Persons with intellectual disabilities (PwID) & Persons with mental health conditions (PwMHC), like any other human being, have sexual desires, need affective relationships & freedom to express their sexuality. In this regard, the UN Convention on the Rights of People with disabilities (UNCRPD), ratified by the European Union, states that People with Disabilities have the same human rights as everyone in all areas of life. These rights include rights related to sexuality. However, commonly, people with intellectual disabilities & mental health conditions have lacked an integral sexual education & support to help them in their sexual lives. This context is slowly changing. Policy makers & key stakeholders are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of addressing the sexuality of PwID & PwMHC as an inherent right. However, in spite of the fact that lot of excellent educative material has been produced to raise awareness & train with regards to sexuality it seems to have had a low impact so far with regards to how PwID & PwMHC are actually able to practise sexual activities & express their sexuality in whatever way they choose. The SMARTS Project (Supporting Me About Rights to Sexuality) is devoted to filling this gap, between knowledge learnt & practical implementation. This will be done through 2 perspectives: 1) By promoting Active Supported decision making (SDM) in real life contexts in the field of sexuality & 2) by promoting the Implementation of specific policies & procedures from support service organisations to better address sexuality issues. SMARTS will have a duration of 36 months and be implemented by an international partnership of 5 organizations with complementary expertise from the following countries: Spain (Astres Foundation), Portugal (Associacao para a recuperacao de cidadaos inadaptados da lousa (A.R.C.I.L), Greece (Theotokos Foundation), Belgium (European Association of Service Providers for persons with Disabilities-EASPD) and the UK (Social Care Training ltd). The project will have 2 main target groups: 1. Care providers supporting PwID & PwMHC. 3 profiles: 1) Family members 2) Professionals & staff members 2) Support provider organizations 2. Adults with intellectual disabilities & mental health conditions who wish to exercise more control over decision affecting their daily sexual life. Specific objectives:1.To better identify support needs of PwID & PwMHC in the field of sexuality.2. Develop skills of PwID & PwMHC & care providers to make supported decisions in the field of sexuality3. Capacitate care providers to implement practical support in the field of sexuality. 4.To create user-friendly resources for PwID & PwMHC to better address their rights with regard to sexuality.5. Raise awareness on the need & available means to address SDM in the field of sexuality for PwID & PwMHC6. Advocate at EU & local level on the importance to address sexual support for PwID & PwMHCThe project will produce 6 complementarily outputs: 1.UNCRPD compliant guidelines on SDM on sexuality issues for people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities-Guidelines for professionals and staff members2.UNCRPD compliant guidelines on SDM on sexuality issues for people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities-Guidelines for family carers3.Policy & practice guidance on sexuality for service providers4.Awarenes Toolkit for PwID and PwMHC5.Training course for caregivers6.Policy recommendations3 rounds of LTT activities will be implemented to train users in the SMARTS materials. Project materials will be also tested and reviewed in subsequent pilots implemented at local level by service provider organizations members of the SMARTS partnership.Expected results are: PwID & PwMHC feel more empowered to make decisions with regard to their sexuality and supporters will feel better equipped & skilled to support decision making after using the SMARTS materials, service managers feel better equipped to assess & address procedural changes to better support the sexuality rights within their services.Expected long term impacts of the project are increased general openness & positive attitude to address the ( still often sensitive) topic of sexuality of PwID & PwMHC both by users & supporters, The SDM approach is increasingly accepted by professionals, support organizations & users themselves as the appropriate strategy to address & implement the rights of PwID & PwMHC with regards to their sexual needs, wishes & expression in accordance with the UNCRPD principles, Key organizational procedures proven positive to support sexuality of PwID & PwMHC within a variety of support services are progressively accepted & integrated by organization managers.

The recent lockdown due to the COVID pandemic has highlighted our reliance on virtual means for staying in touch, continue learning and also working. Critically, it has also thrown into sharp definition the issues of digital exclusion and the lack of digital readiness for educators. This has been a specially challenging situation for the population who lack basic digital skills like the people with mental health challenges, cognitive disorders or/and especial learning needs, and thus, for the professionals targeting them.Distance learning massively activated during this Covid-19 crisis revealed the limited autonomy of people with disabilities, in particular with intellectual, learning and /or psychiatric disabilities, in the use of available technologies. This situation increased the inequality in the access to the training proposals and the marginalization and isolation of those groups, with heavy repercussions on their well-being and in their possibility of playing an active role in society, because also their distance to the labour market is getting increased.Statistics show that people with disabilities are more exposed than others to unemployment and social exclusion. It is proben that labour market inclusion has a positive impact on social inclusion and that by including people with disabilities, companies, individuals and society at large all win. The role of Job Coaches has become key to support the job inclusion of this vulnerable groups. Job coaches have the task of accompanying the client in job search and in the subsequent reintegration path. But during the recent lockdown educators, VET mentors and job coaches working with people with disabilities have found a lot of challenges to continue delivering career advise and job coaching to their target group due to three main issues:1. A lack of digital competences for mentoring and job coaching on-line.2. Scarcity of digital job coaching tools and methods.3. The digital gap in the access to on line services by people with disabilities.WORK@BLE project tackles these three challenges faced by people with disabilities and the VET mentors/job coaches working with this group to enable then and the professionals to recieve and deliver the job coaching services respectively, by these means: 1. Training job coachers in the use of digital job coaching tools.2. Developing an innovative digital coaching toolkit and a friendly platform tailored to the needs of the target group. (IO1)3. Developing an educative digital e-Scape Room for assessing job skills (IO2)The two outputs are tailored to the digital needs of the target groups. Professionals could undergo their job coaching on line to people with learning difficulties and limited digital skills. The latest will not only improve their employability but also will train their digital skills by using the platform and the e-Scape Room. WORK@BLE exchanges good practices and identifies innovative job coaching tools in order to digitalize them, trains jobcoaches and VET mentors working in the field of people with disabilities, and also creates a friendly job coaching platform and a digital Scape Room to assess job skills. Everything accessible for the final target group and thus enabling the coachers delivering e-coaching. In few words, WORK@BLE breaks down digital barriers and promotes the access to labour market and to autonomous active living to disadvantaged groups.

<< Background >>The transition from education (or any prior situation) to employment is particularly important but far more complicated for persons with disabilities (PwD) compared to their non-disabled peers. Despite the European legislative arsenal in force and the progress noted, the unemployment and activity rates of PwD are still far behind when compared to the rest of the population. Young PwD are more likely to be discriminated against and excluded from the labour market. Faced with the need for a solution to support and secure the smooth transition and integration of PwD into the ordinary labour market, an innovative scheme (process) is being modelled by experts mandated by LADAPT, a French national association supporting around 20 000 PwD annually.The scheme, known as the Supported Apprenticeship Scheme (SAS), was born in the Brittany region of France (LADAPT), and has undergone a field study evaluation by a renowned French sociologist along with a technical committee of experts. The results produced (report analysis, mapping of the scheme, RACI of actors involved, Inventory of points of caution) have been used to create a toolkit, the “Referential to implement supported apprenticeship” (or just Referential).This Referential proposes a step by step method to implement the supported apprenticeship scheme and to bring those far from the ordinary labour market closer through apprenticeship contracts. Unlike other common VETs, apprenticeships or similar schemes, this Referential (method/process) takes into account and work with the whole ecosystem around the apprentice. The scope of this supported apprenticeship covers the professional, educational and personal spheres. A co-construction and support work is initiated and facilitated by vocational integration counsellors (VICs) working with: apprentice training centres/schools, trainers, specialised employment organisations, disability referents in the company, the employer, public administrative process (financial and administrative process) etc.This tried and evaluated scheme, conducted with a scientific approach, ensures a smooth transition into employment, secure careers and prevent contract breaches. This is so because the support starts before the signing of the apprenticeship contract and lasts until the actual entry into employment. The Referential, which is currently undergoing comprehension tests by employers, is expected to be published by summer 2021. LADAPT and its partners from 7 EU countries wish to simultaneously experiment this renewed scheme. The needs that this experiment in 7 countries will address are the following: ●A 360° support for persons with disabilities to facilitate their transition into the ordinary labour market; ●An evaluation report and policy recommendations report addressed to European, national, regional & local authorities. This experiment will shed light on policy and initiatives requirements to better and secure the transition process into employment for persons with disabilities;●This experiment will address the need of empowerment, change of posture and awareness-raising that are currently posing as barriers for the professional integration of persons with disabilities. Indeed, the way that the Referential has been designed forces a change in the posture of all involved actors who intervene in support of the person with disabilities only. The referential dictates a person centred methodology, which leave the power to act, the decision-makings to the person with disabilities at very heart of the scheme. It is the person with disabilities who is the driving force and this empowerment of the person will not only contribute to the disappearing of the current paternalistic posture in European societies but will also contribute to the confidence of the person as an employee. ●Finally, the aim of this scheme is avoid contract breaches and secure careers, a need highlighted by current statistics on employment of persons with disabilities<< Objectives >>Global EU statistics on the employment of persons with disabilities reflect the situation in most national contexts. As per the report published by the European Parliamentary Research Service, only 50.6% of persons with disabilities are employed compared to 74.8% of persons without disabilities . The evaluation process led by the Commission on the last European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 highlighted that the lack of equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in the labor market is a key challenge that needs to be addressed. There is an urgent need to support and secure transition into employment for persons with disabilities. The implementation of the SAS project will achieve the following: 1.Give the means to secure the transition to employment of persons with disabilities The objective of the referential is to ensure the transition from education to employment, secure career paths and prevent contract breaches. To ensure this, the Referential takes into account the whole ecosystem around the person concerned. The scope of the supported apprenticeship scheme covers the professional, educational and personal spheres. A co-construction and support work is initiated and facilitated by vocational integration counsellors working with: apprentice training centres/schools, trainers, specialised employment organisations, disability referents in the company, the employer, public administrative process (financial and administrative process) etc.Hence, the Referential secures the transition because the support starts before the signing of the apprenticeship contract and lasts until the actual entry into employment and beyond. 2.Change the posture of professionals and empower young persons with disabilities who are at the very heart of the schemeThe way the scheme has been designed forces a change in the posture of all the involved actors, which in turn, leads to the empowerment of the apprentice with disabilities. Indeed, the paternalistic posture, often noted in our society in regard to persons with disabilities, will disappear in order leave the power to act to the person with disabilities who is at the heart of the scheme. It is the person with disabilities who is the driving force, and the rest of the actors intervene in support for a smooth implementation of the scheme. 3.Raise awareness of a network of actors on supported apprenticeship The aim of this experiment is also to raise awareness on the effectiveness of this scheme in terms of employability of persons with disabilities. On the one hand, awareness-raising will target potential apprentices with disabilities, training centres, employers and their disability referents, and potential VICs profiles. On the other hand, the results of the experiment will be accompanied by policy recommendations targeting to raise awareness of national public bodies and EU platforms on the needs/benefits of such a scheme.<< Implementation >>Action research & Report analysis: the aim of the project is to test an evaluated tool, that is, a proposed methodology for an apprenticeship implementation for persons with disabilities (PwD). This particular methodology, elaborated in the Referential, aims to secure the transition to employment of PwD. There are prior phases to the launch of the experiment. First of all, each partner country will lead a research action on the state of play of apprenticeship for persons with disabilities in their countries. Among the focus areas will be existing administrative procedures and support, employers and training centres offers, procedures, statistics. The data collected for each country will lead to a comparison analysis through the publication of a European report on apprenticeship for persons with disabilities. This document will be free, accessible and digitalized.Referential Adaptation: Once this action research completed, the consortium will adapt the proposed Referential to their national contexts. For reminder, the aim is to test the evaluated Referential, so adaptations are supposed to be minor, for instance, by finding the corresponding profile or administrative process mentioned in the Referential. For example, in France, a public service named Agefiph is in charge of financing the work adaptations of persons with disabilities in the private sector. Adaptation would be replacing Agefiph by the corresponding profile in the national context. The action research launched at the beginning would enable such adaptations.Training module: a training module, based on prior data collection, the Referential and field expertise of the coordinator, will be created for the VICs. VICs play an important part in the scheme as they coordinate the network of actors involved in the whole process. The module will be digitalized, free and accessible.Training of VICs: Once the training module ready, a number of 16 VICs identified in the participating countries will be trained. The will benefit from a double-edged training, that is, be trained to be a VIC but also be trained to become trainers. This will contribute to the sustainability of the schemeVICs peer exchange & peer learning workshop: A sociological approach is considered for the compilation of the VICs' experience. Each VIC will keep a logbook on this experiment which will be used to produce the following deliverable: A field report on the European experience of VICs in the support of apprentices with disabilities. An exchange workshop will be organised for the participating VICs. This workshop will be an opportunity for the VICs to benefit from peer exchange and peer learning, and for informal capacity building through the experience of each VIC. Exchanges on the obstacles encountered and the solutions found. This activity will be capitalised on to feed result 4.Data collection – questionnaires/interviews will be led throughout the process. To start with, the consortium will elaborate questionnaires (for different phases of the process) for training centres, VICs, employers and PwD (and their personal sphere if the person agrees). These questionnaires will be transmitted at several phases: beginning, middle & towards the end.An evaluation report and policy recommendations based on the collected data will be elaborated, free of access and digitalized. The results will be of utmost importance in our approach to our targeted groups with concrete and evaluable content.The project will have two dissemination events. The first dissemination event will take place after completion of the first 3 results in order to raise awareness on the scheme and to familiarise our targets with the experiment to be launched. The second dissemination event will take place after the drawing up of the evaluation report and policy recommendations. The dissemination will regroup target groups as well as testimonies from the actors involved in the process.<< Results >>> Outcome 1. European report analysis on supported apprenticeship: A research on the legislative & administrative contexts on supported apprenticeship will be carried out in each partner country & consolidated in a first intellectual production: the European report analysis on supported apprenticeship. The report will analyse the context of each country on supported apprenticeship & the inventory will serve as a work base for the second deliverable. This deliverable, with useful and substantial information, will be accessible (digital version) and usable by any third party.Result: an European report on the state of play of apprenticeship> Outcome 2. Adapted referential to implement SAS in EU countries: Following the production of PR1, the consortium will use the data collected to adapt the French referential (currently being modelled) to each country (France is not concerned at this stage). Thus, the project will produce a final referential per country. Result: a referential per country to implement apprenticeship, digitalized & usable by any third party. > Outcome 3. EU training module for vocational integration counsellors (VICs) for PwD: A training module for VICs will be created based on the Referential & prior data collection. This Europeanised training module will be digitalized and accessible. 16 VICs will be trained to lead the experiment. The VICs will benefit from a double-edged training: to be trained to the scheme but also to become trainers for other counsellors. Hence, the importance for the module be free of access. Results: a training module, a n° of 16 VICs trained for the experiment. > Outcome 4. Field report on the European experience of VICs in the support of apprentices with disabilitiesDuring this experiment, 16 VICs will support 32 apprentices with disabilities to find the training that best corresponds to their professional project, to advise them, to support the trainer at the training centre & be in support of the host employer. These VICs will follow the process set out in the Referential & training programme to the letter so that the apprenticeship contract is secured. These VICs will have been trained before the field experiment. A sociological approach is considered for the compilation of the VICs' experience. Each VIC will keep a logbook on this experiment. The consortium will then analyse, in line with the VICs, the data collected in order to produce the following deliverable: A field report on the European experience of VICs in the support of apprentices with disabilities. An exchange workshop will be organised for the participating VICs. This workshop will be an opportunity for the VICs to benefit from peer learning, and from informal capacity building through the experience of each VIC. Exchanges on the obstacles encountered and the solutions found. On the other hand, the consortium will capitalise on this workshop to feed result 4. Results: field report on the European experience of VICs in the support of apprentices with disabilities, 32 apprentices with disabilities securing apprenticeship contracts.> Outcome 5. Evaluation report and policy recommendations During the experiment, questionnaires will be drawn up to evaluate the scheme. The questionnaires will be drawn by all the partners who have expertise in terms of disability, work placement, counselling, quality research and evaluation. This tool will enable a monitoring/progress-tracking of the experiment. The questionnaires will be drawn up for 3 phases of the experiment (beginning, mid-way and towards the end) and adapted to the target groups (PwD, VIC, employer, training centre). The questionnaires collected in all countries will go through a data analysis process by the task leader & will feed the evaluation report & policy recommendations. Results: evaluation report and policy recommendations, dissemination of results to all targets actors

<< Objectives >>Children with SEN face exclusion from nature based activities, particularly in Mediterranean countries. This leads to social isolation, and exclusion from the environmental movement. By training special education professionals in outdoor learning, outdoor educators in special education, and supporting families to do activities outdoors, a passion for nature will be ignited in the children. Nature based learning will improve their wellbeing, and will inspire them to protect the environment.<< Implementation >>Three manuals will be produced with accompanying online training modules. One for special education professionals training them in outdoor learning, one for outdoor educators providing inclusion and access training and guidelines for involving SEN children in activities, and one for families on outdoor activities and play suitable for children with SEN. Multiplier events will be organised to disseminate project results. A inspirational video giving a platform to the children will be made.<< Results >>Children with SEN across the Mediterranean will be given access to nature, improving their wellbeing and inspiring them to become active citizens passionate about protecting nature. Conservation organisations will improve the inclusivity of their educational services, and disability support organisations will expand their activities. Educational professionals will learn skills making them more employable. Families will receive support and advice improving the quality of their family time.

Context and background:Statistics show that Young Adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorders face greater difficulties than their peers in the transition to employment. Not only do they have more difficulty finding a job but, more generally, this phase represents a moment of particular risk for them, characterized by increased isolation, heightened symptoms (especially for mental health issues), depression, higher suicidal risk, etc.At the same time this transition is a particularly difficult phase to support for Transition Coaches who often do not have the necessary skills. For Companies, hardly opening the door to the inclusion of YAASD. For families and the community in general, facing a complex change in their role and task that they often fail to manage.TransitAction Objectives:To support YAASD in their transition to Employment, the project aims to achieve the following results:1.Transition Coaches have more effective skills and tools to support YAASD in their transition;2.YAASD have more tools to deal with the transition and are actively involved in this process;3.Companies are more open to employ YAASD and the co-workers are more prepared to integrate them.4.Families, volunteers’ associations and the community in general are better prepared for the transition and capable of managing in a positive manner the changes for their role.Activities:•A research on good practices supporting the transition of young adults to employment is implemented;•A needs analysis on Transition Coaches needs is implemented;•A research on existing digital tools supporting the same transition is implemented;•An Online Platform (I.O.1) collecting the content of the previous two activities is developed.•A training course for Transition Coaches is designed and developed adapting the content of the Online Platform;•A training course is delivered to 17 people (12 Transition Coaches and 4 Peers and one evaluation responsible) through mutual learning;•A feedback analysis on trainings is released;•4 pilots (5 months each) are implemented at national level to test the effectiveness of the training content;•A 2nd Training course, complementary to the first one is delivered considering the feedback from the first 4 pilots;•Further 4 pilots are implemented;•A feedback analysis on the pilots is released;•E-learning modules for Transition Coaches supporting Young Adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder in their transition to employment is delivered, made available in 5 languages (Dutch, English, Greek, Italian, Slovenian) and uploaded on the Online Platform.Number and profile of participants:TransitAction plans to train 12 Transition Coaches and 4 Peers during the trainings; subsequently, during the field tests, the project expects to involve at least another 18 Transition Coaches and to test the training contents with at least 20 YAASD for each service provider and the school. In total, the project therefore plans to involve at least 24 people, between Transition Coaches and Peers, and at least 80 YAASD.With the aim to support co-production, training participants will also be indirectly involved in other project activitiesMethodology:In the awareness of the complexity of the transition of YAASD to employment, TransitAction has a 360-degree approach. The researches implemented will allow us to gather the best existing practices and tools effecting the context. The field of research will not be limited only to YAASD but to all stakeholders involved in the transition, in compliance with the complexity mentioned above. Specific focus will be given to the search for digital tools as they are now considered more necessary and effective than ever.On this basis, a group of Transition Coaches will be intensively trained. Furthermore 4 pilots will be implemented twice (5+5 months) to allow real and incisive feedback on the final formulation of the training modules. Research, training, testing and feedback will therefore be interrelated and enclosed in a virtuous circle.To ensure that the input of the YAASDs themselves is sufficiently taken into account, Peers are involved throughout the whole project.Results, impacts and long term benefit:The Online Platform, through its translation software, will available in multiple languages. The Training Modules will be available on the Platform in 5 languages (English, Dutch, Greek, Italian, Slovenian). Dissemination events of the project results will be held in Greece, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Slovenia, Ireland. This way, both I.O. will be known at European level and could be used internationally, leading to a real improvement in the support to YAASD transition. In the long term, the project will generate, among other things:•Enhanced YAASD labor inclusion;•Stronger financial independence of YAASD;•Enhanced social role and inclusion YAASD in the community;•Decreased economic / social cost of YAASD support;•Better quality of life of YAASD and families.