Increasing Volunteers' Skills across Europe – InVolvEDuring the so-called refugee crisis 2015 and 2016 a large series of impressive voluntary campaigns and gestures has been developed all over Europe. But this amazing work, in many cases, originate also tremendous side effects stress and pressure as well following words from a volunteer who works around the refugee camp near Calais in France might give example: “Working on a camp can be exhausting and upsetting but to see the human spirit continue to shine through adversity puts many of my trivial concerns into perspective.” (Quoted from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/02/meet-the-volunteers-europe-refugee-crisis) Not everyone is in a position to cope with physically and mentally exhausting unpaid work.Volunteers generally bring varying blends of technical expertise and other life skills to their role. They also have personal expectations of what they will achieve through volunteering. Regardless of the particular setting, volunteers often are dealing with singular difficulties and performance-related problems. The following situations can be observed among volunteers:a) A fading motivation throughout the time or in case of changing tasks and responsibilities as well as in circumstances of upcoming troubles,b) A lack of self-awareness and self-regulation regarding psychic risk, over commitment, overload of work, etc. c) An insufficient capacity to face and/or solve conflicts (conflicts with supported persons, with other volunteers or with professionals).These difficulties are probably not a lot different from other businesses, except a much greater ‘voluntary’ element influencing the outcomes. It is much easier for a volunteer to withdraw (or reduce) their service if they are not motivated or able to handle with the above mentioned situations. Correspondingly, a priority relays on delivering specialized training to build up among volunteers the related capacities of self-awareness and self-regulation, to learn and practice skills which enables volunteers to identify and minimise or overcome the above mentioned difficulties in field. The implementing partners from 10 EU member states have asserted that in their own training design the issue of soft skill training in volunteering environments isn’t considered satisfactorily and that tailor-made training programs would overcome this competency gap. The project creates a framework to support and push exchange of best practices of training arrangements that are focus on enhancing soft skills and preventing the above mentioned difficulties, and knowledge sharing in matters of curriculum, standards and tools for volunteer training (include staff training). Besides this overall goal, the project specific objectives are to:1. “browse” national and European best practices and and related experiences, products (curriculums, tool boxes, learning materials, etc.); 2. collect methodological information on how to develop training programs for strengthen soft skills in setting of voluntarism, taking in special account:a. the particular learning resources that volunteers have available; b. the democratic imperative to increase the inclusion of adults with social disadvantages; c. the innovative use of digital media in the training process; 3. identify essential elements for the development an efficient open training program tailored to the specific needs of two target groups: a. the board members and managing staff members in civil society organisations which engage volunteers in their work, to strengthen organizational readiness and volunteer management resources; b. volunteers themselves providing with the resources and information they need to strengthen their soft skills for self management, conflict solving, psychic resilience focused to do their specific volunteer contribution and to ensure their well being; 4. increase the capacities of the participant organisations and their staff members regarding language skills, intercultural competences and networking on international level. Considering the different institutional, academic and even cultural backgrounds as well as variety multi-faceted approaches to training of volunteers, the partner organisations are aware of avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach and based on that conviction, they stress on the need to develop a very concise overview of the best practices of learning design. Meeting these differences and dealing with them is not only about demonstrating the competency for transnational cooperation and the organisation's overall capability, but it is also one pathway to achieve the project targets and a solid resource to improve existing efforts. I

"<< Background >>The 'Icludmi: Inclusion of Migrants by Qualified Occupation in the Tourism Industry' project seeks to promote equal opportunities and access, inclusion, diversity and fairness across all its actions for migrants in European member states. The project focuses on the essential improvement of language skills of migrants and their knowledge in order to boost their professional opportunities in the tourism sector.Throughout Europe, tourism has proven its capacity to generate numerous job opportunities for migrants. Nonetheless, employment in this sector has revealed its ambivalence as well as significant and structural problems and deficits that can lead to negative effects such as high fluctuation and precarious payment. Statistical data reveals evidence of a strong or straightforward relationship between lower wages, wage growth and high fluctuation, on one hand, and/or lower levels of training of existing workers, on the other.The starting point of this project is the key issue of improvement of technical knowledge and skills of migrant labour force, in particular language skills. The 'Study on Foreign Language Proficiency and Employability' is a 2015 report by the European Commission, that confirms that ""English is by far the most important language in international trade and the provision of services"". This project considers that, by receiving practical training in English, the job prospects in the tourism industry of the migrants will be improved and therefore their overall quality of life.In order to achieve this, a specific training methodology will be provided. This methodology, the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), proposes a more effective way of learning for students, since it focuses on the development of the necessary skills to integrate functional and communicative English in day-to-day life. For this reason, it is one of the best methodologies that can be used when teaching foreign languages and ideal to include in vocational training.<< Objectives >>The concrete objectives of this project are:- Developing training materials for adult language educators into the CLIL methodology applied to the tourism sector.- Developing a synergy between the tourism industry, adult training centres and migrants.- Up-skilling migrants in order to enhance their opportunities in the tourism job market.- Facilitating the social inclusion of migrants in their host countries/societies.<< Implementation >>Transnational meetings and activities will take place throughout the project. In order to obtain the best information from the target groups involved, a series of focus groups will be carried out too. Local multiplier events will be organized in all partner countries, where the project results will be presented and promoted. Furthermore, a Learning Activity will take place at the beginning of the project in which the staff of the participating organizations will be trained in the principles of the CLIL methodology, so they are well equipped to develop the project activities, in particular the Project Results. 6 partners from 6 different countries will take part in this project:- ISA (Gesellschaft für Inklusion und Soziale Arbeit - Association for Inclusion and Social Work), from Germany will be the applicant.- Future Focus Ltd, from Malta.- IFPRA Normandie, from France.- İzmit District Directorate of National Education (IIMEM), from Turkey.- ASOCIACIÓN DE EMPRESARIOS GALLEGOS EN ARAGÓN Y RIBERAS DEL EBRO (AEGARE), from Spain.- Service Civil International Österreich (SCI), from Austria.All partners will be involved in the development of this project's activities.<< Results >>Two Project Results will be produced: First Project Result - CLIL Methodological and Resource Guide for Adult Language Trainers.This Project Result is aimed at language adult educators. The objective is to provide an updated account of the typical work situations that take place in the tourism sector, with a special focus on customer service. In addition, it will provide a theoretical basis on the CLIL methodology. This guide will help trainers to gain a clear understanding of the common situations that their migrant students might face and provide them with an adequate methodology to do so. It will help to develop the competencies of language trainers so they can assist the migrant students better, which is the main objective of the project.Second Project Result - Methodological Guide for Training Organizations and Employers of Migrants. The objective of this product will be to provide methodological guidelines for adult training organizations and businesses in the tourism sector. All this in order to use the CLIL methodology for the delivery of courses aimed at migrants. This project will incorporate businesses in the tourism industry, which is a sector that employs a big proportion of migrants. This guide will then contribute towards achieving the objectives of this project."

Putting the “unheard gender” in spotlight Over the years the EU Parliament and the Commission are determined to advance and promote equal and inclusive societies where equal rights for women and men, girls and boys, as well as the same visibility, empowerment, responsibility and participation is being reality. The Erasmus+ Partnership Putting the “unheard gender” in spotlight fits in that framework. Over the last decade’s adult education institutions were building gender knowledge and practical skills. Nevertheless, a critical review shows, that •the assumption that gender is not any more an issue in adult education is both erroneous and dangerous; •gender equality policies have been contextualised mainly as a women’s issue;•despite increasing attention to fathers in adult education practice and research, men – specially from underprivileged situations- are still largely the unheard gender;•it is indispensable to break the stereotypical understandings and to raise awareness of the different needs of boys and men;•the issue of men is essential for both gender equality policy and an inclusive and collaborative cultureDaily practice, regular monitoring and different researches on gender issues show a significant lack: currently men are under-represented in all forms of learning (that are not directly connected with their work) and fewer men than women get involved in or benefit from the social projects, no matter what their age, ethnicities or social backgrounds is. Although evidence has shown that there are subsisting barriers across all male groups, some groups of men appear to be even harder to reach than others. The evidence suggests that young men appear to be the hardest group to reach, followed by men from minority and/or ethnic backgrounds. The reluctance of men to engage with educational and other services is due to the presence of a cluster of identifiable factors ranging from language and cultural barriers to the susceptibility of peer influence. Within that cluster the gender biases are gaining an outstanding importance. Gender stereotypes have not changed that much during the past decades and gender still constitutes one of the basic categories to evaluate themselves as learners and as performers of roles as fathers, professionals, citizens, political leaders, and so on. However, both women and men are victims of stereotypes restricting their full capabilities. In the process of adult learning, either it occurs in formal or non-formal institutionalized contexts, there is still not enough presence of gender questions and reflections on gender and education in order to minimize the potential of any gender biases. In that context it is important to raise the question of reinforcing and reimagine men as a “target group” for educational, health and other social programs with the aim to overcome the barriers standing in their way to ensure effective engagement of men. The overall goal of the Erasmus+ Partnership is to promote an innovation process that allows all implementing partners to develop and reinforce gender equality in their training and services arrangements as well as increase their capacity to reach male beneficiaries on a sustained basis, to expand the performance of their training and services arrangements and to ensure advocated the long-term goals. The Erasmus+ Partnership sets up an effective framework for exchange of good practices, compromised to gender sensitiveness, and knowledge transfer concerning the stereotypical and extremely polarised views of masculinity and femininity, mainstream competences, well-equilibrated approach of non-toxic masculinity as well as gender fluidity, and inclusive teaching of heterogeneous groups. Different project activities, on local level of each implementing partner as well as on partnership level, are aimed to initiate capacity-building and network-building activities at three stages:•Awareness of the need to be committed to include men-specific perspectives in gender issues as something unique and healthy and to bring benefits of gender equality to all individuals and members of communities and societies;•Knowledge of the good practices that allows to transfer appropriate and impactful activities/campaigns concerned about gender equality; •Skills in the practical use of the tools and guidelines that should be used in each partner organisation in order to plan, implement and monitor gender sensitiveness across their training and services arrangements. Highly experienced and committed professionals from Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Turkey will work for a period of 18 months. An important focus will be identifying and sharing good practices. Using mainly internet based platforms, they will organise fluid exchange of professional experiences and know how. Three partner (Germany, Portugal and Italy) will prepare short-term learning activities for staff members.