"TALKING project originates from the intent to respond to the theme dealt with by the EPALE National Seminar ""Migrants: new educational needs of trainers"" (Catania 2015), namely the need for professional updating for those working in the training centres for immigrant adults and requiring communicative and relational competences and skills to deal effectively the difficulties arising from interaction with groups with relevant cultural and personal differences.The overall aim of the project is to produce an impact on adult education system by improving the quality of Teaching/Learning processes for training courses for immigrants through keeling over the transcultural gaps and relational difficulties and its specific objective is to update the skills of teachers and trainers engaged in training with immigrants.Seven are the partner organizations/institutions of the project:- IFREP 93 (Institute for Training and Research for Educators and Psychotherapists 1993), training and research in health field- Italy- CPIA 3 Roma (Adult Education Provincial Centre 3 Roma)-Italy- CONSORZIO RO. MA., vocational training-Italy- EELI (European education and Learning Institute), adult education-Greece- MBM TDC (Training and Development Center), Career Development center-the UK- IMPEFE (Municipal Institute for Economic, Formative and occupational promotion), local government-Spain- RIC NM (Centre for Educational Development Novo Mesto), adult education-SloveniaThe main activities undertaken in the project are:O1-Construction of the TRAINING PATH for teachers/trainers of education centres for adult migrants in key AT, as good practice in the field of education, through the following activities:. TA methodology sharing;. systematisation of existing good practice in the field of education of immigrant adults;. local comparison with stakeholders through focus groups. Implementation of training content;. alignment of good practices with TA methodology. systematization of the TRAINING PATH contentC1 - a seven days Joint staff training event for tachers / trainers at Rethymno (Greece) . Pilots of training applied in adult education centres. definition of guidelines on teaching/learning processes for trainers. analysis and reporting of case studies. direct consultation among partners in 5 transnational meetings and 5 online meetings. . wide dissemination activities of the project results through leaflets, brochures, articles, presentations, newsletters and 5 multiplier events, at the end of the project, in the partner countries for the dissemination of the project results among the stakeholders. O2-Realization and implementation of the web TALKING COMMUNITY PLATFORM for the dissemination of methodology, project results (O1 Path) and educational resources (OER) supported by the analysis of the teachers/trainers needs, design, implementation and testing of the platform and at last dissemination of the Talking Website and Platform.The main results obtained through the TALKING Project are the updating of the competences of teachers/trainers, an innovative methodology for the management of the educational relationship with immigrant adults and improvement of the quality of teaching/learning processes. The impact achieved through the project is that the teachers/trainers involved in the project have implemented effective educational interventions within the educational relationship with the migrant, the immigrants involved in the project benefited from educational pathways built on their expressed needs, the adult education institutions involved were able to incorporate the methodology implemented by the project into their teachers/trainers' refresher programmes and the training institutes involved have improved the quality and the supply of the training courses provided.The long-term benefits expected from the project are: - adoption of the new methodology by professionals working in favor of immigrants, teachers, NGOs, public bodies involved in the project - use of the ""Training Path for Teachers"" by the Cpias for the updating of the teachers/trainers - inclusion of the project results in the training offer of the professional centres - inclusion of the Training Path modules in training programmes for IFREP 93 educators- availability and use of the project products through free access to the web training resources of the web Talking Community platform Talking partnership has undertaken to maintain the online platform fully operational for 5 years after the completion of the project, thus posing the basis for a possible follow - up project."

Early leaving from education and training (ELET) is a serious issue in many EU countries and has attracted the attention of many researchers, policy-makers and educators. Although the situation varies across countries and the underlying reasons for students leaving early are highly individual, the process leading up to it includes a number of common elements: learning difficulties, socio-economic problems, or a lack of motivation, guidance or support. Early leaving is highly challenging, not only for young people but also for societies. For many, Early Leaving Education or Training will lead to reduced opportunities in the labour market and an increased likelihood of unemployment, poverty, health problems and reduced participation in political, social and cultural activities. Furthermore, these negative consequences have an impact on the next generation and may perpetuate the occurrence of early leaving. Youth unemployment in the EU is currently running at 20% and ELET contributes directly to it as employability depends strongly on the level of qualification achieved. In order to understand why young people leave education and training early, it is moreover important to see ELET not only as a status or educational outcome but as a process of disengagement that occurs over time (Lyche, 2010). Chronic absenteeism and exclusion from school can be among the symptoms, or may even be the cause of students leaving early (Neild et al., 2007). However, there are more signs which indicate that students may be at risk. Warning signs may occur as early as in primary school and may be related to individual factors (e.g. educational performance, behaviour, attitudes) or to factors within individuals' families, their schools, and communities. Understanding early leaving from education and training as a complex process, detecting early signals and identifying students who are at risk of leaving education and training early is, therefore, a prerequisite for developing targeted and effective measures to prevent it. Continuing training for VET school staff is now enriched with a training curriculum tailored to enable trainers to acquire key competencies regarding the early detection of students that are in risk and on strategies to prevent dropouts in VET. By working with the target groups this project produced a tailor-made training material that is grounded in the VET school staff needs and also grounded in the factors that lead to ELET.The project RELiVET sought through national research, to use of EU, national and regional statistic reports, data from public educational authorities, and interviews with education professionals and students, and identified the factors that lead to early leaving from education and training in the partner countries. After identifying the real current factors that lead to ELET in VET schools, partners proceeded to the implementation of a comparative study on survey findings among participating countries. The conduction of the comparative study, according to the research outcomes, provided the basis upon which the training curriculum for teachers and scientific staff on effective strategies that increase graduation rates have been designed. The project provided an international and competitive training programme, specially designed for VET teachers, relevant professionals and families, based on international experiences. The project contributed to the development of further training of VET staff - a necessity not covered in many EU countries- and the general development and upgrading of Vocational Educational and Training, as it provided new supportive strategies which prevent ELET and keep students in education. The training seminar supported VET professionals in developing knowledge and competencies on strategies that help distinguish students at risk of ELET, prevent ELET and thus reduce the number of the students that abandon VET. The project addressed the constantly changing educational aspects of VET and contributed to the increase of attainment levels, through its emphasis on lifelong learning and the value of education on individual development and social cohesion. The project RELiVET supports through its realized activities and outcomes, the successful completion of studies in initial and continuing VET - focusing on areas with high ELET national levels- and it has done so by taking into account the factors that influence VET trainees when deciding to abandon studies. The programme created and promoted the appropriate conditions which help students overcome these factors and lead to graduation, certification and better career opportunities.

Project’s background The project is born both with the aim to offer a solution to the issue brought up during the 1st, 2nd and 4th European Antibullying Network Conference (EAN) financed by Daphne III in 2014, 2015 and in 2017 that had highlighted an increase of the bullying and cyberbullying phenomenons and the need of a coordination on a European level ,and to support the action plan of teachers’ training activities to prevent bullying presented by the MIUR in Italy in 2016. The objectives of the project were : the updating of teachers’ competences in their action of contrast of the bullying phenomenon in the school environment through the creation of a methodology based on the Applied Theatre techniques and the e-learning training and designing of video campaigns to arise awareness about such issue, planned by 13-16 years old students, aimed at their peers. Teachers from five European primary and secondary schools have taken part in the project, coordinated by three expert trainers in the various steps.During the whole course of the project teachers could personally explore the methodology to contrast the bullying phenomenon designed by partners Playhouse and Action Synergy, on the base of the Applied Theatre and Community Engagement strategies, in particular during the Joint Staff Training Event, getting to the creation of a methodological prototype. Students from the five schools have taken part in several workshops and have launched some short videos to make other teenagers aware of the bullying issue, after improving their knowledge about communicating through the social media.Very important results have come out from the project such as a methodological prototype of a set of laboratories in English to be used with students from different school levels; the prototype brings together the Applied Theatre methods with the Community Engagement strategies. Other relevant products are the translations of the project materials from English into the national languages of the five schools (Italian, Greek, Lithuanian, Polish and Portuguese), five short videos made by the students containing their messages against bullying, five more videos made by the schools about students’ and teachers’ experiences and opinions concerning the method used.Teachers, students, parents, headmasters, field experts , local authorities and NGOs members have appreciated the project results during the six final events organized by schools and trainers, in particular participants have welcomed the application of the Applied Theatre to such context for it has created among students empathy and understanding of the dramatic consequences of aggressive behaviours, as it can be inferred from the videos which have been designed and launched.

"CONTEXT The R.E.M.I.D.A. project intends to contribute to countering the problem of social exclusion of over-45 disadvantaged adults, in line with the actions implemented by Member States. Unemployment in the more adult age group risks to become crystallized over time, also because it often concerns poorly-educated workers, with low qualifications or with out-of-date qualifications and skills, immigrants or ex-prisoners. Therefore, the actions supporting the social inclusion of the over 45 adults at risk are fundamental. AIM The project ""REMIDA - Renewed Models for the Inclusion of Disadvantaged Adults"" was created with the aim of supporting the social and working inclusion of adults 45+ at risk of exclusion (low qualifications and skills, obsolete skills, immigrants...) by defining and testing an innovative model of intervention, aimed at achieving personal empowerment and enhancing the informal and non-formal skills / abilities of this target group.PARTICIPANTS NUMBER AND PROFILEThe direct target group (at least 50% women):- operators working for the social inclusion of disadvantaged adults;- adults 45+ at risk of social-work exclusion;- representatives and / or managers of adult education, training, assessment and guidance organizations;- experts / researchers in adult education methodologies;- representatives of the PA.ACTIVITIES DESCRIPTIONThe project schedules the realization of activities such as:-IO1: ""DEFINITION AND EXPERIMENTATION OF A NEW MODEL OF INTERVENTION FOR THE SOCIAL AND WORKING INCLUSION OF ADULTS OVER 45 AT RISK OF EXCLUSION "":-JOINT STAFF TRAINING EVENT (C1);-dissemination activities: 8 MULTIPLIERS EVENT in the countries of the participating organizations.METHODOLOGY TO BE USED IN THE REALIZATION OF THE PROJECTThe proposed methodology is the result of the union, within a pedagogical framework for adult education, between the Lego Serious Play model, adapted to the target audience, and the consolidated methods for the assessment and orientation of adults.MAIN INTANGIBLE RESULTS1. definition of an innovative model of intervention for the personal empowerment of 45+ adults at risk of social-working exclusion. This model comes from adaptation of the Lego Serious Play principles to the adult 45+ target and its alignment with consolidated methodologies for adult education, training assessment and orientation.2. upskilling of operators of adult education centers, engaged in activities in favor of adults 45+ at risk of social exclusion.3. support to European processes for enhancing informal and non-formal skills / abilities of this target groupMAIN TANGIBLE RESULTSR3 - Final version of the intervention modelR5 - GuidelinesR6-R8 - Macro and micro design of the training courseR9 - Environment for online learningR10 - n.8 local pilotsR15 - n.8 case studiesR16 - Training course for operatorsMAIN IMPACTThe R.E.M.I.D.A. project will have a significant impact on partner organizations and participating operators, stakeholders and key actors at the local, national and EU levels. The project's expected impact on adults in a situation of disadvantage is to increase their opportunities for social and work inclusion, (re) inclusion in active participation processes and in the labor market, as well as to enhance their life experiences, increasing their self-esteem and awareness."

<< Background >>The Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Strategy 2014-2017 (www.coe.int) sets out five strategic objectives. The first on the list is combating gender stereotypes and sexism. The strategy defines gender stereotyping as preconceived ideas whereby males and females are arbitrarily assigned characteristics and roles determined and limited by their sex. A conscious effort on the part of society to change attitudes and to accommodate diference is a prerequisite for an inclusive society. Education plays a central role in this process. Schools occupy a unique position in society, and the role of the school is fundamental in promoting gender equality. By offering new models of behaviour, the school can be seen as an instrument for positive change. The Conference concluded that societies remain strongly gender stereotyped and that the education system, which is a subsystem of the societies they serve, reproduce the values and culture of those societies without challenging their possible limitations on the life opportunities and experiences of their pupils. Furthermore, in the conference the issue of technology and on the conscious use of it and the social media, was raised. And it was also concluded that the influences of parents and schools on the personal and social development of young people have been diminished by their children’s ever increasing use of social media.Destructuring stereotypes is an urgency. Learning to think critically is therefore a first step towards this path of awareness. The Diogenes project aligns, stands in synergy and reponds to the council of Europe conclusions and suggestions (Schools should play an active role in preparing all young people to develop the skills necessary to fully participate in all spheres of modern society) and responds to The Polish National Action Program for Equal Treatment for 2021-2030, and to serveral national and international project and dispositions like the Italian project “Gender School- affrontare la violenza di genere” by INDIRE and the Dipartimento per le Pari Opportunità della Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri, the art. 5, co. 2 lett. c) of the DL93 / 2013, also the DDL July 2015 n 107 and the point.4 of Objective 2030) . Furthermore it pays attention to the EIGE report which shows that there’s no Nation that is totally free from Gender Stereotypes and this project, if carried out transnationally could favour and put a small brick toward a culture of gender non-discrimination. The project aims at contributing in the road towards the improvement.<< Objectives >>As a general priority, the project Diogenes aims at promoting –in particular through innovative and integrated approaches– gender equality, non-discrimination and social inclusion. Specifically, the project goal is to address the difficulty that students have to activate information processing in a critical way, regarding a sensitive topic as gender equality. Moreover, it aims to promote- in particular through innovative integrated approaches- shared values, equality, social inclusion, diversity and non-discrimination. The need is for teachers to be able to address and share these values and therefore it is crucial to update their competences to transfer these topics to the student.The aim of the project is to:-define and test laboratory activities capable of stimulating critical abilities with respect to gender stereotypes disseminated through Social Media and implementing proactive attitudes towards gender equality.-Update teachers' skills in the field of Social media Storytelling, critical thinking and gender equality.-Define school-family alliance models and facilitate students’ active participation processes-Encouraging the creation (by students) of awareness videos aimed at both peers and parents and adults, to activate users' critical abilities towards the messages that social media transmit in terms of gender stereotypes.<< Implementation >>To achieve the above mentioned objectives, the project is going to develop:IO1- Digital storytelling laboratories to stimulate critical thinking on the issue of Gender StereotypesIO2- Training course for teachers on digital storytelling and a set of video contents to sensitize the general publicIO3- To do and not to do list for parents (to help them understanding appropriate and inappropriate behaviour or statements towards gender stereotypes)Through the implementation of the activities the project aims at updating of teachers' skills on basic concepts of gender difference and elements of critical thinking, have teachers acquire a new path to stimulate critical thinking regarding the issue of gender difference and also have the ability to apply and experiment with the abovementioned techniques within a class. This is to plant a seed for an initial change by pupils of the perception they have about gender difference and for the transition towards the idea of gender equality and non-discirmination. Furthermore it will help towards a more conscious and more critical use of the social media. Last but not least aims to raise awareness by parents of the most appropriate attitudes to adopt in influencing their children.The partnership will involve 5 lower secondary schools, a university, a training and consulting agency, a cooperative and a NGO.The project aims at having an impact on school education system in order to empower teachers’ skills providing them with innovative and effective methodology tools.It also aims at having an impact on the social system, raising awareness, both at a local and international level, regarding a conscious and critical use of social media, in particular regarding gender stereotypes.<< Results >>Through the implementation of the activities related to these four Intellectual Outputs, the Diogenes Project aims to obtain the following results: 1- Updating of teachers' skills on basic concepts of gender difference and elements of critical thinking2- The acquisition by teachers of a path made of Laboratory activities to stimulate critical thinking regarding the issue of gender difference. 3- The ability, also by the teachers, to apply and experiment with the abovementioned techniques within a class4-The ability to transfer these skills to other fellow teachers who intend to experiment the above techniques in their class.5-The acquisition, by teachers, of community engagement tools to trigger a school / family alliance and raise awareness on the issue of gender difference 6-An initial change by pupils of the perception they have about gender difference and about a more critical and aware use of social media.7-An awareness by parents of the most appropriate attitudes to adopt in influencing their children The TANGIBLE RESULTS of the 3 IO's are:IO1 will produce a set of Digital Storytelling laboratories that contain elements of critical thinking and gender equality stimulation IO2 will produce a teacher training course on Digital Storytelling workshops and a set of videos aimed and parents and peers to sensitise on the topicIO3 will produce a very clear and direct list of appropriate and not appropriate attitudes to be adopted with their children, but not only, on the theme of gender equality