Context/background of the project:The field of social inclusion of people with vulnerabilities represents a difficult and articulated field of work per se. In particular, in recent years, also as a result of the economic crisis, the new migratory flows, and the increasingly rapid changes our multicultural societies face, social workers and organizations active on this topic are going through a phase of even greater difficulty.The specific changes related to the field of work, digitalization and the technological revolution prevailing in recent years, have further weakened the capacity of the sector, often only indirectly and passively involved in the digital revolution.Objectives:Taking these two elements into consideration, the ELASTIC Project (Exchange and Learning for Adult Social Workers: Training ICT Competences) aims to support and improve the digital skills of social workers and organizations active in the sector.Improving communication flows, providing effective digital tools and improving the effectiveness of their intervention are the strategic objectives of the project.Number and type/profile of participants and description of undertaken activities:The partnership included 10 organizations, from 5 European countries (Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium).•4 Service providers in the field of social inclusion;•4 European or national NGO networks;•1 Training institution;•1 University.The participants in the project activities were (21 in total):•Adult social workers directly active in the social inclusion of vulnerable people (homeless, migrants, other minorities, etc.);•Managers involved in service management;•Other staff involved in administrative and communication related tasks.The project implemented 3 training and mutual exchange events, during which the participants were able to learn good practices, new tools, successful projects related to the use of ICT in the field of social inclusion. At the same time, exchange visits were carried out between the partners in order to further improve the content of the exchanges.Results and Impact:1.Participants have visited and exchanged practices with organizations active in their same field but in different countries with different political, social and life conditions, they have observed ad tested how different solutions could meet their same work-related tasks;2.Participants apply the acquired knowledge to their own original methodologies and practices to contribute to the redefinition of their organizations and the welfare system;3.Knowledge on new digital tools has been acquired and their use is more widespread inside the involved organizations;4.Participant organizations have a different and more open approach to digital systems and tools to exchange and manage information, communicate and work in teams;5.Strong partnerships among European participant organization have been built;Main result: •Enhanced digital skills and ICT tools use in social work organizations and their operators and, in general, their networks and collaborations. Impact: On Participants and Partners organizations:•Increased use of ICT tools learned during ELASTIC;•Better and more effective information exchange and systematization of the communication flows;•Strengthened communication among their local networks;•Strengthened efficacy of their intervention.IMPACT on the CONTEXT and STAKEHOLDERS•Support to social inclusion of vulnerable people;•Enhanced efficacy social inclusion service provision management by Public Entities, NGO and Public Bodies;

Recent reports indicate an increase in mental health problems among the general EU population in recent years. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and public organisations are particularly vulnerable as they have often scarce knowledge and resources to effectively manage workers’ mental health and wellbeing. The general aim of the H-WORK project is to design, implement and validate effective multi-level assessment and intervention toolkits providing new products and services to promote mental health in public organisations and SMEs, evaluate individual and organisational outcomes of the adopted measures, and provide recommendations for employers, occupational health professionals and policymakers. The project aims to design, implement and exploit an integrated toolkit (H-TOOLS) which will provide managers and CEOs to effectively assess organisational psychosocial risk (HAT), implement the most appropriate interventions (HIT), and evaluate individual and organisational outcomes of the adopted measures (HET). Implementation of the H-WORK Toolkits will occur in ten intervention sites across five European countries, including five public organisations (healthcare, higher education, governmental) and five SMEs. Moreover, the data and experience generated during the implementation process will allow for development of further H-WORK products and services. Specifically, H-WORK will design, test and deploy the H-WORK Innovation Platform which will include novel digital services such as Benchmarking Calculator and Decision Support System that will facilitate the spread and uptake of the H-WORK solutions across Europe, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the project outcomes. The H-WORK project will significantly contribute to coordinated strategies for occupational health and safety and will foster health, social and economic prosperity in the EU.

The ENABLE project “From Culture of Caring to Culture of Enabling: Co-produce Services for People with Intellectul Disability” will be developed through the implementation of a co-production framework and related methodology and will, as an outcome, develop an Inclusive Training/Learning Platform on how to co-design, co-deliver and co-evaluate services for people with ID together with: services users, families, professionals in disability and local community representatives. ENABLE considers the current model of top-down delivery of social services throughout the EU Member States to be endangered through the impact of austerity measures on financial sustainability and through being a model predicated on the belief that professionals need to take care of the most vulnerable in society and consequently creating a dependency culture of passive consumers and a “them and us” culture between service providers and service consumers. The co-production approach abandons the traditional deficit model and its focuses on defining and meeting needs of passive recipients in order to provide opportunities for personal growth and development of people who are recognised in terms of their personal attributes, knowledge and experience and are treated as assets and equal partners. The ENABLE project through the development of the Inclusive/training Platform will improve and extend the offer of high quality learning opportunities tailored to individual adult learners, and will include innovative ways of delivery through high quality inclusive digital and face to face training with the aim to offer new and innovative approaches to knowledge transfer and reduce disparities in learning outcomes affecting disadvantaged learners. The methodology of co-production will be implemented through the creation of Assemblies-Focus groups that will bring together a variety of stakeholders. The Assemblies dwill be comprised of 10 participants ( 4 service users, 2 family members, 1 manager, 2 social assistants and 1 local community representative). ENABLE is innovative in the following way: • ENABLE implements an innovative methodology to address target groups and build reciprocal relationships between professionals services users and other stakeholders • ENABLE brings innovation in social services design and delivery through blurring/eliminating the distinction between producers and consumers in social services • ENABLE provides innovative approaches to increasing the awareness and competences of professionals on issues of equity, diversity and inclusion challenges in the training environment • ENABLE brings innovation in knowledge production and knowledge transfer with the aim to reduce learning disparities for disadvantaged groups; ENABLE will - Plan and deliver services together with users, families, communities in order to improve the quality of life of people with ID - Enable service users; families (and communities) to be equal partners within the planning and delivery of services - enhancing self-determination of the user - Provide opportunities for personal growth and development to users with ID, so that they are seen as assets, not burdens on a system.- Ensure organizational commitment, creating the “culture” of coproduction in partner organisations - Promote inclusive learning and training materials for users, families and professionals Regarding the benefit to service users from this project: ENABLE will directly and indirectly contribute to better fulfilment of the following rights enshrined in the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities - Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one’s own choices, and independence of persons; (art 3 a- General Principals Art 3 UN CRPD )- Full and effective participation and inclusion in society ( art 3 c)- Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity (Art 3 (d))- Will promote recognition of the skills, merits and abilities of persons with disabilities, and of their contributions to the workplace and the labour market ( Raising awareness Art 8 (iii) UN CRPD - Will promote the design, development, production and distribution of accessible information and communications ( Accessibility of Information art 9 UN CRPD)- Provide information disabilities in accessible formats and technologies appropriate to different kinds of disabilities (Freedom of expression and opinion and access of information art 21 UN CRPD )- Ensure that persons with disabilities are able to access, vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning without discrimination and on an equal basis with (art 24 UN CRPD education)ENABLE strongly believes that the co-production in social service design and provision in EU could represent a unique opportunity to rethink the relationship between the citizen and the state, and invest in ENABLING societies.

"If you want to participate as a fully-fledged citizen now and in the future, and also want to be successful in the (future) labor market, then digital skills are an absolute precondition, in addition to language and reading skills. The DESI Index 2020, provided by the European Commission, reports that only 58% of Europeans have at least basic digital skills (meaning 42% don’t even have basic skills), despite the fact that the job market demand for ICT and digital competences is growing. Therefore, children must acquire these skills from an early age. This applies not only to basic ICT skills, but also to competences referencing the conscious and critical use of digital technology. Unfortunately, also here a additional social divide is looming. Research shows that the skills indicators are strongly influenced by socio-demographic factors. Therefor COLIBLITE was aimed at multicultural- and low-income areas and families. Children from these families often have no personal and suitable digital devices, and their parents often have low education, insufficient digital skills and insufficient financial resources to support their children in their (educational) online environment. This causes problems not only concerning bullying and filter bubbles, but also regarding difficulties in their studies and in their future careers. This required combined educational efforts in- and outside school as well as at home. Of all the educators around children and youngsters: schools, libraries, community centers, sports clubs and parents groups. However, during year 1 of the project, COLIBLITE national and local research showed that not only parents, but also many educational professionals often do not have the basic digital skills and competences needed to support their children and students in their online world. In order to promote and teach the necessary digital citizenship skills to children and youngsters, COLIBLITE developed and coordinated neighborhood approaches, methodologies and actions. This involved schools, libraries, youth work, community centers and parents from an MLF background. They focused on building so called ""educational triangles"" consisting of a school, a library, a social organization or community center and, preferably, a parents’ group. Libraries had a central role in the project. In year 2 each participating educational partner was made ”digitally literate” in terms of policies, skills and competences of the staff. After this the cooperation between staff of the partners organizations was improved by organizing joined meetings, training and by the exchange of knowledge between educational professionals. In parallel learning materials were developed for inside and outside school lessons and activities. Also parent information events took place. Development of lesson plans and outside activities were based on co-creation by using existing free (online) materials and experiences from elsewhere. In addition teachers were supported in and outside school by media coaches. After the transnational evaluation in year 2, the local COLIBLITE activities were deepened and/or extended and disseminated by creating new educational triangles in other neighborhoods and with other schools. COLIBLITE partners also made efforts to make the COLIBLITE approach part of school-, library and municipal policies. Unfortunately COVID made it, because of the lock downs, almost impossible to organize final conferences and to evaluate certain activities with partners form the educational triangles. During the 3-year project period 3091 children, 500 educational professionals and 250 parents were involved in the COLIBLITE activities. National partners aimed at different age groups and had to work in quite different educational environments. However each national partner worked based on the transnationally agreed principles and competence- and skills schemes. Transnational discussion took place in annual conferences and regular webinars.Final COLIBLITE products(1) 4 national research reports on national digital literacy policies for schools, libraries and youth work.(2) 4 local action plans, based on findings during and conclusions of national research as base for the local educational triangles.(3) Several lesson plans on training of professionals, schoolprograms for children and training of cyber parents(4) Transnational online toolkit with tips, tricks and examples of good practice.IMPACT(1)All COLIBLITE partners created a digital literacy agenda in their organization. (2) The COLIBLITE methodologies have been implemented and disseminated. The teachers now work together and with other ""external"" collogues to find the best practices of introducing the digital approach in their learning methodologies. There is also more cooperation and mutual support in executing and connection activities for children and parents in and outside school(time).(3) During the COVID lockdowns many of the COLIBLITE objectives were put in practice and the lack of competences with educational professionals and the absence of digital devices in low income families became acutely apparent during the processes of distance learning.(4) COLIBLITE methodologies proved to be key to solve problems and to make educational professionals and organistions aware of the need of sustainable policies and cooperation. (5) The trainings with the parents and the teachers have improved their understanding of certain digital competencies that were only mentioned during the community building workshops."

<< Background >>The urgent need to enhance the digital skills of both teachers and learners has been widely identified and it is even more vital in the COVID-19 situation.National and European policies acknowledge the need to equip all citizens with the necessary competences to use digital technologies critically and creatively. The European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp), which was updated in 2016/17, responds to this need, by providing a structure which allows European citizens to better understand what it means to be digitally competent and to assess and further develop their own digital competence.Digital skills have moved from ‘optional’ to ‘critical’ and need to be complemented with transversal ‘soft skills’ such as the ability to communicate effectively in both online and offline mediums. Entry-level digital skills, meaning basic functional skills required to make basic use of digital devices and online applications, are widely considered a critical component of a new set of literacy skills in the digital era, with traditional reading, writing, and numeracy skills.The indirect target groups (disabled and people in vulnerable situations) that the consortium organisations work with, are in danger of being excluded from the society also due to the lack of sufficient digital skills. The project aims at developing and enhancing the basic digital skills of the teaching staff (DigiComp skills for everybody). The project wants to enhance our teaching staff’s proficiency especially in the areas of digital resources, teaching and learning and empowering learners. Digi Teachers Working Online project aims actively at equipping teaching staff engaged in special education with digital skills they can utilize when teaching and instructing the disabled (secondary) target groups both online and face-to-face.<< Objectives >>The expected impact will vary according to the categories of actors involved in the action- participants will gain a wide and valuable knowledge to improve and enhance their digital skills and competences with a strong link to pedagogy.- participating organisations will gain new digital and pedagogical methods to benefit the students and enhance the quality of online learning and teaching. Organisations will get new tools, ideas and practices. The level of competence on the organisational level will increase.- the project will impact the indirect target group’s possibilities to develop and enhance their key competences of lifelong learning. Their learning will get recognition and validated.- other relevant stakeholders will get new ideas and concrete tools to utilise digital tools and methods in various environments, for example, with their clients. They also see the importance of mastering at least some of digital skills in order to better manage in society.<< Implementation >>The concept of the project is to create and test new digital training content and methods to develop digital key competences of VET teaching staff working with students with special needs or in otherwise vulnerable positions. The structure of the project builds on the surveys that are done during the design phase of the project and the more profound surveys that will be done in the beginning and in the end phase of the project. The surveys identifies the digital and pedagogical skills that teachers need to improve in their current and future distance learning.The surveys, carried out during the project, provide more detailed information on the level of competence of the teaching staff at the beginning and end of the project (result 1). With this information, we can assess the impact of the outputs developed and implemented in the project, such as syllabus, training material and toolkit, on the development of the competence level of the teaching staff.The pedagogical, digital skills needs are transferred into a training course syllabus (result 2) and the actual online training course (result 3) supported by a model of open badge constellation (R2).During the piloting phase (result 4) the content, usability and quality of the training course is validated. The good practice methods and tools are collected on the way to the Digi teachers toolbox (R5).´The project timeline has been planned meticulously. Each result has been split into tasks that are also placed in the timeline. The consortium is able to follow the progress of each result and the tasks within and quickly address the deviations from the plan. The budget planning is based on the results and the timeline, allocating a realistic amount of working days for each IOand the tasks within.The project has five transnational meetings that are planned so that they contribute to the progress of the project as much as possible. The scheduling of the meetings and the meeting programs have been planned already in the application phase in order to monitor and promote the implementation of the project activities.The Multiplier events have been scheduled to the end of the project in order to have the outputs ready and during that stage we are already starting to see the impact of the project in our organisations that we can pass on to the audience.<< Results >>The digital skills and competences of staff in the participating organisations have improved to be better able to carry out engaging online teaching to enhance the students’ learning experiences.- results for the students: better quality online teaching - results for the students: blended learning- results for the students: individual learning paths The participating organisations have shared good practices, methods and tools working with persons with special needs. They have also created a long-lasting network to develop their activities, to share knowledge and expertise and to work together in both mobility projects and strategic partnership projects. There’s a training module and a model of open badge constellation, both based on the DigCompEdu-framework but also strongly taking into consideration the survey’s results, adjusted to better fit the requirements of special needs education. The training module is built on the principles of competence based learning: all the skills learned are transparent.