There is an increasing number of migrants in Europe, which means, among other things, a growing potential for the labor force. At the same time, one big generation is approaching the age of retirement and a demographic decrease can already be foreseen. The working life needs more workers, and long vocational training programs are not always the best and the most effective solution. Recognition of migrants’ vocational skills and the development of the methods that are related to this process are a very current topic in Europe at the moment. In order to offer efficient vocational or further training for the migrants or to indicate them a place that corresponds their professional skills, there must be an investigation that shows the prior learning, competencies and skills that are relevant for their professional development.New tools and methods for assessing migrants’ prior vocational skills need to be developed. The Fast Track project responds to this need and develops tests for three professions: assistant nurse, kitchen assistant and tiler. The selection of these professions is mainly based on interviews with working life: there is a tangible need for workers in these fields and, on the other hand, the level of the language skills is lower than is many other professions. The approach in the tests is non-linguistic and the outcomes will be web-based which helps the project to reach a large audience – and users also in the countries that do not participate in the project. Moreover, this method could be easily transferred to other contexts and to other vocational fields; the manuals, workshops and other support provided by the project will help in this process. The basis for the approach, as well as the prototypes of the tests in other vocational fields, have already been created in Finland in 2008-2010 and the feedback from the stakeholders has been positive: the approach has been stated as innovative, needed and efficient for today’s needs in working life. The partnership of this two-year project consists of training providers from Finland (Axxell, the coordinator, and Omnia), Denmark (Vestegnens Sprog-og Kompetencecenter), Germany (Bildungsmarkt e.v.), Iceland (Mimir-simenntun) and Turkey (Trabzon teknik ve endustri meslek lisesi denizcilik anadolu meslek lisesi).

"AppMentor project continues the work that began during the Leonardo da Vinci Project WorkMentor (2011-1-IS1-LEO05-01263) chosen to be a ""success story"" by a panel of experts from the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission and WorkQual (2014-1-IS01-KA202-O00180). The need for AppMentor in VET has arisen as an increasing part of the learning is conducted during work based learning (WBL) away from the VET provider. Sometimes it is impossible to travel to the companies and have mentoring sessions on the spot. Many work mentors & mentoring teachers already see the benefits of using mobile technology (=SOME) in mentoring. Also reporting and registering is already done online in many sectors of industry and service. In order to do this work mentors and mentoring teachers need tools and encouragement to guide and support them to start using SOME when mentoring. They don’t want to be made feel inferior to the students who use different forms of mobile technology and social media. By implementing the outcomes of Appmentor we will give work mentors and teachers the tools needed in order to start using SOME when mentoring. This will make mentoring more flexible and it will create a learning experience which is user friendly, meaningful and up to date with the working environment. Students used to using mobile technology (blogs, facebook, Instagram, chats etc) use it because it is useful, flexible, instant and a way to keep track on what is going on. Students might however need support and encouragement to use these forms of mobile technology in a “new” way, a way that encourages and supports learning. AppMentor provided teachers and work mentors with tools and ideas on how to guide students to use SOME for learning. AppMentor transferred & implemented mobile learning to work placements. 2) encouraged work mentors to use mobile technology (e.g. apps, social media, virtual learning platforms) when mentoring students/apprentices during WBL, 3) deepened the cooperation as well as information and data sharing between work mentor and mentoring teacher during placement by introducing tools for mobile technology, 4) ensured that all students regardless of where they have their work placement receive continuous mentoring & feedback through mobile technology and thus raising the quality of learning received during work placements, 5) introduced tools, methods & materials that support the work mentor and student during work placements.AppMentor had the following intangible results/impact 1) Better cooperation between the work mentor and teacher, 2) Improved communication between student, work mentor and mentoring teacher, 3) Raised quality of WBL both nationally and abroad, 4) Flexible and qualitative mentoring fit for the 21st century and 5) An attitude change relating to how learning and mentoring should be done.The project lifespan was 24 months + 2 extra months to ensure that the outcome(s) were qualitative and user-friendly. Appmentor partners hosted five transnational project meetings during this period. Each meeting lasted for 3 days. In order to ensure time to work on the intellectual outputs there was 1 meeting every 5-6 months, the first meeting was held in December 2016. Throughout the project each partner cooperated closely with employers, work mentors and students and develop the Intellectual Outcomes: 1) Online Micro Learning mentoring course, 2) Manual of mobile technology and social media that can be used to facilitate and strengthen the quality of the mentoring process and 3) Guidelines for mentoring students online using mobile technology. All 3 IOs are included in the AppMentor - An online course for coaching and mentoring at work (https://appmentor.weebly.com/). The AppMentor Online Course is open for all interested parties to use and implement and is available in English, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Icelandic, French and Spanish.Dissemination was and continues to be an important part of the project and all partners were active in disseminating the project though SOME media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and by participating in conferences and seminars as well as other events. AppMentor has a project web page http://thalttun.wixsite.com/appmentor and an open Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AppMentor.project/ that function as dissemination channels.By the end of the project all partners had implemented the outcomes of the project in their daily activities and are committed to ensure that the outcomes will be sustainable and used in the future. Appmentor project partners are: P1 = Axxell, Finland (coordinator), P2 = Broadshoulders, UK, P4 = Charlottenlund Upper Secondary School, Norway, P5 = Nantes Terre Atlantique, France, P6 = Verkmenntaskolinn a Akureyri, Iceland, P7 =Education and Mobility, Spain and P8 = Het Idee, The Netherlands"

LIFE, ALL IN: Connecting formal and informal learning to enhance social inclusion” (=LAI), financed by Erasmus+ - KA2 – Cooperation and Innovation for Good Practices was carried out during a time when more than 25% of EU citizens was being affected by social exclusion, therefore, the overarching objective of the LAI project was to contribute to social inclusion and integration of adult participants in second language (L2) education program by developing and connecting the synergy between formal and informal learning by providing a systematic methodology that addresses the gap and build a bridge to fully exploit the synergy of formal, non-formsal and informal learning in L2.More concrete, the project was designed to equip adult education providers with a toolkit on how to connect formal, non-formal and Informal learning (FNIL) and empower concerned policy makers to be informed on the efficacy of FNIL in L2 programmes for adults with the help of a validated tool-kit.The project had 5 participating organizations.CVO Antwerpen (BE) was the coordinating organization. CVO Antwerpen is an adult education center with several campuses in and around the city of Antwerp in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is one of the largest centers for adult education certified and funded by the Flemish Government. It organizes more than 950 modular daytime and evening courses per year. This are courses for immigrants, formal vocationaleducation and second chance to learn, higher professional education, language courses, entrepreneurial training courses, maritime training, welding and courses in application software.Axxel is a training organisation which offers VET and independent studies both for youngsters and adults in Helsinki, Finland. Axxell has about 2700 students that study at the 6 different departments of Axxell (Lappfjärd, Helsingforsregionen, Åbo, Pargas, Kimito, Karis, Ekenäs och Esbo). In addition to vocational training, Axxell in one of the biggest integration training providers for adult migrants. C.P.I.A. 6 - Centro Provinciale Istruzione degli Adulti (IT) organises modular daytime and evening courses in Viterbo, Italy. The courses offered are structured as follows: literacy and learning of the Italian language for foreigners, first level courses - First and Second Teaching period.Oslo Voksenopplæring Skullerud (NO) is an organisation working within the field of Adult Education, qualifying adult refugees and immigrants for life in Norway by teaching them Norwegian language and social sciences. Youth Entrepreneurial Service Foundation (FYROM) is a non-governmental organization, which aims to stimulate the entrepreneurship in Macedonia through reinforcing the business and soft skills of future entrepreneurs needed for successfully running of an own company. YES sets the goal to support innovative start-up businesses through many activities and subventions in order to help the local development of the currently most productive sector – SMEs. The main activities were project management, a requirements analysis including the identification of good practices and conducting peer visits and focus groups, the organisation of a workshop and final conference for stakeholders, the development, piloting and validation of the toolkit, quality assurance and exploitation and dissemination. Concrete results of ‘Life- all in’ are the requirements analysis report, the online toolkit, a validation report, a project website, project management guidelines, a quality management plan, 2 critical friend reports, a dissemination plan and report, a sustainability report and a project leaflet/brochure. Relevant stakeholders are now aware of the fact that a toolkit is there for them to support them during the development of programs that optimally utilize the combination and blend formal and non-formal learning of the participants.

<< Background >>The Connecting Europe partners, representing intermediary organizations and VET providers from Finland, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Malta and Greece, have noticed that there is a lack of understanding of the realities and obstacles that intermediary organizations and VET providers face when it comes to hosting VET students. When planning the project and its project results (PRs) we noticed that although we have similar challenges, we have different solutions and ideas on how to cope with these challenges. Our partnership is based on the idea that we can learn from each other and improve the way we work with Erasmus+ mobilities as we all know the challenges of working with Erasmus+ mobilities and have the experience/skills of dealing with these challenges. Representing different kind of organizations will also the ability look at these challenges from different viewpoints and angles which will enable us to develop tools that helps not just us involved in the project but all actors involved in Erasmus+ KA1 mobilities in VET.To be able to provide students with successful and gratifying learning experiences we need to gain understanding in and accept the realities in which intermediary organizations and VET providers work. Doing this will enable us to improve the quality of collaboration between the sending and hosting organization & intermediary organizations and VET providers and establish and maintain the Connecting Europe Consortium.An increased and improved collaboration between intermediary organizations and VET providers is also needed if we want to make it easier to identify, evaluate, recognize and validate the formal and non-formal skills that VET students develop during their mobilities. The improved validation will have a positive impact on the employability of these students as they have proof of how their skills have increased and improved during their virtual/blended mobilities. The new Erasmus+ program stresses the importance of inclusiveness. To be able to provide ALL students with fair and equal opportunities it is important that all involved in the mobilities raise awareness by showcasing the benefits of including students with fewer opportunities in the mobilities. We need tools that enables VET providers and intermediary organizations to provide students with positive learning experiences and who will spread the word that Erasmus+ mobilities are for all regardless if the learning/social background. The PR2 will help to raise awareness of how Erasmus+ mobilities develop formal and non-formal skills and this will encourage more VET providers to implement inclusiveness and providing all students with equal opportunities to take part in a mobility. Europe needs habitants who are active European citizens who can work in multicultural environments and adapt to change. Developing tools that will enable this is needed. The project will address this need by developing a PR (PR1) that will provide students with realistic expectations of what living and working abroad is like and what opportunities Erasmus+ mobilities will give them.<< Objectives >>The Covid-19 pandemic made it clear how vulnerable current ways of organizing mobilities are and forced us to rethink the way we work with internationalization of our students. During the past year virtual mobilities have been piloted/implemented by several of the partners involved in this project and they have proven to be a valuable complement to the traditional Erasmus+ KA1 mobilities. By sharing existing practices obstacles and our experiences will allow us to create and evaluate (existing) tools and methods that enables us to deliver qualitative blended Erasmus+ mobilities and merge these experiences in the project results that will be developed within Connecting Europe. Doing this will enable us to make current and future Erasmus+ KA1 mobilities fit the requirements and quality standards of the new Erasmus+ program 2021 – 2027. Our aim is to improve the collaboration between sending and hosting partners and intermediary and VET providers. This is why we have involved an equal amount of partners representing these groups. By joining forces we will be able to modernize the way hosting and sending organizations deliver Erasmus+ KA1 mobilities and involve the hosting organization in the preparations students receive before the leave for a transnational mobility. By giving hosting organization a bigger role in the preparations of students, the students will receive accurate and first-hand information which will increase their preparedness and readiness to enter their transnational mobility with realistic expectations. This in turn will have a positive effect on their ability to adapt and work in a foreign company.To ensure that the skills that students develop and obtain during a mobility will be identified, evaluated, recognized and formally validated we will develop (self-)evaluation tools and skills matrixes that describes the informal and non-formal skills that students within the hospitality, healthcare and technical sector can develop during a virtual/blended mobility. The 2 project results developed and implemented in this project will help establish a collaborative, transparent and qualitative support service system for VET students in these 3 sectors which will encourage more students to want to take part in Erasmus+ mobilities and will encourage inclusion of students and internationalization at home. The increased collaboration and the support system will also enable and encourage the Connecting Europe Consortium to continue collaborating in the future and transferring into other sectors and VET provers and intermediary organizations in Europe.<< Implementation >>Connecting Europe will comprise of the following activities:1) 5 transnational project meetings where the partners will together and face-to-face work with developing the 2 project results of the project will be held. Spending time together face-to-face will enable the sharing of best practices and will allow us to build up a working relationship built on mutual trust and respect.2) 1 Learning Teaching Training Activity (LTTA) will be held approx. halfway of the project. During this LTTA the Steering Committee members will disseminate the PRs the LTTA participants that consists of VET students (incl. students with fewer opportunities) representing the Hospitality, Healthcare and Technical sector from the partners that are VET providers. The aim of the LTTA is to learn from the students, pilot the PRs, collect feedback and language and visual aspects of the PRs and thus make the outputs more user-friendly and sustainable.3) Virtual workshops working with the PRs will held regularly (at least 1 – 2 times between each transnational meeting) in which those involved in the development of the 2 PRs will participate. This to ensure that the collaborative work continues throughout the project and not only during the PMs4) National workshops to work with the PRs will be held regularly. The persons involved in the national workshops will consist of international coordinators involved in the project, teachers, students and employers. The aim of these workgroups is to ensure that the viewpoints of all beneficiaries will be addressed and taken into consideration when developing the PRs.5) Steering Committee meetings will be held at least every 2 months. The aim of these meetings is to work on administrative issues relating to the project and to monitor the progress and quality of the PRs and project work in generalAll activities above will use the Deming’s Circle methodology (Plan – Do – Check – Act) 6) Dissemination activities: All partners will actively disseminate the project internally and externally according to the Connecting Europe Dissemination plan7) Implementation activities: All partners are committed to take needed actions to implement the PRs and the other outcomes of the project in their organization and their daily routines of working with Erasmus+ mobilities and thus ensure sustainability of the project and its results<< Results >>The Connecting Europe partners will become an established Erasmus+ Consortium that will continue to collaborate beyond the project’s lifespan. Partners with whom the Connecting Europe Consortium collaborates with will be invited and encouraged to join the Connecting Europe Consortium and work to further improve the quality of Erasmus+ KA1 mobilities offered to VET studentsThe 2 project results; a) PR1: A virtual preparations course that prepares VET students within the hospitality, technical and healthcare sector for their Erasmus+ KA1 mobility and gives them the skills needed to work in a multicultural environment; and b) PR2: Tools that enable VET providers to identify and recognize 21st century skills and other soft skills that helps VET students succeed in the world of work but that are currently not identified and recognized formally due to a lack of tools, will be implemented by the partners and will be used beyond the project’s lifespan when sending and hosting students on Erasmus+ mobilities. Partners with whom the Connecting Europe Consortium collaborates will be encouraged to implement the PRs and develop similar online preparation units that the partners have developed and have begun using when preparing students for mobilities. After the project ends the Connecting Europe Consortium members will also begin the work of transferring the PRs to other sectors involved in VET and thus ensure that a larger number of students, sending and hosting organizations and employers will benefit from the outputs in the future. The self-evaluation tools and the skills matrixes focusing on formal and non-formal skills will be used by the Connecting Europe Consortium when preparing students for their mobilities and when (self-)evaluating the skills developed during the mobility so that these skills can be identified, evaluated, recognized and validated by the VET providers at the end of a mobility. We will also develop, implement and start using a Connecting Europe Certificate that will visualize the skills that students have improved/gained during the mobility. This Certificate can be used by the students when applying for work and showcasing their skillsets. The methodology of collaboration between VET providers and intermediary organizations that begins during the Connecting Europe project will continue after the project ends. The Connecting Europe Consortium are aware and in agreement that a transparent and genuine collaboration where knowledge and experience is shared is one of the cornerstones of being able to provide VET students with qualitative learning experiences.

Context and backgroundIn bilingual or multilingual countries where several languages coexist, it is not uncommon to use a regional language in some labor sectors. In such cases, people who do not speak the local language can experience difficulties in entering or remaining in this sector. A case in point are immigrants wishing to work or working in the care sector: their priority often lies with developing skills in the majority language (and not the regional languages). However, regional language skills amongst staff in the care sector (especially elderly care) have been shown to be of the utmost importance. No set of guidelines exist to teach this group workplace specific communication needs. The main goal of this project has therefore been to raise awareness concerning the importance of teaching workplace specific communication skills to migrants and to develop innovative methods to help language teachers and vocational trainers teach these skills. Longer-term benefitsBy achieving these goals, the COMBI project wishes to effect in the long-term:•Improved communication and regional language skills of migrants wishing to work or working in the (elderly) care sector,•An improved situation for trainers wishing to teach their (migrant) students regional language skills and to focus on workplace specific communication needs.•improved wellbeing of clients in in the care sector,•improved integration: addressing the multilingual needs of immigrants in diverse communities as well as the complex nature of integration.•Increased opportunities for migrant workers on the labor market by improving their professional communication skills. About the project partnersThe COMBI-team is made up of six partners coming from five European countries. Each partner has its own area of expertise varying from academic research, vocational training to digital communication. The Fryske Akademy is the main scientific centre in the province of Fryslân, the Netherlands, and researches fields such as multilingualism, language learning, and regional economic development. Elhuyar Zubize (ZUBIZE) in Spain designs, develops and evaluates tools and methods for enterprises and public institutions to improve Basque language use. The group works towards improving equality and participation and the emancipation of the Basque language. Since it was founded in 2010, the Banaiz Bagara Cultural Association in San Sebastian (Spain) has had a quickly expanding and rich experience in the fields of teaching Basque Language and Culture. Besides teaching, the association organizes different social events like sports, festivals or local cultural activities. Creative Development Centre “Danilo Dolci”, in Sicily, Italy, is a non-profit association involving young people and adults. Together with schools, universities, institutions, associations, and social groups it carries out national and international projects focused on education. Axxell provides integration courses for adult migrants in Finland. Its team of approximately 50 language and guidance teachers offers Finnish language training and career guidance to migrants, helping to integrate newcomers to Finnish society. Swansea University (UK) is an ambitious and innovative university with a strategic vision. The Welsh Department at Swansea University is a dynamic and successful department and has been highly commended for the academic care it gives to its students. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework showed that the Department is 2nd in the UK, and the best in Wales, for the quality of its research.Project activitiesThe main activities that were undertaken during this project included: research in the form of a needs analysis to determine the focus of the projects’ products; development of teaching materials, both printed and digital; a pilot among teachers and migrant care students to determine the effectiveness of the materials developed; dissemination of the research findings and the developed products via four multiplier events, one for each developed product, held in four of the countries of the project’s partners, via presentations on conferences and events, via websites and social media; translations of all materials in the state language of all partners, and, additionally into several minority languages. All activities were discussed and agreed on during the project’s monthly Skype/Zoom which all partners attended. Results and impact-Increased awareness among policy makers concerning the lack of current policies aimed at improving minority language skills among migrants and care personnel.-Increased awareness of the importance of minority language skills among health care staff, policy makers, language teachers, and migrant students.-Availability of free open-source tools for teachers and health care staff to acquaint (migrant) personnel in a positive way with the minority language.-Knowledge among teachers, health care personnel, policy makers at the regional,