As agreed with AHRC please see the Case for Support attachment for the full application information

As stated earlier the main objective of the placements was to strengthen the skills of staff working on Development Services, Enforcement and those members of staff working in supporting functions. More specifically, through these placements and with respect to development planning, focus was on the areas of planning applications including those related to development in Outside Development Zones and on Major Projects. With regards to the supporting functions, exposure was required on enforcement, human resources management and public procurement procedures.In our application the number of participants for the mobility placements were sixteen (16) however in view of the fact that the last placement was due to take place in March 2020, this last placement did not take place in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Hence the number of overall participants was fifteen (15). Nine (9) of these participants held a professional role within their respective units (Development Planning Unit, Human Resources Unit and Procurement Team), whereas six (6) of the participants held a technical role within their respective units (Development Planning Unit, Human Resources Unit and Enforcement Unit). All the participants have been working with the Authority for several years.From feedback received from past projects, participants highlighted the importance to travel with colleagues, whenever this was possible. For this project, only two participants travelled alone. The rest travelled in pairs or in groups of three.The following is a brief summary of tasks undertaken by the participants:Nathalie Farrugia Hardie, Carmen Galea and Daniela Farrugia CamoinThe above three officers carried out their placement during the same time frame at Drenthe College (Netherlands). Nathalie Farrugia Hardie and Daniela Farrugia Camoin's placement focused specifically on the human resources aspect, whereas Carmen Galea's placement focused on the procurement aspect. During the two weeks, Nathalie Farrugia Hardie and Daniela Farrugia Camoin carried out similar tasks. Both received a detailed overview of how the Human Resources Unit functioned within the College; were exposed to the HR practices and tasks/projects currently in hand and had meetings with all the HR Advisors and discussed their work practices. They also attended meetings and toured the different colleges and learnt how the work was being carried out and how contact was maintained with the staff. Both had a thorough look at the HR's current and future projects and were also invited to attend a couple of workshops which were being organised throughout the time they were there. During her placement, Carmen Galea was also given a detailed overview of how the Procurement Team functioned within the College. Carmen Galea also attended several meetings with the Procurement Team and toured the different colleges in order to understand how support was given and maintained.Joseph BezzinaJoseph Bezzina's placement focused on Enforcement and his placement took place at Plymouth City Council (UK). There were two main elements to his placement, the first of which was job shadowing the team manager and other team members with the aim to gain insight on how the team handles applications seeking building permission and he also participated in a planning enforcement project, The latter involved a survey of a significant number of unauthorised 'A-Board' signs being displayed by commercial premises on public placements in a historic and conversation area. Joseph was required to carry out a visual and photographic survey to assess the impact of this problem, together with a detailed survey and a short report including recommendations outlining the extent of the problem and how these can be tackled.Leanne Mizzi and Emanuel BorgLeanne Mizzi and Emanuel Borg's placement also focused on Enforcement and their placement also took place at Plymouth City Council (UK). Their placement took place during the same time frame and their tasks during the two-week placements were similar. They were based in an Area Planning Team which was responsible for handling the majority of all planning applications submitted to the Council and also for carrying out planning enforcement duties in respect of works being carried out without the required planning permission. During the placement they job shadowed other planning officers as they carried out their work and attended meetings which further helped them to understand the process. During their stay they also attended a Planning Committee Meeting and observed at first hand the 'political dimension' of the planning process.Jonathan Caruana and Kurt FarrugiaJonathan Caruana and Kurt Farrugia carried out their placement during the same time frame at Plymouth City Council (UK). Although both officers come from a Development Planning background, Kurt Farrugia also focused on the heritage aspect of the process. Kurt Farrugia was attached to the Strategic Growth Team within the Council. During the placement he carried out a historical research on one of the main squares within Plymouth, which is identified for embellishment. For this research he utilised aerial photographs, documents and old maps. Following this research, he proposed design ideas to the embellishment, with regards to works which may be permissible on site. This process also involved meetings with interested parties, such as tree specialists, to identify which trees may be pruned/uprooted, and paving experts, to identify the most suitable materials, both in design and cost. Throughout the placement he also visited a number of Forts and discussed the problems faced with entities in charge of these forts, vis-a-vis their adaptive re-use and conservation. Jonathan Caruana on the other hand worked closely with one of the Area Teams and obtained a indepth insight of their current policies and work practices. He also carried out research related to the history of the city and compared planning issues with those faced by a Maltese locality.Jeremy Portelli and Samaria BezzinaJeremy Portelli and Samaria Bezzina carried out their placement during the same time frame at Cornwall Council (UK). Their placement focused on development planning and they carried out similar tasks during their two-week stay. They both attended a Planning Committee meeting and observed at first hand the 'political dimension' of the planning process. They also carried out several site visits related to Development Management and Enforcement. During their placement they also attended a briefing on the Threemilestone Plan and also gave a presentation on the differences between the Maltese and British planning systems.Sylvana Zammit and Ivan FavaSylvana Zammit and Ivan Fava carried out their placement during the same time frame at Kettle Collective Limited (UK). Their placement focused on development planning and they carried out similar tasks during their two-week stay. During their placement they assessed development proposals related to different countries in terms of the different planning policies of the respective countries. Some of these countries included Oman, Dubai and Scotland. They gained an indepth insight on different planning regimes and gained exposure of planning from the developer / architect point of views.Danny Debono, Joseph Bezzina and Norbert GeradaDanny Debono and Joseph Bezzina carried out their placement at Municipale di Livorno (Italy). Danny Debono and Joseph Bezzina carried out their placement during the same time frame, whilst Norbert Gerada travelled during a different time frame. All three carried out a placement which was focused on development planning and they all carried out similar tasks during their two-week stay. They were based with the Strategic Development Planning Section and here they were introduced to the national and regional planning legislation, with particular emphasis on the planning and development control instruments with the Tuscan region. They were also introduced to the current regulations and procedures related to development within rural areas. Apart from the legislative aspect, they also experienced the cultural aspect related to various agricultural activities in various areas within the province. During their stay they also reviewed a number of case studies and carried a couple of site visits.

The EATAP project commenced a 28-month timeline on 01.09.17 (Project Plan Revised Timetable) with partners undertaking a comprehensive range of activities, establishing a strong/collaborative working relationship to develop new apprenticeship pathways, stimulating innovation in the higher apprenticeship provision. The partnership of apprenticeship educators in VET/HE/private/public sectors designed a transnational Project Based Training model for apprenticeships in the STEM(UK)/STEAM(Lithuania) /MINT(Germany/Austria) sectors, through the development & delivery of a European Talent Programme. Proactive participation of each partner was crucial in delivering the events, activities & outputs detailed in the project funding application. Partner meetings took place in all partner organisations throughout the project term & were known as M1, M2, M3, M4 & M5. The partners consisted of:•Large private/public sector organisations/companies with focused training &/or apprenticeship provision: MVV(Germany), AVL(Austria)•Educational organisations delivering training: VET - City College Plymouth(CCP UK) Chamber of Commerce, Klaipeda University(KVK, Lithuania)•Policy influencers: STVG(Austria), UK National Agency approved Plymouth City Council withdrawal Jan 2019Comparative analysis was undertaken of existing Apprenticeship training provision in International Programmes within partner companies, VET & HE institutions. All partners contributed on a local level to map experience of their organisation/countries environment. This (IO1) was pulled together by STVG to create a benchmark for setting out the framework of the European Talent Programme. The programme was intended exclusively for technical apprentices in the STEAM/STEM/MINT professions, it was centred on project-based learning as a central work-based learning method, as a foreign-language project for an international team. In addition to specialist & technical knowledge, it was important that participants also possessed effective communication abilities & team player/building skills. 2 test pilots (C1/2) were organised in 2 partner countries with evaluation carried out to shape the final IO3 EATAP Framework. The main results of the programme included the promotion of apprentices social competences and embraced partial aspects like self-reflection, teamwork & the importance of qualifications of the trainer, who would host the programme as well as the trainer in the company, selecting the apprentices, the full evaluation results are detailed within the IO3 outputs & the External Evaluation Report.The partners devised/tested a full programme that can be replicated by any VET organisation to deliver a successful 3-week European apprenticeship programme, which along with Train the Trainer (C3/IO5) & the ROI guide (IO4) allows self-sustainable/full cost recovery programmes to be undertaken/funded via private sector employers. This is the ultimate sustainability of the programme post project. Key EATAP results/impacts included:IO1 Apprenticeship Comparison Study Document & Presentation/Evaluation Plan Results Document & PresentationIO3 Framework Participant Application, Prejoining Packs & Daily Plan Weeks 1-3/Framework Teacher Organisation Checklist, Signatory Sheet, Timetable, Daily Visualisation &Teaching Resource Presentations Weeks 1-3/Framework Formal RecognitionIO4 ROI Guide & Framework, Document & Presentation/Brochures for Companies & Project Schedule, all in English/GermanIO5 Train the Trainer Overview Presentation & One Page Flyer/Evaluation of the Training Programme/IO5 Trainers Resource List, Defining the Topic & Train the Trainer 5 Day ProgrammeProject Plan Revised (Timetable)/External Evaluation ReportKey impacts160 participants attend 4 multiplier events = 0 E1/E2 non-award16 project team members establish new project developments = 10 (2 x MVV/CCP/AVL/KVK/STVG) reduction for C4 non award & PCC withdrawal16 apprentices with enhanced skills through participation in C1/C2 =16 (2 x MVV/CCP/AVL/KVK)28 new participants able to internationalise VET provision through participation in C3/C4 = 10 (2 x MVV/CCP/AVL/KVK/STVG), reduced by 14 for C4 non-award & reduction of 4 as PCC withdrawn2 new companies implement an-ETP based international provision for their apprentices = 1 AVL, reduction for PCC withdrawal 2 new companies implement an-ETP based CPD course for their staff = 1 AVL, reduction for PCC withdrawal 2 local authority economic/training officers promoting ETP model through strategy = 1 STVG, reduction for PCC withdrawal 2 managers leading strategic employment/training initiatives promoting ETP model = 2 MVV/CCP4 apprenticeship training systems implemented within VET/HE/private sector = 3 (C1/C2/C3) & C4 non-award4 VET/HE organisations ability to work more effectively with multi-national companies to internationalise their apprenticeship programme through accredited training provision = 3 AVL/STVG/KVK & reduction for PCC withdrawal

Focus of the project Eastern Europeans who have arrived in the UK in the last decade are the fastest growing ethnic groups in the UK. This study will be the first to focus specifically on Eastern European migrant children who have lived in the UK for at least three years, and to compare their everyday lives and sense of cultural and national identity and belonging in Scotland and England. The primary aim of the research is to inform public debate, policy makers and service providers on the issue of children of Eastern European migrants settled in Britain. The study will promote social inclusion, by exploring the experiences of settled migrant children in relation to the distinct discourses around migration, identity and citizenship in the UK and by ensuring that voices of children from the 'new' minority groups are taken into account in current debates on national identity. Settled migrant children's perspectives help us understand whether or not they are being socialised into their local communities' culture and can highlight the spatial and temporal dimensions of their social lives and opportunities for future. Concepts of ethnic and diasporic identity, belonging, transnationalism, culture and nation are taking new meanings across Europe and need reassessment and questioning when discussing national identity and social inclusion. Evidence to be produced By bringing together discourses on migration and integration of migrant groups with knowledge on how children experience these discourses in their everyday interactions, the study will generate new knowledge on the UK's new ethnic minority children and their long-term experiences of integration. Focussing on children aged 12-18 of Eastern European migrants living in the UK for 3+ years, the study will provide a unique understanding on migrant children's long term experiences of settlement, exploring family, peer and community social networks. Another key area of investigation will be children's expressed needs in terms of the array of services they use, issues in access and the extent to which services are meeting their needs. Third, we will explore the factors that enable children of Eastern European migrants to adapt to the new social, economic and political context of the regions in which they live, as they negotiate national, social, cultural and political identities in the context of a changing Europe. Data will be generated through a review of existing evidence, a survey of between 500-600 children across six urban, semi-urban/rural areas in the UK and focus groups with between 70-100 children. In depth case studies 16-20 families will also be conducted. A young people's advisory group will have a central role in the project development and dissemination. Originality, contribution to knowledge and anticipated impact The originality of the project stems from the consideration given to the ways in which Eastern European children living in diverse geographical spaces are engaged in on-going, dynamic processes of making sense of the world, and their place within it, at local, national and global levels. The study will fill a gap in information on newly settled migrant communities, with a view of informing policy and practice. Information on settled migrant children's social practices, educational achievement and aspirations, sense of cultural and national identity and belonging will provide insights into the extent of European migrant communities' integration in the UK, in the context of various representations of 'nation' that circulate in policy, political and public discourses. The study will address the relative absence of migrant children's voices in public debates and provide policy makers and the public with an improved understanding of the lives of children who were originally migrants, but have settled long-term in the UK. This information will be disseminated widely, to benefit children, service providers, policy makers and the general public.

This research examines the complex changes in sexual identities and communities in the contrasting cities of Leeds, Plymouth, Brighton and Manchester since c.1965. It explores the difference locality makes to the ways sexuality is understood and experienced, and so develops an account of particular 'queer' social, radical, and commercial networks. The research will look at how continuities and disjunctions in these local lives and networks articulated with, but also functioned at a distance from, broader currents and accounts of gay and lesbian life in Britain. It considers the local impact and relative significance of famous LGBT landmarks such as the Sexual Offences Act of 1967, the inception of the Gay Liberation Front in 1970, the AIDS crisis from 1981, the activism around Clause 28 in 1988, and the successive pieces of equalities legislation culminating in the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act of 2013. At a detailed and local level, we explore the intersection of sexual, religious, ethnic, class and gender identities and identifications. We will investigate how patterns of local socio-economic growth or decline, of gentrification, of dissent and radicalism, and of migration affected people who identified as gay and lesbian and others who did not but whose sexual, social and community networks overlapped or intersected. In this way we will, firstly, fracture (or 'queer') homogenising general accounts, and, secondly, complicate local community research where identity categories are often the starting point. This will be the first sustained, contextualised and comparative historical investigation of the local impact of changing cultural attitudes and official policies concerning sexuality, and the first to look at the particularities of lesbian, gay or other queer lives in cities with different subcultural associations and reputations. The project reveals the factors which have modulated queer lives and cultures of rejection, toleration or acceptance in these places and elsewhere. It will contribute to debates about the intersection of sexual and other categories of identity and identification, and about conceptions of community, belonging and cultural change. Crucially it will also feed a broader appetite for accounts of the lesbian, gay and queer past and interrogate the individual, community and political implications of that appetite. The project will bridge a gap between 'popular' and 'academic' LGBT or queer histories, and draw attention to local and national resources, archives, community projects and on-line resources - including at least six HLF-funded LGBT community history projects. It will also garner new testimonies relating in particular to the local impact of those projects on ideas of identity and community. The research will be undertaken by two leading academics in the field, together with an experienced postdoctoral researcher. The immediate academic outputs will be: 3 journal articles; a co-authored book, 'Queer North, Queer South', by the PI and Co-I providing comparative analysis of the four core themes (see obj.5) in specific relation to the four cities; a companion volume, 'Out of the Archives' - a contextualized selection of extracts from each of the community history projects, co-edited by the PI, Co-I and PDR; an international conference, 'Provincial Queer Lives'; and papers and panels given by all three researchers at 2 international and 3 UK conferences. Impact activities will include a community archive workshop and witness seminar in each of the case study cities, a comparative History and Archive day, and a History and Policy forum with representatives from community groups, the HLF and linked professionals. A series of special blog dispatches, the project web and Facebook presence, and a Twitter feed will foster further engagement in the research.