Enhancing Disabled-people Greatness and their Employability Erasmus Project

Project Title

Enhancing Disabled-people Greatness and their Employability

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; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

EDGE is aimed at ideating and testing innovative approaches to foster the employability of young people with intellectual and relational disability, creating the ground for their inclusion in the labour market and in the society.
There are three type of actors involved in the issue: young people with ID, the employers and the society. The question is: how we can create a win-win solution?
EDGE aimed at improving the well-being and quality of life of young people with mental and relational disabilities, pursuing the following 3 main objectives:
• Fostering entrepreneurial mindset, competences and possibilities (IO 1- IO 3 e IO 5):
IO 1 Connection of Best practice on Mindfulness applied at people with ID; Edge Mindfulness Manual for Trainers and Edge Mindfulness Manual for Trainees in Easy to Read in 6 languages (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT); n. 1 webinars for introduction of the contens; n. 3 webinars on Social competences for trainers (EN);
IO 3 n. 4 unit on Soft skills on entrepreneurial competences (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT); Special section How to build a business plan (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT); Crowdfunding Guide, Short Crowdfunding Guide in Easy to read (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT); Video on Entrepreneurial and Employment opportunity through an interviews at people with intellectual disability (in EN and with subtitle in IT, GR, PT, AT; LT); Video on Crowdfunding (in EN and subtitle in IT, GR, PT, AT; LT);
IO 5 Edge Game with 5 different working contest to show the action, and to test the reaction of the people involved realized in n. 6 languages.
• Creating innovative and ad hoc training methodologies for a successful job placement
IO 2: Connection of Best for Job Inclusion for people with ID; Job base programme for trainers, HR and incompany trainers in 5 languages (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT), Manual for trainees in Easy To Read; tools for “tailored” training in 6 languages (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT) ;
• Prompting companies to be more proactive about hiring people with mental challenges
IO 4 Connection of Best Practice on Diversity Management and Job inclusion, Handbook for Inclusive companies in 6 languages (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT) Short Guide For Inclusive Companies in 5 languages (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT); Video for Inclusive Companies (in EN and with subtitle in IT, GR, PT, AT; LT) ; Brand for Inclus. Compan.; Guidelines for Inclusive companies in 6 languages (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT);
IO 6 Edge Home allows the free access to all the material developed through a platform with 6 sections in 6 languages (EN, IT, GR, PT, AT; LT).
The project approach is innovative for the following main reasons:
1. A complete process has been designed in order to foster a tailored employability of the target group, including both directions: corporate and self-employment;
2. Innovative digital tools and methodologies have been used to support the participants during the training process (including mindfulness approach);
3. Companies and HR managers have been actively involved and supported through actions aimed at creating inclusive working environments.
So, after the project, in term of results, we expected that:
1. EDGE special trainers are prepared in order to support the target group in the development of soft and communication skills necessaries to reinforce their behaviourals background for an easier and happier access into the labour market;
2. A complete and innovative work-based training programme has been created, ready to be used by coaches and in-company facilitators to accompany the target group in the acquisition of tailored technical skills and competences. It includes Inclusive Job Design procedures in order to allow the creation of job positions as joint expression of company needs and employees expectations;
3. The public and private companies are prepared to create and implement inclusive work environments and inclusive teams, also through the use of smart-working tools and diversity management strategies. A new brand is developed and spread among those companies that will fill all the inclusive steps becoming more proactive about hiring young people with mental challenges;
4. The target group of youth with ID are well prepared to gradually access the job place, they know how the work environment works, they are used to stay in a work place and they feel comfortable. They possess useful skills such as troubleshooting, decision-making, and problem solving;
5. A group of skilled Business Mentors are prepared to spread among the target group entrepreneurial competences and mind-set, as well as support them in developing their own business, including how to make a present the business plan, and then how to start and develop new businesses;
6. Young potential entrepreneurs, their families, the staff of cooperatives working with disability are able to access crowdfunding platforms and organize crowdfunding campaign to support the start of small businesses.

Project Website

https://www.edge-erasmus.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 425895,35 Eur

Project Coordinator

Consorziosir-Solidarietà in Rete- Consorzio di Cooperative Sociali-Società Cooperativa Sociale & Country: IT

Project Partners

• INOVA CONSULTANCY LTD
• Die Querdenker
• PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS
• VsI Socialiniu inovaciju centras
• FENACERCI – FEDERACAO NACIONAL DE COOPERATIVAS DE SOLIDARIEDADE SOCIAL COOPERATIVA FCRL
• Melazeta srl
• UNIVERSITA TELEMATICA E-CAMPUS