European Vocational Inclusion Erasmus Project

Project Title

European Vocational Inclusion

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Access for disadvantaged; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Inclusion – equity

Project Summary

Aim of the program evi is to increase chances of participation for people with disabilities by evolving the opportunity of a vocational qualification and by supporting professional mobility within Europe.
Due to an exchange with people from other countries, the participants with disabilities will learn new competences, will make new experiences and therefore gain self-confidence. A well-established vocational qualification increases the probabilities of finding work in the general labor market.
The idea of evi has been and still is a qualified vocational training (at European level) to increase the chance of being able to pursue a job on the general labor market – also for people with a handicap. The cooperation of institutions from different countries helps to specialize the professionals. Furthermore, the partially existing network is strengthened and the European idea is actively brought to life.
The target group of evi are people with an intellectual disability that work in a workshop (WfbM) as well as specialists who are involved in their care and support. 23 people from this group of people had the opportunity to take part in the project phase.
In addition, two to three specialists from each of the participating institutions, making ten specialists, took part in the project. They have a professional education in the field of cooking, service, housekeeping or they work as socio-pedagogical employees.
At both meetings of the specialists, they had the possibility to exchange about the work in the integration assistance as well as with the clientele. In addition, they exchanged about the cultural and social differences as well as similarities of the countries.
The specialists presented their facilities and their workplaces. They were able to exchange ideas in a very practical way, including the didactic methods to convey knowledge to people with intellectual disabilities.
The central activities during the project period included research (e.g. existing framework plans, etc.) and the subsequent development of universally usable learning units.
Above all, the professionals agreed eleven joint learning units from the areas of personnel and specialist skills at the meetings. The further content-related design took place in the institutions with constant feedback from the partners.
Through the steering group, the managements of the participating institutions were represented at the evi project as well. They benefited from the active networking and the professional exchange of the project. They all describe that the close contact with the participants with disabilities was enriching also for their work. This usually doesn’t happen too regularly.
The exchange meeting provided the framework to put the project into practice and to try out the developed learning units as well as for the guiding principle of the project to enter into the transnational exchange.
Through evi, the participants with a disability were able to experience that it is also possible for them to exchange ideas with other people from European countries. The experienced that they can work and learn together – despite a language barrier.
The expectations of the project coordinators after the first meeting exceeded, as some friendships developed between the participants. Some of whom were also maintained after the meeting, for example via WhatsApp.
Unfortunately, the corona pandemic has had a massive impact on the project progress and the development of the project results, especially the intellectual outputs.
From March 2020, regular operations in the facilities were no longer possible. The participants with disabilities were absent from work for several months, as facilities for people with disabilities in all participating countries had and still have very strict hygiene requirements.
Nevertheless, all those involved conclude that there have been great encounters between the participants with disabilities, stimulating discussions between the specialists and, above all, a lot of fun at the joint meetings during the three project years.
The exchange was enriching in a technical, a personal but also on a cultural base. The evi project also achieved exciting synergy effects. Further smaller projects resulted from the exchange.
The exchange meeting was, especially for the people with a disability, a very special experience. All of them still talk a lot about it and they have fond memories of what they have experienced.
There is an absolute will of all to continue to network, to exchange ideas and to further test and adapt the developed drafts. The hope is still vivid that an accreditation can take place on the long run.
The aim is to continue to pursue the joint goal of creating qualification and training opportunities for people with disabilities and thereby realizing more participation in the labor market and in society.

Project Website

http://www.evi-project.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 92406,9 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gemeinnützige Werkstätten Oldenburg e.V. & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Baumhaus Werkstatt gGmbH
• Stichting ‘s Heeren Loo Zorggroep
• Centro Mater Misericordiae