During the last years, a strategic and intersectoral partnership of 6 entities (REDTREE, ASOCIACIÓN DE JÓVENES MUSULMANES EN VALENCIA, GIOVANNI MUSULMANI ITALIA, SMALLCODES, EUROPEAN LANGUAGE EQUALITY NETWORK and GRETA DU VELAY) concerned for social inclusion and education has developed the project “VIRTUAL INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR ADULT PEOPLE: VOLUNTEERS AND REFUGEES”, with the objective of developing an impactful educational tool capable of not only achieveing the objectives proposed in the official curriculum, but also of increasing the interest of the students and improving their living conditions.Adult education and training are often hampered by the lack of clear and stimulating goals for these students; this happens either because it is not adapted to the real needs of students, or because it has no practical consequences for their daily lives.This is why VIVAR has been created: an e-learning platform capable of promoting an effective learning for adult persons, thanks on the one hand to the exclusive programming of the platform, which is able to identify the previous knowledge of the users and adapt its contents to them, and on the other hand because it seeks to solve real and daily needs of the users.In order to achieve this, VIVAR promotes the education of adults through volunteer work with migrant persons. Volunteer social service can be the activity that encourages adults to improve their education, and it opens up job opportunities in the 3rd sector. With the collaboration between social organizations that work specifically on these issues and adult education centers, a practical educational process has been created to allow adult users to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for volunteering (from the development of basic skills, basic knowledge of English and Arabic, and digital skills). These contents have been created in close collaboration with migrants and refugees, one of the beneficiary groups of the volunteer activity.But this project also directly promotes the inclusion of migrant and refugee persons, offering them the tools for their integration through an e-learning platform that adapts to their specific needs, in their native languages, which develops not only their basic skils, but also provides the necessary guidelines and knowledge for their inclusion in Europe. These contents have also been developed in close collaboration with migrants and refugees, and with experts in the field of volunteering.Thus, the VIVAR platform proposes an intelligent virtual and telematic learning system, capable of defining the user profile (their previous knowledge, languages, needs...) and creating personalized learning paths to allow them to volunteer to develop skills (both basic and specific) and certify their learning by allowing NGOs to guide their learning process, in turn becoming tutors of refugees with the support of organizations with experience in education.This system also includes specific educational modules to improve the inclusion of migrants and refugees through the development of their basic skills -reading, writing, math, and digital skills-, certifying their learning in a document endorsed by the partner and collaborating entities.During these years, a sustainable strategic partnership was established that is achieving good results in the fields of education and inclusion, where not only these 6 partner entities are active, but also more and more collaborating entities that are getting new users to use the platform and that more entities benefit from and disseminate this result to enhance the training of volunteers and adults. All of this has been done thanks to the 5 Transnational Meetings held, 1 large Multiplier Event, various dissemination activities among expert multipliers in the beneficiary groups, various national activities for the development of the results, multiple evaluation activities carried out in adult education centers linked to Greta du Velay (France), and 4 pilot tests with each of the beneficiary groups.In short, we have developed an impactful tool with a great future ahead that is being implemented by dozens of European entities (adult education centers, NGOs and companies) and has currently issued more than 80 certificates that have allowed these adult students to improve their educational training, qualify for higher degrees, facilitate their inclusion, and offer new avenues for their socialization.

The regulatory changes which led to the liberalization of the EU Postal Market and increased competition in the provision of high-quality and diversified mail, parcel and financial services have led postal operators:a) to adapt to a customer-oriented model aiming at providing positive customer experience and attaining high quality of service.b) to focus on the development of human resources, by transforming traditional skills and knowledge into new, enhanced competencies.The projects’ overall objective is the provision of an attractive and modern training framework aiming at:- highlighting the necessity for recognition of skills, knowledge and competencies in customer service operations (sub objective 1)- enhancing and certifies employees’ professional assets and thus safeguarding their job positions (sub objective 2)- improving the perceived service experience of customers and citizens (sub objective 3)- providing a complete, integrated and configurable training toolkit (sub objective 4)- identifying ways for generalization of project outcomes to relevant sectors (sub objective 5)The project brings together ten partners from six sectors and six countries:- E-Learning systems developer (GR): project leader- e-learning expert - Postal Operators (GR,CY,RO): source for the identification of training needs, target group of beneficiaries- VET institutions (GR,FR): development of professional training programs- HR and business experts (PT,GR): consultation on human-centric orientation of the developed scenarios and experiential training, business continuity aspects- Certification body (GR): certification-related tasks (i.e. certification system, tools, methodologies)- NGO (LV): consultancy in the field of training and competence building Key activitiesThe project evolved through a coherent set of activities, corresponding to relevant expected project outputs:- Research on training needs for customer service (Research tools and methodologies, Training needs for customer service – Research results)- Training curricula for customer service (Development of Curricula, Development of Certification System)- Training Toolkit for customer service (Webinars for knowledge refresh, Training Scenarios, Experiential training)- 3D-based training system for customer service (3D game system with certification level, Evaluation toolkit)The training and certification system were applied in the Postal Operators through the following 3 interdependent Activities:- Experiential training- Webinar for refresh of knowledge - Scenario-based training in 3D environmentFinally, a set of activities have been planned to increase multiplying effects of the project outcomes:- Project launching conference for external interested parties (companies, governmental bodies, institutions, trade unions etc.) - Progress overview conference aiming at collecting feedback from stakeholders- Certification Ceremonies (RO,CY,GR) aiming at motivating postal employees for further participation- Project closure conference, which has central role in the dissemination activities plan and is expected to bring multiplication effects. - e-Workshops Methodology:- Analysis of training needs (literature research, original research (questionnaires, interviews) and group decision making sessions based on Nominal Group Technique). Results were analyzed with the use of formal qualitative and quantitative statistical techniques.- Development of training curricula: The experts adapted the generic training material to specific postal employees’ training needs, they identified potential gaps in the literature and developed new material. The certification method complies with ISO and ECVET standards. - Development of training toolkit. The design of: (a) training scenarios based on KEK ELTA’s Competencies Workbooks methodologies, (b) webinars for knowledge “refresh” and guidance exploiting e-learning authoring and multimedia tools through a prototyping approach and (c) experiential learning scenarios for experimental or control groups - 3D learning environment. Simulation of a post office workplace, multiple participants as avatars, predefined role playing educational scenarios. Dissemination strategy aims at communicating the project results to the widest possible reach through various channels. The project had high impact initially at national level and in particular in the participating countries. More than 500 Post Office employees in 3 different EU Countries participated in the first launch of the program (GR/CY/RO).The outcomes was also diffused to other EU countries and the impact is expected to be realized in several other external stakeholders and training professionals capitalizing on:- the architecture, the methodology and the applications developed- the potential of self-assessment of desirable competencies - the utilisation of the properties of the 3D serious games.

<< Background >>General statistics indicate that 47% of adult prisoners report holding no qualifications, 42% having been permanently excluded from school (i.e., educational failure), and 13% stating never been employed (Coates, 2016). On average, prisoners are likely to be under-educated and lack educational skills (Davis et al., 2014). Most correctional facilities are unaware of prisoners with learning disabilities and difficulties (an estimation between 20% to 30%, or at worst cases reaching 52%) (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2009). The participation willingness in educational programmes inside prison is problematic, given that the majority of European countries register a participation rate below 25% (Hawley, Murphy & Souto-Otero, 2013).The Vocational Education and Training (VET) programmes “are designed to teach prisoners about general employment skills or skills needed for specific jobs and industries.” (Davis et al., 2014), and its implementation has had a positive impact on reoffending likelihood. A 43% lower recidivism rate was reported due to the prisoner’s participation in VET programmes compared with those who did not participate. Furthermore, prisoners who receive vocational and education training have a 13% higher chance to obtain employment post-release than peers who did not (Crabbe, 2016). These findings demonstrate that VET programmes help prisoners gain vocational and educational training qualifications while incarcerated and increase their adherence to these programmes. Prison staff are fundamental bridges between prisoners and the required outcomes of prisoner-oriented VET programmes because they establish daily contact with prisoners. Thus, attention should also be given to prison staff training and learning, providing prisoners assistance to their rehabilitation.Virtual Reality (VR) is one of the latest digital tools generally defined as “an artificial or computer-generated, three-dimensional representation of reality, which is experienced through the senses and which is interactive.” (Van Gelder & Luciano, 2014). The goal of virtual scenarios is to provide the best possible realistic representation of the real world, immersing the user in a sensory system where interaction takes place (Ticknor, 2019a). This technology holds potential in pedagogical settings due to features that improve the learning process (e.g., gamification, multisensory interaction scenarios and real-world visual representations) (Mikropoulos & Natsis, 2011), and users feel motivated to engage in a continued educational context (Monahan, McArdle & Bertolotto, 2008).VR has the potential to be a beneficial integration of prison VET programmes. VR settings may support career and educational training with “real life” scenarios, preparing future ex-prisoners for adversities they may encounter upon release. Thus, the use of VR technology to provide rehabilitation services not only contributes to reducing the prisoner’s apprehensions/anxieties related to society’s challenges (Schultheis & Rizzo, 2001) but also may reduce the likelihood of repeated offences due to an increase developing in employment skills (Ticknor & Tillinghast, 2011). Also, virtual scenarios can be programmed and adapted to specific prisoners’ needs, resulting in a personalized environment intervention that cannot be accessed inside correctional facilities without the use of VR (Kip et al., 2019; Botella et al., 2017).The VISION project aims to mitigate one of the most felt difficulties of prisoners’ post release, which is obtaining rewarding employment. For this purpose, we seek to develop prisoners’ competencies through VET programmes, supported by the application of VR technology. This rehabilitation intervention predicts the achievement of positive outcomes by developing an adequate training programme for educators/trainers which, therefore, will provide the necessary training prisoners need.<< Objectives >>The VISION project aims to mitigate one of the most felt difficulties of prisoners’ post release, which is obtaining rewarding employment. For this purpose, we seek to develop prisoners’ competencies through VET programmes, supported by the application of VR technology. This rehabilitation intervention predicts the achievement of positive outcomes by developing an adequate training programme for educators/trainers which, therefore, will provide the necessary training prisoners need. Consequently, by achieving the proposed goals of the project, we will support prisoner’s in being better prepared to find and retain a job, leading to a successful society reintegration and the avoidance of reincarceration.Specifically, this project aims the following:1.Increase adherence to VET programmes (through the development of different virtual scenarios related with course enrolment and motivation);2.Increase Commitment of prisoners in VET programmes (prisoners’ education and vocational skills development);3.Increase success (prisoners’ preparation for labour market integration, employment post-release, reintegration, and avoidance of reincarceration);4.Improve trainers/educations skills to train prisoners.The VISION project forecasts the engagement of 320 prisoners/professionals/stakeholders in the implementation of the project activities and events. The project result includes several activities in which they will be enrolled to provide inputs to the project result's development and pursue project aims.In the PR1 - Mapping Prisoners Motivation Assessment and Enrolment Strategies - small groups of trainers and prisoners are foreseen to support the PR validation and fine-tuning process.In the PR2 - Enrolment and motivation Virtual Reality resource – a total of 75 trainers/professionals/trainers will contribute to the PR delivery.PR3/PR4 - VR Resource User Manual/ PR4: Train the Trainers (ToT) – the 90 trainers/educators/professionals will participate in the PR piloting, and within the ToT, the VR Resource will be piloted to a group of 150 prisoners.90 trainers/educators/professionals will participate in the PR piloting, and within the ToT, the VR Resource will be piloted to a group of 150 prisoners. On what concerns multiplier events alone, VISION will organise 2 and will gather a total of 180 participants, 15 stakeholders per event and two STJSTE that foresees to collect a total of 26 participants from sending organisations.<< Implementation >>The VISION project follows Erasmus+ structure and foresees five different Working Packages:•WP 1 – Project Management: a transversal set of activities lasting the entire project lifespan and include those to ensure project and risk management, communication and evaluation;•WP 2 – Research & Development: a set of activities that ensure coherent development of the proposed solutions according to the current unmet needs, both national and international and the setup of the prototypes for further piloting experience (PR1 and PR2);•WP 3 – Users’ Guides and Training Manuals: to ensure the proper suitability, usefulness, transferability and accessibility, it will be necessary to develop training manuals, pilot the training, including delivering the prototyped solutions (PR1 and PR2) to end-users (prisoners) and support their transition (PR3 and PR4);•WP 4 – Dissemination and Exploitation: based on the project’s PRs, the VISION partnership will focus on PRs sustainability: embedding on their daily activities and/or delivering knowledge, experience and practices transference actions pursuing project potential mainstreaming.PROJECT RESULTS 1. MAPPING PRISONERS MOTIVATION ASSESSMENT AND ENROLMENT STRATEGIESActivity 01-1: Development of mapping frameworks: motivation assessment and enrolment strategies (brief literature overview)Activity 01-2: Development of data collection design process and roll-outActivity 01-3: Motivation assessment and enrolment strategies online toolPROJECT RESULTS 2. ENROLMENT AND MOTIVATION VIRTUAL REALITY RESOURCEActivity 02-1: Selection VR suitable software for scenarios designActivity 02-2: Selection of VET priorities for scenarios design Activity 02-3: Development of VR scenarios and outcome analysis gridActivity 02-4: Piloting and fine-tuning VR resourcePROJECT RESULTS 3. VR RESOURCE USER MANUALActivity 03-1: Review on VR resource piloting and manual structure designActivity 03-2: Drafting the Manual: definition of requirements, selecting information and co-designing guidelines and instructions Activity 03-3: Piloting with professionals (different from the first pilot)Activity 03-4: Fine-tuning VR resource manualPROJECT RESULTS 4. TRAIN THE TRAINERS (ToT)Activity 04-1: Review pilots from PR2 and PR3 (PR 04-2: Design the ToT)Activity 04-3: Piloting with professionals (same from other PR)Activity 04-4: Fine-tuning ToT programme<< Results >>The project aims to mitigate one of the most felt difficulties of prisoners’ post-release, which is obtaining rewarding employment. For this purpose, we seek to develop prisoners’ competencies through VET programmes, supported by the application of VR technology. This rehabilitation intervention predicts the achievement of positive outcomes by developing an adequate training programme for educators/trainers which, therefore, will provide the necessary training prisoners need.Consequently, by achieving the proposed goals of the project, we will support prisoners in being better prepared to find and retain a job, leading to successful social reintegration and the avoidance of reincarceration.Specifically, the project aims to reach the following results:1. Increase the level of quality and attractiveness (adherence) to VET programmes through the adoption of VR (creating and adapting different virtual scenarios related to course enrolment and motivation);2. Increase retention in VET programmes (i.e., the length of time they are enrolled, as well as their participation willingness, contributing to prisoners’ educational/vocational skills development);3. Increase prisoners’ key competencies and level of success in VET programmes, leading, therefore, to an employability rate increase (i.e., prisoners’ preparation for labour market integration, employment post-release), and to a social/vocational reintegration. With this goal we consequently expect an increasing reincarceration avoidance;4. Developing a training programme for trainers/educators on how to deliver the VR programme (depending on the needs of each individual prisoner) and improve their skills to train prisoners (knowledge transference).Furthermore, we expect to deliver the produced outputs to:- At least 125 prisoner’s potential enrolled in VET programmes, 25 from each country;- At least 90 professionals engaged in VET: trainers, prison educators and other practitioners (e.g., NGOs), 15 from each country; Resource will be piloted to a group of 150 prisoners;- At least 150 stakeholders, being 30 from each country;- Introduce in the activities of 5 VET providers across the 5 participant countries, some of the public and with legal competencies..Project results: PR1 Mapping Prisoners Motivation Assessment and Enrolment Strategies. PR2. Enrolment and Motivation Virtual Reality Resource. PR3. VR Resource User Manual. PR4. Train The Trainers (ToT).The VISION project can be divided into its prisoners, practitioners: trainers, prison educators and professionals from NGO's and relevant stakeholders. VISION looks to promote VET enrolment and success of prisoners, better preparing them for society re-entry.Therefore, the project foresees the following impacts:EXPECTED IMPACT A - increase prisoners enrolment rate in VET opportunities while in prison and increase their motivation and contribute to their adhesion into a lifelong learning mindset.EXPECTED IMPACT B - contribute to decreasing prisoners info exclusion by giving them contact with an edge technology such as Virtual Reality (VR) and empower them to gain control of their future path by enhancing their capacity to visualise what will be their gain by accessing VET opportunities.EXPECTED IMPACT C - enhance the digital competencies of those professionals and stakeholders in the use of VR to support motivational strategies and disadvantaged groups with multiple exclusion factors and barriers.EXPECTED IMPACT D - introduce an edge technology in the major VET providers at National and European levels that increases the capacity for future investment, builds case studies to be shared and use in advocacy processes and builds on towards the digitalisation in a very complex and difficult environment.

"CONTEXT:The project started when all European Countries had already defined their own NFIL validation procedures, as requested by the EU Commission, but the operational measures adopted by each Country were different and, above all, did not take into consideration the possibility of recognizing NFIL in a transnational way. Furthermore, many researches highlighted the inadequate application of these procedures with migrants.GOALS:Obviously, the project could not set itself the objective of modifying institutional practices to guarantee the transnational recognition of NFIL, so the main objective has been defined and summarized as follows: to increase the level of transparency in the process of recognition of skills and qualifications in a transnational context in order to facilitate learning, employability and labor mobility for migrants.NUMBER AND TYPE / PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTSThe project was addressed to two main categories of stakeholders:a) DIRECT STAKEHOLDERS: The main stakeholders, (who have an important role to play in facilitating the opportunities for NFIL recognition and in managing all validation processes) were national organizations and operators involved in the process of recognition of professional qualifications and in the assessment and certification of learning outcomes, employment services, education and training providers, civil society organizations. b) Indirect TARGET: the work aimed to provide support for the recognition of NFIL to ""traditional"" migrants from EU and non-EU countries but also to a relatively little taken into consideration category, INTRA-EU migration, which today it represents over 50% of the migrants within European countriesREALIZED ACTIVITIESIn addition to the usual activities foreseen by each KA2 project (management, transnational meetings, dissemination ...) there are activities related to the 4 Intellectual Outputs provided:• A research on the state of the art of NFIL recognition (in particular on migrant targets), a constantly evolving situation;• A study on how to identify correspondences between similar professional qualifications acquired in different Countries, through the reference to ESCO as a repertoire of professionals recognized at European level;• The creation of an online database aimed to facilitate the identification of which skills can be recognized in a Country different between the one in which they were acquired;• A methodology and training tools aimed to assist people in defining their own migration project which also includes the possible recognition of NFIL abroad.RESULTS ACHIEVED1)Operational materials were produced (available online at http://valorizenfil.eu/) also translated into the European languages of the partner Countries, in order to facilitate the possibility of use by indirect beneficiaries.2) two tests were carried out:- one with operators external to the partnership to verify the possibility of increasing the information contained in the database also in the future and by any European operator dealing with NFIL;- one involving 206 migrants of the 3 foreseen targets (non-EU migrants, refugees and intra-EU migrants) to test the methodology and tools developed for the coaching phaseA network has also been created (VYSAE network - Valorize Your Skills Across Europe) consisting of 27 hubs scattered in 9 European Countries) to which a migrant can write in order to have information on the possibility of having their professional skills recognized in a specific sector and in a country other than the one in which it acquired the skills.IMPACT and LONG-TERM BENEFITSThe pandemic crisis has partly influenced the possibility of directly involving direct and indirect beneficiaries, but the actions realized (both in the phase before the pandemic and during the pandemic, with remote contact methods) have made it possible to achieve some results that can be included among the impact results and the long-term benefits:• A topic was opened (that of the transnational recognition of NFIL) that had never before been at the center of the debate on the recognition of NFIL;• Some significant institutions were involved (European Commission, Piedmont Region and some other public and private bodies) with which tools and results were shared and from which a certain interest was expressed in continuing the work on this issue also starting from results achieved with the Valorize NFIL Across Europe project;• Some tools are available (and can be increased) (the database, the two researches, the methodologies and operational tools, the information tools) that can represent a starting point for the future development of the theme."

ContextProject EU-OBP: European Open Badges Platform wants to assess, develop and promote the common EU platform for digital badges, targeted at adult education organizations, adult educators and adult learners that also represent the main target groups. Open badge is a file of the shape of an icon or medal issued to prove skills or achievements of people. The file contains metadata: name of the issuer, the criteria it was issued under, evidence verifying the credential and expiry date. Open badges are available as open standard any organization can use to create, issue and verify digital badges. Main advantage of open badges is their availability and representational opportunities. They present innovative tools for recognition of achieved soft skills to employers or educators, and could be included into EU-based Europass CV system.Common EU open badges platform will allow a) adult education organizations to offer digital badges to local and EU-wide public, b) adult educators to gain new IT competence and innovative tool for recognition of soft skills and key competences and c) learners in adult education possibility to be awarded with badges on EU level and use them for future job seeking or further educational needs.Objectivesa) Project EU-OBP wants to upgrade results from 2 Erasmus+ projects (iYOT, www.iyot.eu and OBADE, www.open-badges.eu) with participation of previously included organizations and two new partners.b) Partners will research available projects, platforms or organizations to deliver the complete EU-OBP web platform with » Reader«, “Toolbox”, » Guidelines«, all available as open source. c) Partners want to promote open badges for recognition of “soft skills” and 8 key competences in EU area, and anticipate at least 500 open badges for adult education available on the platform until the end of project.Participants- 5 partner meetings, 16 professional staff from adult education - 7 national multiplier events with 185 participants (adult teachers, mentors, stakeholders, adult education organizations)- 1 international conference in Slovenia with up to 100 participants (partners, adult teachers, mentors, stakeholders, adult education organizations, local municipality, national representatives from policy makers)- 25 initiated networks between partners and the local community (partners, stakeholders)- 500 registered users on web platform (adult learners)Activities P1 will prepare the Project Management Handbook and distribute it to at the Kick-off. It will contain a timetable with short description of every deliverable and name of responsible partner. It will also contain financial and administrative rules, budget monitoring with templates and rules of communication. It will be dash-boarded on the internal website and constantly updated.Management and monitoring activity assures effective and smooth cooperation among partners, prevention and solution of possible problems incurred, monitoring of activities and impact, attainment of the planned goals of the project.Implementation of methodology and IOs will develop all the IOs of the project. Methodology partners are going to use is: online desk research, interviews and telephone discussions, Skype sessions, working groups, individual research, digital and standard peer-testing of digital materials, proof-reading for finalization.O1 Reader will be developed until meeting 2. O2 Toolkit will be developed until meeting 3. O3 (EU-OBP platform) will be developed in Version 1 for testing phase and final administration before meeting 4 and finalized for multiplier events for exploitation. O4 (Guidelines) will be presented final conference in Slovenia.Dissemination and exploitation will be carried out from the start of the project up to 3 years after the end, based on IOs results and delivered through national multipliers, workshops and final conferenceIn summary, EU-OBP project will develop:-1 Reader for theoretical background on advantages of open badges -1 Toolkit for practical presentation of good practices -1 Web Platform offering open source access to 500 validated and already used open badges for adult education for recognition of soft skills and 8 key competences in common digital cloud space-1 Guidelines listing the procedures and activities needed for open badges implementation on 3 levels: organizational, teacher/mentor and participant level-140 new open badges, uploaded onto EU-OBP platform -10 videos to show how to create open badges and share them on social mediaThe project satisfies the needs of adult education organizations and educators to dispose of a easy to use, digital, motivating tool for identifying and documenting results of not formal, informal and formal learning. The project satisfies also the needs of adult learners to reflect on their skills acquired in not formal and informal learning, to have their skills documented and to share easily with peers and educators their accomplishments.