VocFlo responded to current developments in VET policy in the European Union. These in turn are a response to the economic policy objectives of Agenda 2020. The EU wants to ensure that by the year 2020 75% of the people in working age are in employment. The currently extremely high levels of youth unemployment in many regions of Europe make clear what efforts are needed to achieve this goal. One of the causes of youth unemployment is seen in the lack of employability of vocational training graduates. It is criticized that many VET systems are too remote from the economy and offer insufficient opportunities to acquire the professional and personal skills required by the labor market. The EU therefore calls on its members to reform VET. VET and the economy have to cooperate with each other to compensate for the existing deficits.At this point the project VocFlo starts. Educational institutions at various levels and professional associations of floristry, together with experienced project coordinators, agreed on conceptual foundations for economic and European cross-border vocational training in this sector. They described units of learning outcomes and assigned learning outcomes to them. In order to facilitate the transfer of these units of learning outcomes into educational practice, methodological-didactic guidelines were designed for teachers. The results of the project were examined during its runtime in a Methodology Workshop for teachers as well as a Student Camp for their practicality and compatibility with the different vocational training systems. A training program has been developed and tested, which will enable further teachers and multipliers in floristry to implement the learning outcomes approach in their institutions.To ensure sustainability and to support the transfer of results into VET practice, a network, the European Mobility Network for Vocational Training in Floristry, has been established and cooperation with new network partners has been initiated. In the future, this network will offer cross-border mobilities where participants can complete selected units of learning outcomes. The project's products therefore include a organizational handbook for mobilities. The course of the project is documented in a field report, which is also used to disseminate the project results.The project contributes to improving the quality of training in floristry (strengthening the economic relevance of training), contributes to improving the transparency between European vocational qualifications and opens up possibilities for strengthening cross-border training cooperation (mobilities).

We started by acquiring these statements:Europe is no more a land of opportunities like twenty years ago and we need to open minds and change education to face this challenges.The objectives of this projects were:1.contributing to build a new school with four pillars (Ict, Non- formal learning, Creativity and Law), a base (Universal Democracy) and a direction (Equality) because we cannot work together without recognizing our universal human constitution based on equal rights.2.Being aware of a multicultural world3.Giving more possibilities to disadvantaged people4.Promoting citizenship5.Increasing Right, Respect and Responsibility for all cultures 6.Combatting discriminations7.Researching and experimenting innovative techniques-8.Developing skills for the changing world9.Supporting ICT-based teaching10.Introducing more non-formal and informal activities11.Giving more space to creativity12.Strengthening the critical thinking13.Placing the student at the centre of learning process14.Creating a cooperative teaching and learning environment15.Motivating teachers and students16.Enhancing European cooperation and reinforcing networks17.Stimulating students and teachers to cooperateWe selected participants (students, teachers, members of staff) with high motivation, good skills and English fluency, with an accurate selection process.Our schools were involved at the highest level. ALL the activities were strictly connected. The project was divided in four terms, each of them characterized by one topic, one main activity, one output.1.Democracy and participation - Output: guideline: how to promote a campaign without losing a friend2.Creativity and social inclusion. During this LTTA has not been possible to act as previewed because, due to terroristic menaces in that period, we couldn’t perform the theatre in prison with the foreign students and teachers. The spectacle (involving prisoners and students) was actually performed but in a close, reserved space, without foreing delegations. We substitued this output with the Ravenna Manifesto (a guideline to increase volunteering at school) and a spectacle with a music band exclusively composed by refugees.3.innovation in education - Output: collection of ict tools for education4.non formal learning and life skills - Output: a collection of tools to promote NFLOur plan of activity was perfectly respected: a 6-day schedule with A. Two days at school to work on the topic. B. Two days of visits to:NGOs active in social fields (inclusion, democracy, participation) C. Two days of cultural and social activities:Historical sites, museums, librariesD. A social/cultural event: an exhibition, a concert, a comedy, a festivalWe met NGOs actives in many inclusion fields (disable people, ex prisoners, people with mental disease, ex drug addicted and so on)Project was based on some methodological assumptions:1.Student- centred methodology2.Creative and Critical Thinking3.Promoting empowerment and self-esteem, especially for women4.Space to ICT and languages5.Experiences more than knowledge6.Sharing and communication of every part of the process, process as important as result7.Problem solving, case studies and authentic assessments8.Ensuring Accountability and Promoting Responsibility-9.Addressing Discrimination10.Non formal learning11.Peer education12.Seeking Sustainable Results13.Enjoying the school timeWe assessed the results of the project and we have noticed thatStudents:1.developed competences, especially in language, ICT and transversal skills2.had and ethical approach3.gained a broader understanding of: critical and creative thinking, problem solving4.rose awareness of citizenship, democracy, social inclusion, participation5.became more active in our communities, at local level6.enjoyed more the school time and participated more activelySimilar results we had in teachers and also the school were changed by this project, opening them to networks with others schools, NGOs and private companies.So now we had school more active in the community and people more involved in the society.The dissemination was accurately planned and managed: more than 30 articles on newspapers, magazines and webtvs; hundreds of posts in different social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, Google+, Pinterest, Edmodo: each of them with an Include dedicated account), hundreds of pictures and movies published (Youtube, Vimeo and Flickr).We created solid networks with people, companies, associations, and met influencers and inspiring people (i.e. Lucio Melandri, UNICEF Refugee & Migrant Response Country Coordinator and many others)The project involved directly approx. 1000 people and not directly more than 3000 and was successful at every level. We had visitors in our website from all over the world, France 308, Usa 196, Brazil 28, Russia 23, Kenya 20, Peru 14, Philippines 13, United Arab Emirates

The aim of this project is to raise the standards of education in floristry and to improve the quality of the branch in general throughout Europe. Therefore the project developed international learning units around new and common innovative subjects in floristry. The development of these units make students and workers able to complete a part of their curriculum in floristry abroad.Nine vocational colleges and industry organisations developed international learning units for students, professionals in training and adults. These units will enrich the students, professionals and adults through subject specific knowledge and a meaningful international experience. The target group will be reached by teaching this units at schools, in work-based situations, and through the development of digital classrooms and MOOCs.In total the project was able to achieve al its results and even more. The project developed an European framework for education in floristry consisting of thirteen intellectual outputs. The overall success of the project was that all the different outputs had a clear and common thread. However, the biggest success is the creation of the International Learning Units, the common assessment system and the Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) because these outputs link most directly to the aim of the project. The developed international, transparent system and the a quality certification system contributes greatly to the standards of the education and the quality of the branch. One of the most important points to put forward is that the florist industry has been very inward looking. It has always had a very national and regional approach and barely had a European dimension. This project changed this thinking by focusing on its roots in education.The impact of the project is both on the individual, institutional and European level. The international learning units will allow individual students, professionals in training and adults to educate themselves at a minimum level in floristry throughout Europe. Moreover the project created a transparent assessment system and a quality certification system.