefore be mainstreamed throughout educational planning – from infrastructure planning to material development to pedagogical processes. We believe that the full and equal engagement of women is crucial to ensuring a sustainable future. It appears that to achieve a holistic approach to gender equality also gender sensitive curriculum and education materials, teaching methods and techniques must be developed.

Because of this, the main priority is to train teachers, for a better gender sensitive approach. Subject of the Project: To be able to develop and contribute to studies on Social Gender Equality by providing supportive tools through education. In this sense, the project first aims to raise awareness of the educators and then to the students and parents in their sphere of influence. Purpose of the Project: General purpose of the project, to contribute to the supporting of Social Gender Equality. Purpose of the Project: Purpose of this Project, To educate methodologically educators working in formal and non-formal education and to create training modules which support gender equality that educators can apply to their age groups.

Objectives of the Project:

  • to create a network for trainers who will work on gender equality education and persons who have a multiplier effect.
  • To train a large number of trainers by creating training packages for educators.
  • To raise awareness and disseminate Gender equality at formal and non-formal education.
  • to strengthen individuals in social life in preventing gender inequality
  • to strengthen families and multiplier effect by improving the skills and expertise of educators and people in formal and non-formal education
  • develop and implement educational approaches, activities and resources applicable to both formal and non-formal education
  • recognize and disseminate the values of the European Union to strengthen democratic participation through education

Target Group of the Project: Educators / parents

Coordinator:

  • APrios Vest AS - Norway

Partners:

  • ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS - Greece
  • Associació Meraki Projectes de València - Spain
  • MOBILIZING EXPERTISE AB - Sweden
  • Anamur ilce Milli Egitim Mudurlugu - Turkey
Published in Erasmus
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