On my own … at work Erasmus Project

Project Title

On my own … at work

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 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Disabilities – special needs; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment

Project Summary

CONTEXT
1% of European citizens are now living with intellectual disabilities (ID) (prevalence of people with Down Syndrome is 1/2000).
Average life expectancy of this group of individuals has increased.
People with ID face a much higher unemployment rate than the rate applied to the general population.
The vast majority have never experienced any form of vocational training .
Their working experiences or internships are much more difficult to organise at least because of three factors:
1) VET providers are supposed to place one tutor to look after the trainee all the time.
2) Hotel tutors are not necessarily prepared to relate to people with ID
3) Employers and managers usually fear to deal with them .

These difficulties are faced both by disability associations and mainstream VET providers which act in the hospitality sector , often selected by people with ID and their families as a viable and feasible training sector.
OBJECTIVES
Overall objective
Facilitate the access of European people with ID to VET in the hospitality sector, through long- lasting, collaborative partnership between VET agencies (mainstream agencies and disability associations) and employers (hospitality sector: hotels, restaurants, bars…).

Purpose
To improve VET offer in the hospitality sector for people with ID, through:
• increased number of available (and certified) on- the- job training partners (through a European network),
• innovative educational tools (videos concerning tutor – trainee with ID relationship);
• innovative learning materials (customisable app ) aimed at trainee’s with ID greater autonomy.

NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS
9 partners from 4 countries:
ASSOCIATIONS
* European Down syndrome Association (EDSA). It has got 35 member associations , from 27 countries.
* Associazione Italiana Persone Down (AIPD), promoter of the project. Since 2001 has been promoting and managing approximately 30 European transnational projects.
It has been providing vocational training since 1992 and job placement, in agreement with Public authorities .
* Associação Portuguesa de Portadores de Trissomia 21, manager of the first job inclusions of people with ID in Portugal.
* Down Espana, national federation of local associations, very much enaged in job inclusion.
HOTEL CHAIN
* Hoteis Axis: national Portuguese chain of 6 hotels. They have already hosted internships of people with ID.
HR foundation
* Fondazione Adecco per le pari opportunità (I): since 2001 it has included almost 2000 people with disabilities in the labour market.
UNIVERSITIES (2)
* Roma TRE: Department of Management Studies. It provides, among others, courses on: Strategic Management, Marketing and Communication, CSR, HR Management.
* University of Bologna: Department of Education Studies . Over 30 years of teacher training, research and counseling experience.

DESCRIPTION OF MAIN UNDERTAKEN ACTIVITIES
* Design, test and dissemination of two educational materials, one for VET trainees with ID (app) and one for hotel tutors (videos):
– On my own at work app, to be used by people with ID, with customised information, check lists, images and reminders always available in their pocket on a smartphone/ minitablet.
– 14 video tutorials addressed to hotel tutors aiming at establishing a proper relationship with ID workers
* Design , test and dissemination of one so called quality kit (code of conduct, handbook and the VALUEABLE label) supporting the launch of the European Valueable network of friendly hotels/restaurants which engage themselves in including people with ID within their workforce.
Such a network ensures follow up and sustainability to the outcomes of the project.
Registration of the Valueable trademark to the European Union Office for Intellectual property is in progress.
* Organisation of three multinational (in the three countries at the same time) events for the dissemination of the outputs.

METHODOLOGY
The three outputs have been developed according to the same process: background analysis, design, development, pilot testing, production with the agreement of the partnership, extended testing and final validation by the scientific committee, composed by Univerisities, EDSA and Fondazione Adecco per le pari opportunità..

RESULTS ATTAINED
2 educational resources produced and made available on the web.
Quality kit produced, tested and made available.
Valueable – handing opportunities trademark registered at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

IMPACT
53 hospitality companies have been included in the network.
3 countries (Spain, Portugal and Italy) have taken part in the extended testing , as the first movers. Turkey, Germany and Hungary are going to join the network in the recently approved follow up project.

LONG TERM BENEFITS
Increased and enhanced training and employment opportunities for people with ID.
WEB SITES.
www.on-my.own.eu; www.valueablenetwork.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 383527,96 Eur

Project Coordinator

Associazione italiana persone down onlus & Country: IT

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI ROMA TRE
• Turilima Empreendimentos Turísticos do Vale do Lima SA
• European Down Syndrome Association
• ALMA MATER STUDIORUM – UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
• Aurelia Centro S.r.l.
• FUNDACION ADECCO
• Fondazione Adecco per le Pari Opportunità