"REC- Professional skills' development for recognition and validation of informal and non-formal competences learning of migrants and refugees & labour market inclusion - focuses on the VET and labor market inclusion of migrants and refugees by trying to find common standards (practitioners’ skills, tools, quality assurance and qualification paths) that are coherent with EU and national/local level requirements. The overall approach foresees two levels of actions/target groups: 1. enhancing and creating transnational professional competences of practitioners and stakeholders of VET in line with EU standards; 2. tools and practice that can make non-formal and informal skills of migrants and refugees visible and comparable, with formal recognition by VET providers and stakeholders, including those responsible for qualifications and employers. The project consortium is made up of an alliance of partners, covering 6 EU countries, and through the participation of two EU-wide networks, the possibility to reach other countries not directly involved, and the EU level. Therefore, it operates at two levels: the majority of partners are operational and 2 partners have a significant role in advisory, dissemination and outreach of stakeholders beyond the partnerships’ territories. The project is embedded in a common European context, where – in spite of different situations – common challenges exist, and the transnational EU- value can support the development of innovative practice and stimulate the local/regional stakeholders (where the transnationally- developed IO will be applied) in line with the following policy framework and current dynamics. VET can do a lot to make of the “migration crisis” a “migration opportunity” for the economy and the persisting mismatch of labour demand-supply especially in some sectors and for some professional profiles and qualifications. The general objective of REC is to reinforce the partners' capability to recognize and equip the most vulnerable groups with the key skills for improving the supply and quality of VET and guidance as a basis of integration into the labour market and qualifications of migrants/refugees. REC uses EU common reference frameworks and tools (such as Europass, ECVET, ESCO, EQAVET, EQF and the recently launched ""EU Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals"") that can facilitate the transfer and the sustainability of the project activities and make them usable in different contexts and countries during and after its completion. The most important results and impact during and after the project’s life cycle are: IO 1 “defining EU profiles and competences of VET providers for recognition and validation of informal and non-formal learning of migrants and refugees” that resulted in a better understanding of practices, policies and systems in each participating countries and partners will use such baseline to develop common standards, liked to EU standards and tools (Europass, ECVET, ESCO) IO 2 “testing and validating the EU profiles to align shared standards with ECVET, EQF and ESCO” resulting in the increased ability of partners and stakeholders to address the needs of the disadvantaged, to provide services for the faster inclusion in VET and labour market of the migrants/refugees, in line with EU and national VET frameworks and objectives. IO 3 “analyzing lessons learned and defining policy recommendations” resulting in a better integration of EU and national standards and practice that can facilitate changes in terms of codification or improvement of policy frameworks at country/regional level IO 4 “making available REC material for practitioners on ICT- based platform” supporting the improvement of the quality of work of practitioners and provides knowledge and tool for opportunities for practitioners and policy makers (also external to the partnership) to improve professional competences for the benefit of migrants/refugees and other vulnerable groups. - 1 short-term joint staff training resulting in the alignment of core competences of practitioners to work on recognition of non-formal and informal skills, use of available tools and EU standards and better appreciation of their professional profiles. - 4 short-term blended mobilities reinforcing the professional profiles of practitioners - 5 national events and one final transnational event, to share and disseminate the results of the project and to promote its approach to external stakeholders - 3 transnational project meetings, to share, evaluate and make strategic decisions on the project’ progress -The ""REC : A book for practitioners"" : a user-friendly, visually appealing and easy to navigate in a form of an interactive document, functioning as an e-book ready to download, and made available in the project website and in the partners’ strongest communication channels Quality Assurance & Evaluation Plan defining the quality and evaluation processes, setting the quality standards for the deliverables and including evaluation questionnaires for the assessment of the project development. REC visibility ensured by the commitment and work of the 2 EU-wide networks."