Learning mobility is the type of transnational mobility for the purpose of acquiring new skills. It is one of the fundamental ways in which young people can strengthen their future employability as well as their personal development (European Commission. Green Paper: Promoting the learning mobility of young people). The European Commission and the Member States of the EU have worked year after year to increase the number of learning mobility opportunities. Despite their efforts, there are still a large number of young people who do not have access to such opportunities for personal, economical, social and/or health reasons.
In this context, the SIVIM project aimed at reducing the inequalities faced by young people who cannot access learning mobility opportunities, in particular, young people from disadvantaged social groups. To this end, public administrations and youth organisations from three European countries (Spain, Italy and Poland) created a Toolkit for Virtual Mobility in non-formal education. Thanks to virtual activities, this Toolkit will give to young people who cannot travel, the opportunity to develop similar competences to the ones gained by those taking part in transnational learning mobility activities. The Toolkit for Virtual Mobility in non-formal education is availble for downloading at http://www.sivim-project.eu/p/toolkits.html
To achieve this aim, the project partners implemented the following activities during the 20 months project execution:
Activity 1: Participants selection (1-2-2015 to 28-2-2015)
Each partner selected 16 participants aged between 18 and 25 years old who had never participated in any kind of transnational mobility activity (e.g. youth exchanges, foreign language courses abroad, European Voluntary Service, studying abroad, working abroad, etc).
Activity 2. Needs study (1-3-2015 to 19-5-2015)
Each partner carried out a study to identify the special needs of the young participants (those selected in the previous activity).
Activity 1: Participants selection (1-2-2015 to 28-2-2015)
Each partner selected 16 participants aged between 18 and 25 years old who had never participated in any kind of transnational mobility activity (e.g. youth exchanges, foreign language courses abroad, European Voluntary Service, studying abroad, working abroad, etc).
Activity 2. Needs study (1-3-2015 to 19-5-2015)
Each partner carried out a study to identify the special needs of the young participants (those selected in the previous activity).
Activity 3. First transnational meeting in Alcalá de Guadaíra, Spain (20 to 23-5-2015)
During the first transnational meeting, each partner presented the results of the needs study and in particular, a list of identified needs and a description of each of them. This information was crucial to make sure that the toolkit was adapted to the special needs of the target group.
During the first transnational meeting, each partner presented the results of the needs study and in particular, a list of identified needs and a description of each of them. This information was crucial to make sure that the toolkit was adapted to the special needs of the target group.
Activity 4. Development of the content (24-5-2015 to 20-10-2015)
After the first transnational meeting the project partners started with the development of the content for the Toolkit for Virtual Mobility in non-formal education.
Activity 5. Training event in Alcalá de Guadaíra, Spain (21 to 28-10-2015)
The project partners organised a training event to train the trainers who would be in charge of validating the toolkit with the target group. During this event, the partners put in practice some of the exercises included in the toolkit in order to carry out a first validation by the trainers involved.
After the first transnational meeting the project partners started with the development of the content for the Toolkit for Virtual Mobility in non-formal education.
Activity 5. Training event in Alcalá de Guadaíra, Spain (21 to 28-10-2015)
The project partners organised a training event to train the trainers who would be in charge of validating the toolkit with the target group. During this event, the partners put in practice some of the exercises included in the toolkit in order to carry out a first validation by the trainers involved.
Activity 6. Improvement (29-10-2015 to 31-12-2015)
Based on the feedback received from the first validation by trainers carried out during the training event, the project partners improved the content of the toolkit.
Activity 7. Validation in the pilots (1-1-2016 to 29-4-2016)
The toolkit was validated with users (young people who had never participated in any kind of transnational mobility activity) in order to ensure it meets the needs of the target group and delivers the pursued learning outcomes. This phase was carried out by the trainers who took part in the training event as during the training event they gained the necessary knowledge, skills and competences to use the toolkit. 48 young participants participated in this activity.
Based on the feedback received from the first validation by trainers carried out during the training event, the project partners improved the content of the toolkit.
Activity 7. Validation in the pilots (1-1-2016 to 29-4-2016)
The toolkit was validated with users (young people who had never participated in any kind of transnational mobility activity) in order to ensure it meets the needs of the target group and delivers the pursued learning outcomes. This phase was carried out by the trainers who took part in the training event as during the training event they gained the necessary knowledge, skills and competences to use the toolkit. 48 young participants participated in this activity.
Activity 8. Second transnational meeting in Frattamaggiore, Italy (30-4-2016 to 4-5-2016)
During the second transnational meeting, the partners evaluated the results from the testing and established the necessary improvements to be implemented on the Toolkit before its publication.
During the second transnational meeting, the partners evaluated the results from the testing and established the necessary improvements to be implemented on the Toolkit before its publication.
Activity 9. Final improvement (5-5-2016 to 30-6-2016)
Based on the feedback from the validation of the toolkit carried out in the three pilots, the project partners improved the toolkit.
Activity 10. Multiplier events (1-7-2016 to 30-9-2016)
Each project partner organised a multiplier event in order to introduce to youth organisations and youth workers from Spain, Poland and Italy to the use of the Toolkit.
Activity 10. Multiplier events (1-7-2016 to 30-9-2016)
Each project partner organised a multiplier event in order to introduce to youth organisations and youth workers from Spain, Poland and Italy to the use of the Toolkit.
This project, co-funded by the European Commission within the framework of the Erasmus + programme, will be a stepping stone towards reducing the inequalities by giving virtual learning mobility opportunities to young people who cannot access transnational mobility opportunities.