Working Tri21 Erasmus Project

Project Title

Working Tri21

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; Inclusion – equity; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The project was developed and submitted to provide a platform to encourage social inclusion. Being employed is not only a source of income but also an important tool to be part of the community for any group. This is clearer in groups at risk of ‘dropping out’ such as disabled individuals. Traditionally, these groups have had on-going equality problems in integrating into working life. Moreover, managers and workers have admitted that generally they do not know how to act/what procedure to follow with employees/colleagues with disabilities. For this reason, people with disabilities, sometimes lose out on job opportunities.
At least 16% of the EU27 working age population has a disability, many with the ability and the desire to work. In the light of the current EU demographic situation, the occurrence of disability is expected to increase, especially as some disabilities degenerate with age. It is therefore crucial to address the needs of people with disabilities in order to facilitate a better integration into the labour market and into society itself.
One of the disabled collectives which has more trouble than many in securing employment are people with Down Syndrome (trisomy 21) and this is the single most common cause of a learning disability. Consequently, the main focus of output one and the pilot test of this project was based on this collective and for that the project was entitled “Working Tri21”. The ultimate objective was to promote, with training, the equality and the inclusion of collectives with some disability (especially trisomy 21), to prevent those groups from ‘dropping out’ of working life; social inclusion through job inclusion.
As a result of preparation, research and implementation, Working Tri21 has developed bespoke training courses designed specifically for acquiring skills, knowledge and competences by different collectives with some disability, to increase the possibility of them being recruited into the furniture industry and become active members of the workforce. In order to achieve this overall outcome, Working Tri21 analysed the skills, capacity and knowledge needs in each identified job position in the furniture field. In addition the project analysed twenty different collectives with some disability in regard to skills, the competences and potential skill mismatches. The huge research effort on matching skills and job positions was crucial to the success of the project, as was the partnership developed between the furniture sector and the disability associations, particularly in Spain.
The additional disabilities targeted, were for example deafness, blindness, ataxia and diabetes (Ref: Pages 27/28 of the Application Form). The information gleaned from the research (IO’s 1, 2 and 3) informed both the development of the courses and also the two pilot training courses which were done to check the methodology. The impact on the ten trainees has been hugely positive and it is hoped two of the trainees at least, will secure on-going employment
To deliver the outcomes summarised above, Working Tri21 brought together a strong multi-disciplinary and transnational partnership formed by four entities (Ref: Pages 3 to 16 of the Application Form):
• Associazione Italiana Persone Down onlus (AIPD): an association supporting people with Down Syndrome disabilities from Italy.
• BFM Ltd (British Furniture Manufacturers Limited): a trade association from the UK representing the furniture industry to give advice on integration into factories.
• Asociacion empresarial de investigacion centro tecnologico del mueble y la madera de la region de Murcia (CETEM): a Technical and Training Centre specialising in the Furniture and Woodworking sector in Spain
• Centro Studi Città di Foligno (CSF): a VET Centre for the development of courses from Italy.
The target groups that will benefit from the project are:
• People with some disability trying to obtain or maintain contact with the labour market.
• Service providers for disabled people and vocational education and training (VET) institutions working with this target groups e.g. therapists, social workers, teachers, trainers and related institutions and organisations.
• Professionals from the furniture and woodworking sector e.g. employers, employees, entrepreneurs, VET trainers, human resource staff etc. who are interested in the inclusion of disabled workers in traditional industrial sectors.
• Policy makers in the field of vocational education and training, work and social inclusion at regional, national and EU level.
• Volunteers and related institutions providing services to people with some disability.
Through on-going dissemination, use of the website (workingtri21.eu/) and follow up activities the intention is for the outcomes (available in three languages) to be used by the consortium members and/or other associated organisations for implementation post project, in the three countries represented and other EU countries.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 295092 Eur

Project Coordinator

BFM LIMITED & Country: UK

Project Partners

• CENTRO STUDI CITTA DI FOLIGNO ASSOCIAZIONE
• ASOCIACION EMPRESARIAL DE INVESTIGACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO DEL MUEBLEY LA MADERA DE LA REGION DE MURCIA
• Associazione italiana persone down onlus