Language course – Teaching and Learning during mobility actions

Learning basic Greek during mobility programmes is not only stimulating learning experiences, but it is also essential for the participants to easily adapt to the new cultural environment, giving a chance for form a solid group, making friends and feel spontaneous.

The German ‘IdA – Integration through Exchange’ programme, entitled “CHANCE EUROPA”, promoted by “Kreisagentur für Beschäftigung Darmstadt-Dieburg”, having as an international partner the European Center inTraining fro Employment – ECTE, provides support for people with difficulties in entering or re-entering the labour market to enhance their professional competencies through a work stay abroad.

Young people from Germany have the chance to get working experience in Rethymnon for two months, until the end of October 2016. The participants receive linguistic, technical, practical and intercultural preparation prior to departure. After completing the placement in Rethymnon, they will take part in a wrap-up and integration phase in their home region. This ensures that new competencies are recognised and that participants are supported adequately in taking new occupational or training pathways. The executing agencies use this debriefing phase to take preparations for job placements, training, (secondary) school or ex-post school-leaving qualification etc. This is realised in close consultation and cooperation with job centres and/or employment agencies (integration chain).

Sensnet Project – European Academy for training professionals working with ageing people

The largest cause of sensory impairments is the aging process with over 60s. Rising life expectancy and increasing numbers of older people in the population in Europe means a growing number of individuals are affected by visual and hearing impairments. Thus, raising general awareness of problems and potential solutions is essential to maximising the individual quality of life and minimising social isolation.

A key challenge related to the quality of life of older people with impairments is the training and skills of the professionals working in care services addressed for this specific target group. Many of the organisations participating in SENSNET are members of any of the European networks ENVITER and HIPEN that are supporting the project and that represent organisations of professionals and experts in sensory impairments in 21 EU countries. Through surveys, events, workshops and their daily work both European networks and the partners in SENSNET have collected information about the concrete learning needs of the professionals working with ageing people with sensory impairments.

The European Center in Training for Employment – ECTE, as a partner and main contributor in SENSNET project is participating in the implementation of the following activities:

  • Design of the Methodological guide for the learning programme- Development of the training materials for professionals working with ageing people with hearing and/or visual impairments will be created in such area as, lighting and ergonomics and accessibility in society and in the daily life (access to culture and access to information and communication media)
  • Creation of online learning platform for professionals working with ageing people with hearing and visual impairments.- Training courses for professionals.

The most important results of the project are:

  1. Creation of the European Academy that provides training for professionals working with ageing people with visual and/or hearing impairments,
  2. Creation of a European learning community of professionals working with ageing people with visual and/or hearing impairments,
  3. Increased the knowledge base of the partners to have a more accurate awareness of professionals’ learning needs and priorities,
    Improved skills of professionals involved in the trainings,
  4. Creation a comprehensive training strategy for professionals working with ageing people with hearing and visual impairments, etc.

The project involves seven partners from seven different European countries: Spain, Greece, France, The Netherlands, Italy, Bulgaria and United Kingdom. Members of the consortium have vast experience and expertise in visual and hearing impairments area and work daily with ageing people.The main target group of the project are workers at day care centres for older people, geriatric social workers, care workers for seniors, therapists for seniors, GPs, nurses, home-visiting care workers and other professionals that provide services to support ageing people with sensory impairments. The expected impact on the target groups is to improve their occupational qualification and professional skills in sensory impairments area, especially related to hearing and visual problems. All of them will be a part of European learning community of professionals working with ageing people with visual and/or hearing impairments.

The final beneficiaries are ageing people over 60 with visual and/or hearing impairments. SENSNET will focus not only on older people with severe impairments, but it will address all the ageing population, whatever the severity of sensory impairment, but for whom the sensory impairment is becoming a problem in daily life, for the autonomy and the quality of life. Due to the SENSNET project, ageing people with sensory impairments will be able to use better quality services provided by professionals mentioned above. As long-term benefits can be mentioned, among others, the creation of the European Academy that provide training for professionals working with ageing people with visual and/or hearing impairments and creation of the European learning community of these professionals.

Curriculum Management competencies for vocational training specialists

The improvement of the skills of the vocational training instructors and the upgrading of the curricula were the main objectives of training for training specialists from three Lithuanian vocational training schools. The program is being implemented by the “European Center In Training for Employment – ECTE”, in cooperation with the the “Rokiskis Technological, Business and Agricultural School”. Training lasted one week and was organized European Center In Training for Employment – ECTE. Within the framework of their training, the trainers, apart from the ECTE and the 2nd EPAL of Rethymnon, visited the Regional Training Center for secondary education of Crete at Heraklion, PEK Crete) and the Life Long Training Department of the Region of Crete (KEKAPPER).

The topics covered were the vocational training in Greece as it was formed following the latest legislation of the Ministry of Education, the use of electronic platforms in the educational process, the role of informal and non-formal education in vocational training, the introduction of experiential educational methods in education, the curriculum in Greece and how to introduce innovations and technological developments in education programs in the Professional Training and the role of the Institute for Educational Policy and the educational counselors in this process.

The students of the 2nd vocational school of Rethymnon (EPAL), organized an excellent presentation of their school and described in detail the fields – specialties they offer, the special features and characteristics of the EPAL. The event was organized under the Erasmus + program entitled “Management of Educational Content in Educational Institutions in Europe”.

Mrs. Maria Kountouri, ECTE training director in ECTE and Mr. Alessandro Gulo, tutor on international programs in ECTE, are particularly grateful to the Director of the 2nd EPA Rethymno Theodoros Papadakis, the professors and the students for the reception and presentation School. They also thank the Director of PEK of Heraklion Dr. Maria Kalathaki, KEKAPPER Training Director Mr. Charalambos Piteras and Mr. Kostis Flouris, a non-formal education advisor and adult educator.

AONTAS – Learning from Best Practice in Crete

AONTAS is currently leading on a learning mobility project called ‘AONTAS – Making an Impact at European Level’. The project allows participating organisations to send staff to other European countries to undertake a dedicated period of learning or professional experience, such as job shadowing or training.This is a two year project funded under the adult education field of the ERASMUS+ programme and involves a consortium of seven organisations from the AONTAS Community Education Network (CEN).

In spring 2017 James Clifford from Kerry Action for Development Education (KADE) travelled to Rethymno, Crete to take part in a five day job shadowing mobility with the European Centre in Training for Employment (ECTE). The aim of a mobility was to increase awareness of cross cultural issues between Ireland and Crete, meet with potential partners and discuss how KADE could become a host in EU mobility programmes to strengthen the capacity of their organisation. James is a board member of KADE and they promote and support development education in Co Kerry. In our latest blog James documents his trip to Crete and the learning he is bringing back to Kerry.

Monday
We began the day with introductions and orientation by Costas Androulakis, Managing Director of ECTE. He is the person that I would be shadowing during my time in Crete.He gave me an overview of the activities of the organisation which include the implementation of training programmes, research relating to the needs of the workforce, and the planning and development of international European projects related to local development, employment and social cohesion.

In the afternoon Costas and I drove to Heraklion, along the magnificent coastline of Northern Crete to attend a seminar hosted by the Region of Crete. Here I was given an overview of the ECTE 5 year strategic plan which includes four pillars: Tourism, Environment, Agro Diet and Education. It was very interesting to see how the meeting was conducted. They were attempting to bring identified business needs together with research institutions, with the aim of producing solutions to those needs and creating value for both parties in the future.

Once the meeting concluded we took a cultural stroll around the old city of Heraklion. I was lucky enough to meet with one of the four elected Vice Governors of the City Panagiotis Simandirakis, along with city official Costis Flouris, who talked about our past collaborations with ECTE. We discussed the possibility of some mobility collaborations in the future and it was a very positive meeting.

Tuesday
Today I learned about the different systems used in the ECTE office. Costas explained how they use Basecamp Software for internal and external projects and how it can be useful to deal with issues. ECTE runs a number of European projects including its KA2 Erasmus + Sector Skills Alliance on geothermal and solar skills (GSS) in Vocational Education Training (VET) institutions. This project will see the implementation and certification of VET programmes (EQF level 4-5) in these areas. I learned a lot around the application and implementation of these projects.

Wednesday
On Wednesday we worked on a pilot project for the long term mobility of apprentices throughout Europe. I participated in an information call from Brussels where I gave an introduction to the project and answered some questions that arose. The general consensus was that some countries had very good apprenticeship regimes, such as Germany and others not so good. The idea of this project is that potentially a single framework could include all 28 countries in the EU. The current project is a follow on from a previous pilot and a second attempt to try and remove barriers to apprenticeship training in the EU. It was very interesting to participate in this and to be given the opportunity to disseminate information to a wider audience.

Thursday
On Thursday we went to the Technical University of Crete, they hosted a seminar by the National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance which covered topics such as National Qualification Framework, mobilities and youth, Vocational Education Training (VET), Lifelong learning and Guidance for Adult Training and validation of Learning Outcomes.

Friday
Overall my trip to Crete has been very informative. The amount of work going on in ECTE is very impressive. The mobility has given me great opportunities and my only wish is that it could have been a little bit longer. I would need more time to fully understand how the organisation and its affiliates work but nonetheless a very worthwhile visit. The learning for me is that in order to operate well at an EU level your organisation needs to be well funded. This ensures that an organisation has a number of highly qualified staff which allows the organisation to run efficiently, balance the workload and respond to local needs.

I would like to thank AONTAS for the opportunity to take part in this project.

Traditional Cretan Easter in the small village of Apodoulou.

Easter is surely and by far the most important festival of the Greek year and is celebrated with much more enthusiasm and excitement than Christmas. It is a festival in which the religious, the theatrical, the social and the metaphysical all play a part and it brings communities together with much joyfulness.

It is an excellent time to be in Crete, both for the beautiful and moving religious ceremonies and for the days of feasting and celebrating which follow. Especially if you make for a smallish Cretan village like Apodoulou, you may well find yourself an honorary member of the local society.

All Erasmus participants hosted in ECTE, had the chance to live this experience of traditional hospitality for two days, in the small village of Apodoulou.