The availability and the quality of early education and care (ECEC) in the European Union is a growing concern due to an increased understanding about the role played by early years in children’s development, and to the need to support parents work-life balance. However, childminding offer in Europe is still highly fragmented, and especially domiciliary childminding, which is often not or not enough regulated, neither in terms of labour conditions nor professionalisation despite its high demand. Indeed, there is a wide range of professional profiles covered by childminding, as the ESCO profile 5311 « Childcare worker » confirms it: babysitter, crèche and kindergarten professionals, family day care worker, nanny, out of school hours care worker, etc.). In addition, the training offer for those profiles is highly heterogeneous, especially as regards children with special needs, not addressed in separate and specifically developed modules, but integrated in general modules of care. This is the case for autism. Within this context, ChildIN aims to improve the well-being of autistic children and their families, as well as the professionalisation of childminders. This main goal required a complementary consortium, composed by 6 partners from 4 member states:• IPERIA, the French platform for the professionalisation of home employment, lead partner,• The Conseil départemental de la Nièvre, a regional public authority, France,• Cooperativa COMENIUS (VET provider), Portugal,• APPDA (Association for Developmental Disorders and Autism), Portugal,• TECHPAL (VET provider), Poland,• Autism Europe (international non-profit organisation representing autistic people), Belgium.In order to reach this double goal, 2 main objectives were defined:1. The development of a specific training programme in “blended format” (including both face-to-face and distance learning) for childminders taking care of children with autism,2. The elaboration of a policy brief to promote the professionalisation of childminding for autistic children. To do so, a competence framework and a learning architecture (intellectual output 1) for childminders taking care of children with autism was developed, with a 3 EQF level and a total length of 35 hours. The research carried out for this purpose made it possible to create a data base on autism (intellectual output 2), gathering more than 200 resources in 4 languages (English, French, Portuguese and Polish).On this double basis, a training programme and specific training materials were developed also in 4 languages (intellectual output 3): a training kit with learning contents for trainers and learning materials for trainees, including practical exercises, case studies, quiz and satisfaction questionnaires. Given the Covid-19 crisis, the training was practically delivered 100% on distance learning, as well as almost of the events planned for the launching and closure of the training. Despite these difficulties, a total of 53 childminders completed the training programme, from which 16 in France, 21 in Portugal and 16 in Poland (65% of the enrolled participants), with high satisfaction rate of 76%. In order to facilitate the replication and to ensure the sustainability of the training, practical guidelines (intellectual output 4) were developed, including concrete recommendations and suggestions.Lastly, a policy brief (intellectual output 5) for policy and decision makers was elaborated and presented during the final conference of the project, initially planned in Brussels, but organised online in April 2021 due to the pandemics. More than 150 participants attended it, among which different stakeholders, experts on autism and childminding, as well as representatives of the European Commission and members of the European Parliament.

<< Objectives >>The objectives are to ensure social inclusion, access and participation in the school community for children with autism. BE AU-SOME seeks to address the need of developing innovative tools which will promote inclusive education and educational access and participation for children with autism. The project aims to upgrade the skills of educators and trainers to provide new teaching methodologies that will support the digital transformation of education, especially regarding children with ASD.<< Implementation >>The main activities refer to the design, develop, pilot-test and promote an interactive VR Game addressed to the European community, to support the acquisition of social skills e.g. cognitive skills, communication skills and interaction skills for children with ASD. Moreover, it aims to develop a Dual Educational programme for parents and educators to be trained on digital skills necessary to implement digital and remote learning programmes for children with ASD.<< Results >>The main results are the VR Game and the e-learning platform targeted to parents and educators along with the Be Au-Some Campaign, which will be addressed to community actors such as NGOs, Public Authority, schools, organisations, educators etc. Also the TOOL KIT to include:•In-service training of teachers for professional development •Capacity building workshops for parents•Educational pack for Educators and Parents •BE AU-some Library•BE AU-some multipurpose interactive e-learning pl

Job coACh, supporTIng school studEnts with Autism Spectrum Disorder to acquire independency” – ACTIvE aims to promote social inclusion starting with school education through a holistic approach. Thanks to the external collaboration of the Job Coach educator profile, school systems as a whole will be empowered to support students with special needs. In particular, ACTIvE wants to:-Provide educators working in school contexts with innovative Continuous Professional Development opportunities to deal with ASD students (competences to increase social and personal autonomy of ASD adolescents using psychological and educational best practices);-Develop a long-lasting relationship among all actors in school (families, teachers, headmasters, NGOs working with autism, external stakeholders);-Promote social inclusion through talent development;-Create synergies at local and European level to develop innovative practices for inclusive Europe with a bottom-up approach.TARGET GROUPDirect TG: Educators working in school context (psychologists, professional educators) aiming to enhance their competences in relation to autism.Indirect TG: ASD students, teachers, headmasters, families.Stakeholders: local communities, employment agencies working with people with special needs, chambers of commerce, SMEs. To reach these project objectives, the consortium has designed a set of activities grouped into two innovative results (IOs) over a period of 30 months in total (start: 1st December 2019 – end: 31st May 2022). IO1 THE ACTIVE CURRICULUMThe first innovative result is represented by the curriculum to become JOB COACH, tailor made on the training needs of educators and psychologists working in a school context with ASD students (age 15-18). The curriculum includes key knowledge, skills and competences related to the educational profile of the JOB COACH. In order to reach this tangible result, project partners have foreseen three main activities:A1 Methodological Framework (M1-M2);A2 Job Coach Curriculum (M2-M5)A3 Active Validation (M5-M7).The last activity aims at creating an integrate system for the validation of competences, in full compliance with the “European Guidelines for Validating Non-Formal and Informal Learning” (CEDEFOP 2016).IO2 THE ACTIVE SOCIAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTThe second innovative result is represented by the development of a new online learning environment, enriched with training materials for educators, a collaborative space for the users (namely, the community of practice) and an Info Desk, which will serve as a contact point among platform users and project partners. The info desk will be active for at least 3 years after the end of project funding, in order to guarantee the sustainability of the project’s results. In addition, the online collaborative space (community of practice) will be supervised by a moderator appointed by project partners on a rotation base (approximately 5 months each).The Guidelines for Educators to Implement Job Coach Strategies with ASD Students (IO2/A5.2) will be also available on the platform as an open resource, ensuring the transferability of results.These second tangible result will be achieved through:A1 Training Plan (M8-M9)A2 Development of Training Modules (M10-M18)A3 ACTIvE Social Learning Environment (M17-M21)A4 Pilot Test (M20 – M26): C1 Train the Trainer (M20) + Pilot (M22 – M26)A5 Guidelines of Educators to Implement Job Coach Strategies with ASD Students (M26 – M28)Blended Mobility of ASD Students (M26) + Report (M26-M28)A6 Fine-Tuning of Platform and training modules (M29 – M30).

<< Background >>In the EU, 50.6 % of persons with disabilities are employed, compared to 74.8 % of persons without disabilities. Notwithstanding, women with disabilities, young disabled people and people with high support needs are more likely to be excluded from the labour market. People with disabilities encounter many working restrictions, which burdens their successful participation in the labour market. Lack of adequate education and training, work opportunities, learning difficulties, self-confidence, personal motivation, and lack of awareness of the business incentives in the business sector and training facilities to enhance an employer culture and work environment that addresses their needs are only a few. Youth Workers and educators play the most vital role in facilitating employability skills to boost self-confidence and acquire the skills necessary in the digital age for people with disabilities to enhance their career prospects and personal motivation. However, training programmes are minimal and often use traditional training methods, while innovation is missing. Pioneering a Training Programme for Young People (YP) with disabilities and Youth Workers (YW) with the use of VR creates the opportunity for people with disabilities to learn in a virtual environment the skills and knowledge that are needed to effectively undertake the tasks and responsibilities necessary in specific work environments. Moreover, businesses need to demonstrate the willingness and recognize the importance of fostering social inclusion in their work environments by ensuring that they are adequately aware of the financial, legal, and societal advantages they will obtain in the long term. People with disabilities are likely to face specific barriers in entering and sustaining entrepreneurship activities. Arguably, some of these barriers are profound social-structural constraints that severely limit life chances for certain groups of disabled people. These obstacles include lack of confidence and limited aspirations; Lack of training; Lack of relevant business knowledge and skills; Access to business opportunities; Consumer and business discrimination; particular needs that need to be addressed concerning workload, receiving of support, worktime; and lack of training of appropriate Human Resources support.<< Objectives >>The fundamental objectives are to ensure social inclusion, access and participation in the labour market for YPwDs and upgrade youth work by addressing the need for digital transformation. The project aims to address the necessity of pioneering digital-driven tools to improve the employability skills of YPwDs and upgrade youth work through increasing quality and innovation. Moreover, the project aims to improve skills and competences of Youth Workers/trainers/educators etc. working with YPwDs to foster them training methodologies that will improve the current state of the art in regards to training programmes, which are available to this vulnerable group of population. In this manner, the JOBS4ALL project results will be conducive to improving existing methodologies and simultaneously establishing a broader community that fosters them with opportunities in the labour market to enhance equal access and participation, which will reflect the rise of personal growth confidence.<< Implementation >>The JOBS4ALL aims to design, develop and pioneer the idea of the JOBS4ALL programme to improve the employability skills to young people aged 15+ years old with disabilities through the use of VR and build a BUSINESS COMMUNITY towards enhancing the work opportunities and FOSTER structural dialogue between businesses, Youth Organisations/Training Facilitators/Primary Schools and people with disabilities to enhance equal participation in the labour market. The JOBS4ALL project envisions to design, develop, pilot-test and promote an interactive VR Game addressed to the European community, to support the acquisition of employability skills in selected sectors such as Professional, Hair Salon and Food Services including social skills, employability based on each profession, Digital, Health and Safety and Hygiene. Toward this aim the following activities will be implemented:A1. Create the Employability Mapping Tool based on Google Maps to list good practices, work opportunities and list of businesses that offer training and work opportunities programmes to YPwDs in the regionA2. Create Synergies and an Open Consultation Group between labour market actors, policy-makers and youth workersA3. Peer review virtually and F2F in TPM2A4. Setting Up the Employment Hubs For YPWDS: Guidelines and ProceduresA5. Design of the VR game with functionalities integration and in-house pilot-testing along with the development of a manualA6. Development of the interactive platformA7 Create the Policy Advocacy Pack to enable structured dialogue in the labour market towards innovating existing trainings offered to YPwDsA8. SET UP THE HUBS and the Capacity Building Training implementation for the Adoption of the programme in formal and non-formal settings. A pilot-testing activity to target groups will take place to assess the effectiveness and make appropriate changes before introducing it to the wider audience.C1 Organisation of the Train-the-Trainer activity C2 Blended Mobility for YPwDs<< Results >>Specifically, the project will:1. Introduce emerging technologies in Youth Work thus upgrading its quality, based on the development of a collection of VR/AR SIMULATIONS – SCENARIOS for teaching, learning and assessment purposes. The simulation will support disabled youth to explore the various job sectors and identify the skills needed, the tools used, the procedures followed, the requirements etc., especially in periods where apprenticeships and work-based learning is not allowed.2. Initiate a CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME for YW and YP on acquiring employability skills based on blended learning opportunities for both youth workers or professional working with young people with disabilities.3. Design a POLICY ADVOCACY INITIATIVE for the labour market to successfully integrate people with disabilities in their work which will include:(a) Public Consultation in the form of a structured dialogue between relevant stakeholders, businesses/organisations, YW and WP that will create synergies and eventually an e-Business Network, which will embed interaction and communication functionalities e.g. e-Community and Forum (b) Raising awareness campaign in the form of WEBINARs and PORDCASTs for targeting BUSINESSES and ORGANISATIONS on creating and ensuring an inclusive workplace culture for disabled youth(c) Memorandum of Commitment to support this initiative through the provision of working opportunities to youth with disabilities.4. SET UP the COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT HUBS in various places (e.g. partner organisations, community centres, municipalities), which will offer the JOBS4ALL programme in an organised way based on a flexible schedule; weekly, as part of schooling, summer-school, intensive, etc.5. Develop and sustain the JOBS4ALL Platform which will include:(a) Mapping Tool, which will be constantly updated with businesses and organisations that offer work placements and employability to people with disabilities(b) e-Learning Environment for YW, educators etc. including the Training Programme and Training Pack with activities to do with YP on employability skills with a focus on circular economy and professional services or any other type the consortium will decide. Webinars will also be developed for each topic based on the Competence Framework to be designed e.g. Digital, Computer Skills, Employability such as communication, teamwork etc. (c) Business Training Programme accompanied by a Guidebook for establishing an employee culture that ensures social inclusion of people with disabilities(d) Raising awareness Videos on Business integration and incentives such as tax, legal, financial, organisational, societal etc. to promote labour participation and motivation to businesses to hire people with disabilities and inform them on the working environment and employee culture needed.Impact on target groups- To foster labour access and participation through the improvement of their employability skills- To enhance their practical knowledge and know-how on working environments- To develop self-confidence in working - To improve their career-prospects and be motivated in work- To advance their digital skills Impact on educators/Youth Workers- To advance their professional profiles- To enrich their practices and be introduced with new tools such as VR- To improve the courses offered for SEN population- To acquire new skills and competences e.g. employability, business, digital - To establish links with key stakeholders and expand their networksImpact on Organisations- Expand the programmes offered - To eliminate disparities in the region in regards to labour participation of people with disabilities - Create networks for the benefit of fostering equal access in the labour market for YPwDs and increasing the opportunities offered

<< Objectives >>Even the special education teachers have a background in adult education, competencies on homeschooling to parents online are not adequate.- Parents must require digital competencies to collaborate with teachers as well as homeschooling competencies to transform the home into a training environment.- Adult education should be taken an active role and collaborate with special education schools to develop parents required skills for homeschooling students with ASD.<< Implementation >>1) Transnational Meetings2) Multiplier Events3) WP Activities<< Results >>WP-1 will be an innovative methodology that can solve the problems faced by teachers in the digital transformation process.WP-2 will cover homeschooling activities that can be used during distance learning for families. In addition, this output will be a framework program that adult education centers can use.WP-3 The RemAutism platform, on the other hand, will present self-learning opportunities to families, as well as interactive content supporting the Hybrid System.