F@DO FOR ALL“E-learning for all based on

empowerment of local networking”Reference number: 2009-1-PT1-LEO05-03213

 Social sector in disadvantaged areas Developing necessary skills for the integration of young people

by Raluca Icleanu

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

Introduction• Recent statistics and research show that

insufficient vocational training is one of the main reasons for unemployment and lack of prospects for young people.

• Young people at risk with deficits in school and/or social problems as well as young migrants need targeted support for a successful start into their working life.

• There is an urgent need for making Europe and its young generation ready for this competition and for giving young Europeans opportunities to learn and develop their skills.

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

Introduction II• Therefore, educational programs are developed

by non-formal education providers in order to offer access to information and knowledge;

• The European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme enables people at all stages of their lives to take part in stimulating learning experiences, as well as helping to develop the education and training sector across Europe.

• As a response to the society’s needs, European projects co-funded by the European Commission are developed with the aim of offering educational support for disadvantaged groups such as young people.

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

•Throughout the years, our association Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning (SREP) has participated in projects at European level in order to tackle with the above problems. Some of which we can mention:

1.E-learning methodology for disadvantaged people – “Fado for all”

2.Key competences as the key to achieving unhindered access to mobility for youth at risk- project- “Key to mobility”

3.Where the Rivers Meet

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

E-learning methodology for disadvantaged people – “Fado for all” project• The aim of the project is to transfer and adapt an innovative

E-learning methodology for disadvantage people, based on local partnerships and on more attractive and useful empowering learning process to groups in risk helping in the equal access to qualifications and soft skills for employment.

• One of its objectives is to attract groups at risk (women, elder workers, workers without qualifications, early school leavers, long unemployed adults, etc) into learning process;

• In Romania, SREP has successfully transferred the Fado methodology in areas known as disadvantaged such as Region of Moldova;

• The innovative methodology was presented to teachers and trainers in order to use the tools on their students and to transfer it further on to their colleagues and interested parties

• Throughout the dissemination workshops organized in Romania, 214 persons were trained and prepared for using the Fado methodology.

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

Photos taken during the demontration workshops of the Fado project

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

Key competences as the key to achieving unhindered access to mobility for youth at risk- project- “Key to mobility” www.keytomobility.org • The main aim of the project is to provide

disadvantaged young people with key international vocational competences crucial for their integration in further training and/or the labor market;

• Teachers, tutors, trainers and youth at risk are directly involved in the project activities

• SREP has sent 2 trainers to participate in 4 mobility workshops (in Germany, Portugal, Romania and the Netherlands)

• The trained trainers conducted 2 national mobility trainings for VET students at risk to prepare them for future mobility experiences abroad and to clearly understand their needs.

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

Photos taken during the mobility training with youth at risk in Romania

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

Where the Rivers Meet project www.wheretheriversmeet.eu • “Where the rivers meet” project is designed to

promote women immigrants´ smooth integration and development in European countries by supporting mutual understanding and eradication of stereotypes.

• The main tool within the project is the use of social theatre as a means of social intervention for third country nationals women

• SREP has organized 20 social theatre facilitation workshops with young female immigrants from the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey.

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

Project results1. Social theatre facilitation workshops with the aim to introduce

women third country nationals to the world of social theatre having a therapeutic effect on them at the same time, facilitating self expression and group cohesion in order to create original plays.

2. Writing of original plays based on the lives of women third country nationals in the host countries.

3. Staging of the plays written for the women introducing them to the different dimensions of stage creation and further enhancing intercultural understanding.

4. Organization of an international social theatre festival in Valencia, Spain that includes the staging of the partners´ plays and the facilitation of social theatre workshops.

5. Creation of a documentary film to highlight the transformative role of social theatre on the lives of women third country nationals in respect of tackling racism and supporting understanding.

6. Creation of a project´s manual including different phases of the project and its development to be used for dissemination.

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

Photos taken during the social theatre workshops with female immigrants in Romania

Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning

Conclusions• It is very important to join forces in order to

create appropriate educational programs for the disadvantaged in order to socially include them

•More European projects need to be developed in order to tackle these issues and raise awareness on the need of ongoing education

•NGOs, different association need to be supported in their work by public institutions that can offer bigger impact at national level

•Partnerships between formal education providers and non-formal education providers need to be made.

ROMANIAN SOCIETY FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

Address: no.249, Calea Calarasi Str., bl. 65, sc. 1, 5th floor, 21th ap.,Bucharest, 3rd sector, ROMANIA

Phone/Fax: 40-21-327 3887E-mail: office@srep.ro

http://www.srep.ro

THANK YOU!