Context/BackgroundAn increasing group of persons have challenges to enter and participate at the open labour market. Especially persons with a disability and having qualifications on a lower level, face a future without realistic chances of participating in the society by finding appropriate employment fitting to their qualifications and competencies. These challenges exist in many countries. It is therefore that service providers and educators of persons with a disability are looking for new strategies to create more chances in entering and participating in the labour market. Traditional employment strategies for students with a disability mainly focus on the individual student with a disability. Strategies focusing on the added value for the employer are rarely used or neglected. The approach is that a new strategy, focusing on the added value for the employer, will increase the opportunities for students with a disability and low formal qualifications. This requires a paradigm shift.This new strategy of creating jobs that benefits employers, is called Inclusive Job Design. Inclusive Job Design is a comprehensive term for an employer-oriented method to create sustainable employment for persons with disabilities whose chances of competitive employment are limited, especially for those who have a low level of qualification and limited competences. The method of Inclusive Job Design implies the re-designing of work processes, analyzing and splitting the job-activities of existing jobs in various levels of complexity. The aim of this method is to create a positive business case for the employer and in the same time to create inclusive employment opportunities for the student with a disability. ObjectivesThe project aim was to enlarge the sustainable employment opportunities in the open labour market for VET students with a disability by: •building up the capacity of those organisation’s providing employment services by implementing the methodology of Inclusive Job Design. •building up specific competencies of VET providers (e.g. employment specialists) working with VET students with disabilities.The expected results in the project were: •To develop and to test a curriculum for VET providers based on the Inclusive Job Design concept. •To create sustainable partnerships between VET Providers and Employers. •To increase the knowledge of project partners about Inclusive Job Design, Corporate Social Responsibility and Inclusive Employment strategies for students with a disability. •To increase the competences of the project partners to apply the Inclusive Job Design-Methodology. •To increase the number of successful and sustainable placement opportunities for VET students with a disability into the labour market (by using the Inclusive Job Design method). In order to achieve the expected results, 4 Intellectual Outputs were produced, tested and finalised. IO1. Self-Assessment Instrument With this self-assessment tool, organisations are able to identify strengths and issues for improvement that are considered to be key factors for implementing the methodology of Inclusive Job Design. IO2. Curriculum for employment specialists The curriculum is an education and training program for implementing Inclusive Job Design methodology. It also includes examples of good practices. The curriculum is meant for employment specialists who facilitate and support the job finding process. IO3. Manual for employment specialists The manual consists of guidelines for applying the methodology of Inclusive Job Design. The manual is meant for supporting VET providers in applying the methodology of Inclusive Job Design for supporting companies to increase their efficiency and to create sustainable employment for students with a disability. IO4. Guidelines and recommendations for VET providers The guidelines for VET providers is a descriptive study on feasibility of implementing Inclusive Job Design. It describes barriers and facilitators of implementing the Inclusive Job Design methodology in the countries of the project partners.Profile of the participantsIn the project we worked with 2 expert partners and 7 VET providers. The experts were selected for their expertise and experiences in building up competences and applying the method of Inclusive Job Design. Both partners had successful experiences in international projects and they have skills and competences to develop information, learning and training materials in an international context and they had experiences in evaluating both processes and results.As for the VET partners, these were employment specialists of the VET provider, working with VET students in a dis-advanced position. Example of employees involved are: apprenticeship trainers, vocational rehabilitation specialists, labour office employment specialists, trainers of jobseekers.From each VET provider, 2 staff members of each of these partners participated in the project.Results, impact and longer term benefitsReflecting on the expected results, all intellectual outputs(including the curriculum for VET providers) have been developed and tested. These outputs are posted on the project website in all languages of project partners. Knowledge and competences of the project partners are increased. Also sustainable partnerships between VET providers and employers and successful and sustainable placement opportunities have been increased. The achievement of placement opportunities is still low. The Covid-19 pandemic and its International, National and Local measures of restriction, has limited impact on this objective. Initiatives to build up capacity outside the partnership have been started up in Austria and Norway after removing the restrictions. This is later than planned and will take place after the project now the Covid-19 restrictions are less.Evaluation shows that the project has had significant impact on creating awareness and, though no goal at itself in the project, a limited impact on the actual placement of VET students with a disability. The majority of the participants stated in the closing meeting that, because of participating in the project, they are more focused on creating added value for employers as the starting point as a starting point their employement activities. The results of this evaluation are posted on the project website under 7.10.

<< Objectives >>The over-all-aim is to build up the capacity of VET providers to assess Life Skills for students and to contribute in Life Skills development by applying Creative Teaching methodologies.The objectives are: 1. To understand Life Skills Concept in VET2. To increase the creativity capacity of the individual teachers3. To increase Life Skills development of students in VET4. To validate various methods and techniques in Creative Teaching of Life Skills to students in VET.<< Implementation >>1.Discussing how to introduce Life Skills Development with creative teaching methods in VET2.Selecting Life Skills Development workshops3.Discussing how Life Skills Development workshops will be delivered4.Carrying out Life Skills Development workshops5.Collecting and reporting feedback from Teachers6.Collecting and reporting feedback from Students7.Validating evaluation results8.Identifying recommendations for implementation strategy9.Adjusting the described workshops in the compendium.<< Results >>PR 1: Information package with back ground, rationale, understanding, assessing and strategy for implementing of Life Skills Concept in VET. (Publication)2. PR 2: A Self-Assessment instrument for assessing Life Skills for students in VET. (Excel-file)3. PR 3: Compendium of successful Creative Teaching and training methods in Life-Skills-Development forstudents in VET. (Publication)

<< Background >>Our society is composed by individuals and groups with diverse ways of functioning. Having a disability is part of everyone’s life cycle and it can appear in different moments of life. In general, learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN) face disabling conditions in organisations providing Vocational Education and Training (VET). In other words, VET-providers are insufficient prepared on the diversity of learners. The key to Inclusive Education is the acceptance and the support that ensure Education facilities are accessible for all. All European countries are committed to working towards ensuring more inclusive educational systems. Inclusive educational systems are seen as a vital component within the wider aspiration of more socially inclusive societies. Assessing the state of art of implementing the legislative requirements for inclusive legislation, it is known that VET providers still struggle with putting the principles of inclusive Education in to practice. The European Agency of Special Needs (EASN) states that ‘the ultimate vision for inclusive education systems is to ensure that all learners of any age are provided with meaningful, high-quality educational opportunities in their local community, alongside their friends and peers’ (EASN, 2017). Such vision requires a change in teaching and in supporting the learning process of the students with SEN. It also requires moving away from the approach a ‘one -size-fits-all’ education and training, towards a more person-centred and tailored-made approach to education and training that aims to respond to individual needs of learners. In the research report “Inclusive Education and classroom Practice” (EASN, 2003), the researchers stated the following conclusion: “… dealing with diversity in the classroom forms one of the biggest problems within classrooms … “and “… what is good for students with Special Educational Needs is good for all students …”.Ensuring diversity of learners requires a personalised approach to learning that engage all learners, various learning strategies and support the active participation of the learner in the learning process. This involves the development of a curriculum that responds to the individual needs of the learners. In order to implement Learner-Centred Approaches (LCA), teachers should gain competences to enable them in identifying and in meeting the needs of the learners. With regard to assessing needs, planning, goal setting, tailoring the learning program and monitoring, a Learner-Centred-Approach requires an Individual Plan for each learner. Therefore, the learning process applies flexible approaches which allow for the development and implementation of Individual Learning Plans (ILP). A good individual plan informs and is designed by a multidisciplinary team approach. It is an easy-to-use document that is regularly reviewed and further developed by all who are involved or have interest. Learners are actively involved from the beginning of the individual planning process and their voices are heard throughout.The effective use of individual plans in VET is supported by:1.implementing individualised and flexible curricula, and safeguarding Learner-Centred Approaches;2.supporting learners and employers during the transition phase and providing follow-up activities;3.matching labour market skills requirements and work opportunities and learners’ skills, wishes and expectations.<< Objectives >>In the project “Personalised Approach to Learning for Students with SEN”, partners work together to explore and to exchange current practices and to build up competences aiming for implementing a ILP for each student. The project aims to increase the effectiveness of the outcomes of VET to students with SEN.The project also aims to increase the competences of teachers and VET-organisation providing LCA for each student in their own organisations so they can increase the achievements of their educational and training efforts. More specific objectives are, teachers: •understand the concept of Learner-Centred-Approach oThe core-aspects of Learner-Centred Approach oCharacteristics and elements of an Individual Learning Plan•identify, gain and implement innovative teaching methods, techniques, materials which contributes to Learner-Centred Approach.•curricula gain and improve their competence in developing an Individual-Learning-Plan for each student based on the concept of Learner-Centred Approach •identify and to define criteria for developing individualised and flexible curricula•are able to developing individualised and flexible curricula.•test and implement (put-into-practice) the Learner-Centred-Approach and Individual Planning in the daily practice of the teacher.<< Implementation >>In order to achieve these objectives, the following activities are scheduled: 5 Transnational Meetings on-site (Including closing conference), 6 On-Line working sessions and On-site testing (6 months).During the Transnational Meeting (on-site), partners will clarify, discuss, share and exchange concepts, practices and experiences of Learner-Centred-Approach and Learner-Centred-Planning. During these meetings, project partners will also discuss and resolve challenges in meeting the project objectives and achieving and implementing the project results. During the on-line working session, partners will systematically work to achieve the project deliverables by providing, discussing and validating the contributions for the development of the outcomes. For each on-line session, clear objectives and outcomes are defined. Partners will work in virtual outbreak sessions and in a variety of working methods. Partners describe and produce a common approach on Learner-Centred-Approach and Learner-Centred-Planning which will be tested out in the practice of the partners (VET providers). The on-line sessions also have the intention to monitor and reflect on the process of implementation of the self-assessment on Learner-Centred-Approach and the testing of the step-by-step instruction for Implementing Individual Planning. The process of clarification, exchange of practices and development of the production results is guided and facilitated by an expert organisation on Learner Centred Approach and Individual Planning.<< Results >>The Project Results are: 1.Learner-Centred-Approach and Persons Centred Planning: a publication which gives insight in the conceptual background, the practical application and challenges in the implementation of the concepts of LCA and ILP in organisations of the project partners. It includes: methods, techniques and exercises on LCA and ILP in VET.2.Facilitators and barriers: a publication which describes an overview of facilitators and barriers of implementing LCA in VET organisation including recommendation how to reduce the identified barriers.3.Self-assessment Instrument: a self-assessment instrument on LCA for VET-providers (Excel file) which provides the opportunity for VET providers to assess their current performance on LCA. It will include recommendations to improve current performance.4.Manual Learner Centred Planning: a step-by-step instruction how to compose an ILP for a student. The manual comes with a flexible digital instrument.At the end on the project, teachers and VET providers have increased their competences providing and gain instruments for implementing a Learner Centred Approach for each student in their own organisations. The gained competences and use of instruments may have impact on effectiveness of their educational and training efforts of the VET provider.For assessing the impact of the project activities, the project applies the Erasmus Impact Tool starting with expressing the most desirable and fundamental change the project contributes to: “Students with SEN participate successfully in mainstream VET Programs”. Therefore, qualitative and quantitative data of measurable indicators is collected at the start of the project, half way the project and at the end of the project. This allows us to provide evidence that the project activities and resources contribute to the desired change.