Story Makers - Many Voices Many Lives will develop materials that enable youth workers to use the power of story-making to engage and work with socially excluded young people, equipping them with resilience, confidence, self-esteem and life skills. It aims to foster the inclusion and employability of young people with fewer opportunities, through the promotion of quality youth workThe project has been designed in the context of increasing concern about the growing gap between young people who engage in social, civic and cultural life and are confident about finding a job, and those with little hope of leading a fulfilling life, and risk exclusion and marginalisation. 13.7m young people aged 15-29 are neither in employment, education or training (NEET), and close to 27m are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Young people with a migrant background, low educational achievement and health issues are most likely to become NEET and are least likely to participate in social and civic activities.Number and profile of beneficiaries: The project will engage and support 50 youth workers and 600 young people, of whom at least 500 will be NEET, and face particular barriers to engagement, such as mental and physical health and complex behavioural issues. Based on past courses, we expect approximately 80% of the young people to complete the training and tell their storyThe results of the project will be1. A manual for youth workers, containing the following modules:•the characteristics of socially excluded young people in each participating country. •Using story-making to engage and motivate socially excluded young people: Building on the notion that people connect with stories, young people will co-develop stories accessible through digital media and artefacts, which will push the boundaries of both literature and literacy. The opportunity to engage with story-making and -listening, can be expected to lead to improved engagement and self-esteem and provide opportunities for practising oral literacy •Using mentors to enhance the story-making approach: Mentors will largely be drawn from the local business community and will receive training to act as role models and ongoing support. Mentors will be a critical factor in helping mentees to think about and learn from the story that they are telling.•Where next: supporting young people to access further employment/education/support services.•Building partnerships across sectors: A model for developing and strengthening links between youth organisations, schools, VET, HE and the labour market •A measurement tool that can be used by youth workers to assess young people’s progress2. A multi-media film, produced by young people, presenting the project and its impact on them.3. An open access multi-lingual e-learning portal, targeting youth workers4. A minimum of four multiplier events and a number of local dissemination activities. The immediate impact will bea) Youth workers will increase their skills to engage socially excluded young peopleb) Young people’s creativity and initiative will be stimulated, motivating them about their futurec) Young people will become aware of services, support networks, and means of accessing qualifications for further education and/or employmentd) Participating organisations will gain skills and a wider European network, supporting internationalisation strategies.Longer-term benefits will be a reduction in youth social exclusion; a positive impact on the partners’ reputation, which can be expected to bring further financial support. At wider level: we expect to feed the lessons of the project into policy development at national and European levels. Future funding is expected to be acquired through mainstreaming and multiplying the project both at national and European levels.

<< Background >>A consequence of the growth of the world’s economy and its population is an increased global demand and rise in resource consumption: Our way of using things and throwing them away is an unsustainable and a waste of resources. Indeed, we need new, creative solutions for a sustainable future and it requires a circular way of thinking as to how we make our products and how we act as consumers.Recycling rates of municipal and packaging waste; and waste of electrical and electronic equipment are increasing in Europe, indicating a move towards using waste as a resource and creating a more circular economy (https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/waste-recycling-1/assessment-1 ). Recycling and upcycling have become a common undertaking at all levels of society in Europe. This creates new sustainable jobs for European citizens. The issue of environment and climate change is being addressed globally, as countries try to mitigate the effects of decades of waste and wanton disregard for the environment. The European Green Deal (EGD) aims transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society where there are no net emissions of carbon gases by 2050, and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The transition needs to be just and inclusive, as it will demand a joint effort to reach complete carbon neutrality. While addressing environmental issues, the EGD has people at the heart of the strategy. However, we tend to forget the human face when talking about environmental issues. The disadvantaged groups, in particular, are not being given enough focus: how can they contribute while having a good quality of life? For one, the employment gap between persons with and without disabilities remains high: A large number of persons with disabilities have a lower employment rate, are disproportionately affected by unemployment, and leave labor markets earlier. This is critical, as employment participation is important to ensure economic autonomy and social inclusion of persons with disabilities (https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=8376&furtherPubs=yes).Research shows a neglect of initiatives equipping disadvantaged groups with competencies to get a job within recycling/upcycling. NGOs working with vulnerable groups need to professionalize the teaching of such skills, enabling them to become an active part of the labor market and to earn a decent living. By enhancing the competencies of VET-trainers and volunteers who teach recycling/upcycling, this project will equip disadvantaged groups with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to thrive in an evolving labor market with emerging green business opportunities. The disadvantaged groups will not just receive training but also improve their employability and gain better access to the job market.The project has two target groups: the primary target group: teachers and volunteers (seniors, retired teachers, professional craftsmen) that teach practical craft skills used for repairing, renovating, and restoring secondhand items to citizens; secondary target group: disadvantaged groups - people with learning disabilities and mentally vulnerable, unemployed people on the periphery of the labor market.By developing a curriculum and a training program (PR1), TRAIN-SUSTAIN addresses the need for professionalizing trainers of disadvantaged VET-students in the field of recycling/upcycling furniture, appliances, clothes, etc. The training program will focus on qualifying the social and technical competencies of teachers and volunteers.in addition, the project will produce a handbook for future VET-trainers and a compendium of good practices on socio-economic business models to serve as inspiration to the partnership and eventually to organisations across Europe.<< Objectives >>General objectives:•to enable VET-institutions and NGOs improve the competences of their trainers and volunteers to become more qualified for teaching the disadvantaged target groups - unemployed, mentally vulnerable, people with learning disabilities, migrants etc. – in upcycling, recycling and/or repair of furniture, appliances, clothes, etc.•to ensure that the disadvantaged groups get the training and support that is required for them to handle a job within the aforementioned areas, thus enhancing their employability.•To promote social inclusion by providing disadvantaged groups with professional training as well as ensuring that they are ready for the job market. •To contribute to the realization of the European Green Deal by promoting sustainable use of used materials through recycling/upcycling. Specific objectives: •To professionalize the teaching of recycling/upcycling of goods •To help enhance the skills of disadvantaged groups in recycling/upcycling of goods for commercial enterprises •to develop a curriculum for trainers of disadvantaged groups•to develop a handbook for future VET-teachers and volunteer trainers•to develop a compendium of good practices on different socio-economic business models within the field of repair/recycling/upcycling•to engage 88 trainers in professionalizing the teaching of repair/recycling/upcycling of furniture, clothes, appliances. •To train at least 120 disadvantaged VET-students in recycling/upcycling goods that could give them employment•To promote the project through a website and the production of recycled material<< Implementation >>The activities of the project and the responsible organisations are: 1) TRAIN-SUSTAIN Curriculum for VET-teachers and Volunteer Trainers working with Disadvantaged Groups (See PR1)Activity leading organisation: FO-Aarhus (responsible for part 1) and Lousada (responsible for part 2) Participating partners: All partners2) TRAIN-SUSTAIN Handbook on How to Teach the Curriculum to Future VET-teachers and Volunteer trainers (See PR2)Activity leading organisation: SpainParticipating partners: All partners3) Compendium of Best Practices (See PR3)Activity leading organisation: CyprusParticipating partners: All partners4) International Teacher Training CourseActivity leading organisation: SpainParticipating partners: All partners5) Local Teacher Training EventsActivity leading organisation: All partnersParticipating partners: All partners6) Local Multiplier Events Activity leading organisation: ALL PARTNERSParticipating partners: All partners7) A Final Conference Activity leading organisation: PortugalParticipating partners: All partners<< Results >>PR1: TRAIN-SUSTAIN Curriculum for VET-teachers and Volunteer Trainers working with Disadvantaged Groups (WP leader: Denmark and Portugal)The project will develop a curriculum for VET-teachers and volunteer trainers who teach repair/recycling/upcycling of furniture, clothes, appliances etc. to disadvantaged citizens. PR2:TRAIN-SUSTAIN Handbook on How to Teach the Curriculum to Future VET-teachers and Volunteer trainers (WP leader: Spain)A Handbook will be designed to provide future VET-teachers with tools to successfully implement and facilitate trainings on the aforementioned topic. PR3: Compendium of Best practices (WP leader: Cyprus)Partners will identify and select a set of good practices i.e. successful socio-economic business models which involve and engage disadvantaged citizens in the recycling/upcycling of different material. The selected practices will be composed in a Compendium of Best practices.Additionally, the project will develop the following:1) Project Management Report - which will include all guidelines as well as the Minutes for each meeting; 1 report2) Quality Assurance Plan - which will include the evaluation of the project on a continuous basis, to ensure that the project is implemented in line with the application and ensures the highest quality standards; 2 reports - Interim and Final.3) Quality questionnaires which will be developed by the Internal Evaluation Leader for a) collecting feedback about the projects progress from the partners after each meeting; and b) feedback from the beneficiaries about the Outputs' quality before and after their finalization.4) An Impact Plan which will outline an agreed set of qualitative and quantitative indicators for each of the proposed intellectual outputs and 2 reports that will measure progress towards project objectives; 2 reports - Interim and Final.5) A Dissemination Plan consisting of how the partnership plans to disseminate the project process and results to its target audience and an ongoing document that will list and document all dissemination activities of all partners through the duration of the project's lifecycle; 1 Report6) Articles to be posted on social media with information about the project, its advances and outcomes. The content of each post will be elaborated in English by the lead organization of the dissemination activities. Social media presence to keep stakeholders and other interested parties up to date with project development actions.7) A Sustainability Plan (on how each partner plans to continue the project beyond its funding)8) A Partnership Agreement document will be defined, agreed, and signed by all partners before the start of the project -1 document9) A website that will describe the project and its activities; will serve as dissemination channel; and will be available in English, Danish, French, Portuguese, Greek and Spanish.10) Logo for the identification of the project period; 1 Report11) Project's templates for PowerPoint presentations and documents to maintain a visual identity.12) Project's e-Brochure to be used in dissemination activities.13) Multiplier events in each partner country and a Final Conference in Lousada, Portugal.14) Training of teachers (C1) that will take place in San Sebastián, Spain.

<< Objectives >>The GreenGenerations project’s purpose is to bring a clear EU added value since an essential goal of creating a sustainable society is to promote common values and eco-friendly attitudes. Thus, its objectives are:-to exploit intergenerational learning techniques to combat climate change.-to expand teacher training on climate change-related issues.-to develop green skills that go beyond the basic focus.-to promote the harmonization of green and social skills<< Implementation >>The GreenGenerations project will implement the following activities:-A study related to an in-depth understanding of the techniques and effectiveness of intergenerational learning.-Guidance, training, and practical resources that will enable teachers and educators to adopt intergenerational learning on climate change education.-An innovative school curriculum and a platform for students and society to adopt sustainable daily habits.<< Results >>The GreenGenerations project will also have an impact on contributing to the practical training of European teachers in climate change education. Additionally, it will offer educational resources that will promote the cultivation of environmental citizenship, the spirit of cooperation and the fight against climate change beyond national borders, achieving a truly international cooperation.

The social economy is playing an increasingly important role, largely thanks to its ability to tackle some of the main challenges facing Europe, in particular the need to promote sustainable and socially inclusive economic growth and create jobs.The ambition of the INN-CO project is to place its action in an ecosystem conducive to the development of social enterprises. It is about increasing their visibility and that of citizens' initiatives, in particular:- model the key factors for the success of social enterprises, identify the conditions for their transferability,- Increase the competitiveness of social enterprises through innovation in the use of digital tools and the creation of strategic alliances.- Promote processes of innovation, knowledge transfer, commercial, scientific and technological exchange through the creation of synergies between companies and relevant entities in the social economy sector.Objectives of the project are:- Strengthen the skills of teacher-researchers and trainer-researchers in the digital management of social enterprise projects in Europe- Increase the collective skills of European social entrepreneurs by sharing practices and innovations.- Generate new common European knowledge and models.The project involves the creation of 2 outputs:- O1 The Collaborative Design Model as an important support tool for social SMEs- O2 Virtual Cluster for Social Enterprises to support members in the development of initiatives and awareness programs in the field of entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility and the creation of social partnerships.There will also be training activities considered LTTA Trainings (C1-C5) as fundamental elements both to increase the knowledge and skills of the project participants and for the development of the outputs of the INN-CO project through co-creation with a collaborative approach. Each will involve 3 participants per partner organization involving the staff of the members of the partnership made up of trainers, tutors, educators in the VET area, professional social enterprise experts, social entrepreneurs. This could also include some volunteers from the project partners.As regards the impact, the participants thanks to the training received during the project and the exchange generated with other participants from the member countries, will be able to put the Collaborative Design method into practice with its various tools (participatory workshops, dialogue and experiential learning) to achieve a specific goal or solve a specific problem.The partner institutions will have more synergies between the members of the partnership, social enterprises members of the Virtual Cluster, stakeholders involved in the social economy.The social entrepreneurs involved will improve their skills in promoting the Collaborative Design approach within their companies and the social enterprises, associations and other stakeholders involved will be part of the Virtual Cluster.Finally, a strong impact at all levels will be given by ITC technologies and digital skills developed in the participants, allowing them to reach more stakeholders globally to develop future collaborations.

<< Objectives >>SCALE-UP wants to foster entrepreneurial skills acquisition by women entrepreneurs (present and future) interested in social sectors, through participation in VET training and training of the professionals who support them (VET trainers and business coaches).Specifically, it wants to support them in accessing financing and in making their businesses sustainable/competitive in the labour markets, raising awareness on the obstacles they may encounter in social enterprise running/starting up.<< Implementation >>Other than the Project Management Work Package, SCALE-UP has two other WPs:WP1: Sharing, Promotion, and CoordinationIts activities want to achieve the maximum possible diffusion of project results, as to multiply their impact. It will also help coordinate the partners in their activities.WP2: Online course and annex toolsIts activities will produce a cohesive set of training, informing, and inspiring tools for women social entrepreneurs and VET trainers/business coaches.<< Results >>SCALE-UP’s results can be split into three categories:Sharing and Promotion:-Graphic identity-Project results and project topic related online dissemination-Project results’ in-person promotion eventsImplementation:-MOOC on Social Entrepreneurship for women social entrepreneurs and VET trainers/business coaches-Best cases, and training and support organizations Atlas-Additional training and inspirational Library-Self-evaluation test