The second transnational meeting of the QUALIFY project has taken place in Malaga, Spain from June 26 to June 27, 2018. Several project management issues were discussed, while all important information about the Intellectual Output 2 and Intellectual Output 3 entitled “Innovative coaching intervention practices” and “Modern ICT Tools to Support Career Management for Low-Skilled Adults” respectively were explained in detail by the leading organisations. Dissemination was also one aspect of the project which was discussed, while next steps and deadlines were set in order to ensure the successful continuation of the project.
Το νέο Ευρωπαϊκό έργο “Empowering you ” που υλοποιεί το CARDET, εστιάζει στην προώθηση της ενεργούς συμμετοχής των νέων στα κοινά και στα καινοτόμα προγράμματα εκπαίδευσης/κατάρτισης/εργασίας για τη νεολαία χωρίς αποκλεισμούς.
Σε μεγάλη έρευνα που έγινε στο πλαίσιο του έργου σε 6 Ευρωπαϊκές χώρες, μεταξύ των οποίων και η Κύπρος, αναδείχθηκε η χρήση πλατφορμών παιχνιδιού ως η πλέον κατάλληλη μεθοδος ενίσχυσης της πολιτικής συμμετοχής των νέων. Η ομάδα υλοποίησης του έργου έχει ήδη δημιουργήσει την αντίστοιχη online πλατφόρμα η οποία θα είναι διαθέσιμη στο ευρύ κοινό τον Οκτώβριο του 2018.
Στον σχεδιασμό της έχουν ληφθεί υπόψη τα κοινά χαρακτηριστικά των πιο επιτυχημένων παιχνιδιών συμμετοχής παγκοσμίως όπως η δημιουργία χαρακτήρων και η επιβράβευση των συμμετεχόντων. Επιπλέον, λόγω των σοβαρών ανησυχιών που εξέφρασαν οι νέοι για την ανεργία, η διαδικτυακή πλατφόρμα EmpoweringYou θα επικεντρωθεί στη σημασία του εθελοντισμού και την ανάπτυξη διαπροσωπικών δεξιοτήτων ώστε να βελτιωθεί σημαντικά η απασχολησιμότητά τους.
Περισσότερες πληροφορίες, προτάσεις και συστάσεις για την ανάπτυξη της διαδικτυακής πλατφόρμας του έργου μπορείτε να βρείτε στο πιο κάτω ενημερωτικό δελτίο.
Το έργο χρηματοδοτείται με την υποστήριξη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και θα διαρκέσει 24 μήνες (Μάρτιος 2017 – Φεβρουάριος 2019). Συντονιστής του έργου είναι η Inova Consultancy (Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο), ενώ οι υπόλοιποι φορείς που συνθέτουν το εταιρικό σχήμα είναι οι εξής: Centre for Advancement of Research and Development in Educational Technology – CARDET (Κύπρος), ΚΜΟΠ (Ελλάδα), Grupul Pentru Integrare Europeana Asociatie – GIE (Ρουμανία), Centro Servizi per il Volontariato delle Marche – CSV MARCHE (Ιταλία), Asociacion de Personas Participantes – AGORA (Ισπανία).
Developing digital and social competences is an important goal for the European Union and for the effective integration of migrants and refugees in a society. Within the frames of the DiSoCi project, the partners have developed a training package for the development of digital and social skills, through which migrants and refugees will be able to support their integration.
CARDET has organized a multiplier event to disseminate the results of the project. The event took place at the Agios Athanasios Municipality, with 17 migrants and refugees. During the event, the project was presented, as well as the website of the project. The purpose of the Multiplier Event was to disseminate and promote the results obtained in the project. There are three Intellectual Outputs from the Project: Assessment model (O1), Study program (O2), and e-repository (O3).
Adult education, as well as issues around integration of migrants and refugees are crucial within the European context. With the increasing numbers of migrants and refugees in Europe, it is critical to have programs that can be used to facilitate their integration. The DiSoCi partners have completed a package with Open Education Resources (OERs) and a study program that they can follow in order to apply training themselves with migrants and refugees.
CARDET has organized a multiplier event to disseminate the results of the project to adult educators. The event took place at the Classic Hotel, with 17 adult educators. During the event, the project was presented, as well as the website of the project, along with a discussion on the value of the package for adult educators and the use of it to enhance digital and social competences that will facilitate the integration of migrants and refugees. There are three Intellectual Outputs from the Project: Assessment model (O1), Study program (O2), and e-repository (O3).
The intellectual project material has been developed for adult educators working with migrants, refugees and diversified groups based on the digital, social and civic competences. The innovation is determined by the complexity of the intellectual outputs: the Assessment Model and the Training Program for adult educators based on Open Education Recourses and integrated into e-Repository. With these outputs the adult educators are entitled to develop their competences necessary working with refugees, migrants and diversified groups. The new learning methods suggest a new role for the adult educator as advisor, counselor, and facilitator. The intellectual outputs may be applicable not only in the field of non-formal adult education, but also in formal vocational and higher education training adult educators.
CARDET has implemented the DiSoCi program with adult educators in Cyprus. During the implementation, participants had the opportunity to look at the website, go through the assessment tool and its questions, and brainstorm through a group activity on several matters related with migrants and also adult educators. They also read and discussed the OERs and expressed their opinion on the importance of developing digital and social competence skills.
The training program is open and accessible to anyone interested through project’s website
One of the DiSoCi aims is to increase the motivation and reduce disparities in the learning outcomes of migrants, refugees and other diversified groups by suggesting digital e-Repository of Open Educational Recourses (OER) for development of their competences in the following areas:
Promoting of Social Entrepreneurship
Promoting Gender Equality and Diversity in order to Protect Human Rights of Migrants and Refugees
Promoting Personal Development
Empowerment of Integration of Migrants to the Labor Market
CARDET has implemented the DiSoCi program with migrants, refugees and disadvantaged people, at the Agios Dometios Municipality. Participants have had an opportunity to look into the materials and especially the OERs, which they found to be particularly interesting and useful. Special emphasis was given on the OERs for “Promoting Social Entrepreneurship”, which was said to be a valuable resource for integration and development.
The keynote speech synthesized lessons learned from more than 20 years of research and development in the areas of digital learning. The use of games, social media, and online tools is opening opportunities to both learners and teachers. The emphasis was on the role of digital tools for revisiting how we teach and learn, and the potential for transforming education practices. Projects presented and discussed addressed issues such as gamification, storytelling, social media, and digital citizenship, providing recommendations for both researchers and practitioners.
Organization of a focus group to explore the social inclusion status of young people within the local community in Cyprus
Within the framework of the Soci@ll project (Whole School Social Labs), CARDET and the Municipality of Agios Athanasios organized a focus group on June 2018.
The purpose of the focus group was:
to gain insights on participants’ perspective into issues relevant with social inclusion;
to define the current inclusive and participatory practices in projects/programs/initiatives at different levels (local, regional and national levels);
to collect suggestions/views/expectations on how to make positive future changes for inclusive systems inside and around schools.
The focus group was attended by 18 representatives of various organizations working in the field of social inclusion. The focus group was split into 3 main sessions as follows:
Session 1: Exploring social inclusion (challenges, stereotypes, bullying)
Session 2: Social inclusion in practice (best practices, inclusion programs, multiculturalism, human rights, vulnerable groups)
Session 3: The use of technology in schools and community as a means of integration and social inclusion.
Participants reflected many challenges towards the social integration of young people along with many obstacles facing due to lack of information in schools, lack of capacity building and experience in handling such a sensitive matter. In addition, many good practices and efforts relevant to the integration were noted. One of the key findings of this focus group was that there is the need for equal opportunities to all young people as well as to introduce new practices and opportunities both for schools and the community.
Should you are a stakeholder currently working in the field of youth and you are interested to learn more and participate in the program’s activities please contact us at kyriaki.yiakoupi@cardet.org.
