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EQLEARN- Learning for Equality and Empowerment-Learning for ALL
Type: LLP-ERASMUS
Category: LLP Transfer of Innovation
Period: 1 Dec 2009 - 30 Nov 2011
A main problem identified in several EU countries is the fact that employment market is not easily accessible to everybody. Some of the disadvantaged groups to whom the employment market is not accessible are early school leavers, low skilled persons, ethnic minorities, women and others. Due to the above, several other problems occur such as social exclusion and poverty. The main aim of this project is to develop skills and competences in order to ease the access of the disadvantaged groups to the labor marker.
EQLEARN is based on one of the deliverables of the project Channels of Access (COA) namely: Curriculum that will assist unemployed women to enter the labour market. The main objective of the COA project was to ease the access of unactive/unemployed women in the employment market. 100 unemployed women were selected and were trained. Based on the occupation they were interested to get employed in different training paths were developed. These training paths were developed after research on the competences needed for the specific occupation. Some of these women were then employed. Their entrance to the employment market was evaluated both by the women themselves as well as the companies. The research actually proved that the training needed was within the European Reference Framework developing 3 out of the eight competences namely:
1. Social and Civic competences (the module named Effective Communication Techniques
1. Communication in foreign languages (English Language was used as the pilot language)
2. Digital competence
Although the project was successful in enabling these women to smoothly enter the labor market market, the fact that it did not work through all the key competencies reflected on the actual evaluations. Two of these competences were identified as missing by several employers: 1. Learning to Learn and 2. Sense of Initiative and enterpreneuship.
In total the following competences of ERF were not developed during COA trainings:
1. Communication in the mother tongue
2. Mathematical competence and basic competences in the science and technology
3. Learning to learn
4. Sense of initiative an d enterpreneuship
5. Cultural awareness and expression
According to the Progress Report Working Group B 'Key Competences', Implementation of 'Education and Training 2010' (November 2004)' in order to ensure that education and training can contribute to the Lisbon process it is crucial to concentrate efforts on lifelong learning opportunities of the less advantaged groups.
The objective of EQLEARN is to develop a total solution for the development of competences of disadvantaged groups so that they can integrate into the society and the labour market. The project will further develop the curriculum developed by the EQUAL project, will test it in a different disadvantaged group in Cyprus and Greece and then will transfer the innovation to Slovakia. The project will also develop an e-learning platform for disadvantaged people.
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