Supporting Innovative models for Deaf youth Empowerment Erasmus Project

Project Title

Supporting Innovative models for Deaf youth Empowerment

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 youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Disabilities – special needs; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Open and distance learning

Project Summary

In Europe, about 900.000 people are deaf or hard of hearing and struggle with negative preconceptions of the hearing society. Consequently, they encounter a variety of barriers during their formal education and especially during the transition from education to work.
To face this social and workforce exclusion, a multidisciplinary partnership consisting of pedagogical and education experts, youth and Deaf youth associations as well as a higher education institution assembled to develop Supporting Innovative models for Deaf youth Empowerment (SIDE). Together, these six partner organisations from four EU countries reached the following achievements, while including hearing and deaf persons in their team:

1) A research study that combined desk research about the situation of Deaf youth in the partner countries (AT, CY, IT, SK) with interviews with the direct target audience to ensure a real life insight in their daily life including barriers, potential skill gaps and preferred ways of learning. As relevant data on Deaf youth is available, this study may serve as base for future initiatives for the same target group, in the partner countries and even beyond. The full study is available in English, executive summaries have been developed in ENG, GER, ITA, GRE, SVK. Furthermore, video reports in national sign languages have been published.

2) A training for empowerment curriculum that is transversal and supporting of the needs and demands of the Deaf youth community. While being specific in general pedagogical approach, objectives and learning outcomes, the curriculum allows trainers to set an individual focus that caters the needs of their target group. This is especially relevant, since Deaf communities differ from country to country, and a training should always be oriented on the competences and the resources of the participants. Concise guidelines for trainers support this approach even further. The curriculum and the guidelines are available in ENG, GER, ITA, GRE, SVK, and could be easily transferred to other settings and other special needs target groups.

3) A SIDE blended learning model that combines training activities in face-to-face settings with online activities for self-study. The SIDE Model consists of a comprehensive handbook for trainers compiling four modules: M1: Development of teamwork, self-confidence and personal skills through visual languages and arts. M2: How to identify possible employment. M3: How to prepare your applications. M4: How to prepare and conduct a job interview. All modules cater to the creative potential of Deaf learners and enhance their key competences by working with visual languages and arts. The handbooks are available in ENG, GER, ITA, GRE, SVK.

4) Complementary to the SIDE blended learning approach, the SIDE e-learning platform was established on Moodle, featuring all online activities in all partner languages and in English. The access is open and free. Anyone who is interested may access the Moodle platform via the SIDE website and request a log-in key free of charge.

5) To test the SIDE blended learning model and the curriculum, a training activity (LTTA) was implemented with hearing and deaf trainers from the partner organisations. These trainers later implemented national pilot trainings with Deaf youth. The LTTA and the pilot phases were evaluated in terms of their relevance, applicability and sustainability and one evaluation report has been developed for each.

6) After all outputs and pilot phases have been finished, national workshops were implemented to further multiply the SIDE impact among relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries.

7) Due to extensive dissemination efforts of all partners, the SIDE project involved 420 participants with fewer opportunities actively in the project, reached 2006 Deaf Youth education and training providers and trainers, 7238 stakeholders, 8091 persons in Deaf communities and 60937 others during the project’s lifetime (overall: 78692).
8) The inclusive and empowering approach of the SIDE project will live on as all partners will continue to offer the SIDE training in their organisations and will implement one annual workshop for trainers to exploit the SIDE outputs and their impact further. The flexibility of the outputs allows also a transfer of the learning contents for other special needs groups and NEETs.

9) All project activities have been monitored and continuously evaluated by the project coordinator and all partners contributed with regular reports on progress, quality, dissemination, and financial status. A steering committee facilitated the constant exchange additionally and three transnational partner meetings guaranteed clear communication among partners and distribution of tasks and responsibilities.

10) The following SIDE project’s communication channels will be maintained:
> www.side-project.eu (SIDE online platform is available here)
> www.facebook.com/SIDEproject2017
> www.youtube.com/channel

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 186598 Eur

Project Coordinator

Auxilium pro Regionibus Europae in Rebus Culturalibus & Country: AT

Project Partners

• EQUALIZENT SCHULUNGS UND BERATUNGS GMBH
• EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY CYPRUS
• TIBER UMBRIA COMETT EDUCATION PROGRAMME
• Associazioni Unite dei Sordi della Regione Umbria
• Slovenska asociacia klubov mladych nepocujucich