IO1: Counselling migrants and refugees >> – didactical framework, units and training resources
In IO1, the didactical framework, the training week (including training structure, content and methods) and training resources for the one week C-STEP relating to the topic ‘Counselling migrants and refugees’ were developed.
Due to the COVID-19 crises, the first face-to-face Counsellors´ Study and Training exchange Programme had to be changed into an online training >>
The selection of contents and drafts for the didactical framework and the units is based on the results in the CMinaR project:
“Counselling Refigees means Modernising Counselling” >>
Further information to the project: https://www.cminar.eu/
Unit 1. Intercultural awareness
- Multiculturalism, interculturalism, integration and challenges
- Language and intercultural communication
- “Cultural/Intercultural Awareness”
Unit 2. Recognition of qualifications and competencies and access to the labour market
- Process of recognition of qualification
- Actors in the recognition process
- European instruments and resources
Unit 3. The analysis of client potential and empowerment
- Methods of testing/assessing competencies
- Methods of empowering refugees and migrants
- Benefits of using methods and tools that support client learning and understanding of career issues
Unit 4. Specific supportive measures
- Language acquisition in supportive measures and labour market schemes
- Training measures for the adaptation of vocational skills for refugees and migrants
- Legal aspects of support measures
Each unit description include instructions and a didactical framework. Furthermore, all units include sections that provide state-of-the art and research-based background information, activities for participants as well as material and resources to be used (O4).
The units include recommendations on how to bridge the gap from theory to practice, i.e. in the form of study visits – for example to employment agencies, relevant companies etc. in the form of lectures, workshops etc. and/or immersive experiences where participants engage with target groups and carry out a learning/guidance activity together.
While some units can be used at a transnational level and perhaps need only slight adaptations, others might need an overall adaption to the national background, framework and legislation.
The resources for ‘C-STEP 1’ are available in a digital format. The material is provided as Open Educational Resources (OER) >>
IO2: Future jobs >> – didactical framework, units and training resources
In IO2, the didactical framework, the training week (including training structure, content and methods) and training resources for C-STEP 2 relating to the topic ‘Future jobs’ were developed.
Due to the COVID-19 crises, the second face-to-face Counsellors´ Study and Training exchange Programme had to be changed into an online training >>
For IO2 (as well as IO3) the working process started with a comprehensive review of literature, media and resources and a needs analysis. The partners from Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and the UK summarised the state of research and development in terms of publications, existing approaches, research initiatives, studies, projects, media, material and experience in the form of national reports. A transnational synthesis provides an overview about similarities and specifics of the partner countries and serves as a starting point to a research-based and practical oriented development of the project’s training programmes. The reports are published on the project’s web portal.
Relevant existing resources from this research are included in the media centre >>.
Key challenges were identified when writing the project proposal which resulted in the identification of the following 4 units:
Unit 1. Industry 4.0 and the impact on labour
- Historical approach to industrial revolutions
- Drivers of change
- New methods, technologies and approaches to work
- National strategies/support activities
Unit 2. Challenges and opportunities for companies within Industry 4.0
- Challenges: Change and resilience to it
- Challenges: Staff and structure of the company
- Challenges: Competition
- Challenges: Thoughts of the participants
- Opportunities: New businesses/ Business models
- Opportunities: New products/services
- Opportunities: Organization of work
- Opportunities: Thoughts of the participant
Unit 3. Upcoming trends
- New technologies
- New jobs and skills
Unit 4. New skills and competences
- New soft skills
- New hard skills
- Upskilling/retraining of staff
- Updates on education
Each unit description includes instructions and a didactical framework. The units include recommendations on how to link theory with practice, i.e. in the form of study visits – for example to employment agencies, relevant companies etc. in the form of lectures, workshops etc. with target groups and carry out a learning/guidance activity together.
While some units can be used at a transnational level and perhaps need only slight adaptations, others might need an overall adaption to the national background, framework and legislation.
The resources for the ‘C-STEP 2’ are available in a digital format. The material is provided as Open Educational Resources (OER) >>
IO3: Demographic change >> – didactical framework, units and training resources
In IO3, the didactical framework, the training week (including training structure, content and methods) and training resources for C-STEP 3 relating to the topic ‘Demographic change’ were developed.
Due to the COVID-19 crises, the third face-to-face Counsellors´ Study and Training exchange Programme had to be changed into an online training >>
Unit 1. The challenges of an older workforce
- Labour market trends vs demographic trends – the past, current situation and future (particular reference on demographics of older people (50+))
- Implications for work
- Effects of demographic change on the work of careers guidance professionals (differences from the perspective of businesses?)
- Barriers and stereotypes facing an older worker
- Ways in how to address them positively/ how to help older clients not stereotype themselves
- Advisors’ knowledge gaps and how guidance changes when dealing with an older client (specific support for 50+ to reintegrate into the labour market, to progress in their career and to plan for retirement).
- Additional support (not fully wok related)
Unit 2. Retraining in later life
- Challenges arising from skills mismatches and why keeping skills up to date is important
- Making training attractive and useful for older people and strategies to retrain older workers
- Work-based learning for the older generation
- Mentor training
- Digital training (The digital divide)
Unit 3. Realigning the expectations of the labour market
- Challenges for businesses in employing older people
- How to be inclusive to all regardless of age or responsibilities (policies around flexible working, caring responsibilities, health, access issues etc.)
- In terms of adapting recruitment procedures
- In terms of adapting careers guidance
- Jobs and skills gaps where older people can add value
Unit 4. Multigenerational collaboration: focus on different target groups and generations
- The advantages of having a multigenerational workforce
- Women returning to workplace after undertaking caring responsibilities and the challenges they face
- The Thorny Issue of Career Counselling and Social Justice: Mission Impossible?
- Young people´s mental health (Erasmus + project)
The units include recommendations on how to link theory with practice, for example, in the form of online study visits/tours (i.e., to employment agencies, VET-providers, companies, etc.) This evolves representatives from practice (i.e., in form of lectures, workshops, etc.) and/or immerse experiences where participants engage with the target group and carry out a learning/guidance activity together.
C-STEP 3, like C-STEP 2, was developed based on the findings of the literature review and needs analysis. Key challenges were identified when writing the project proposal which resulted in the identification of the following 4 units.
The resources of ‘C-STEP 3″ are available in a digital format. The material is provided as Open Educational Resources (OER) >>
IO4: Media Centre and learning environment >> – Complementary Content, Material and Resources
IO4 provides complimentary content, material and resources of the C-STEPs and are available in the Academia+ media centre and interactive learning environment. This additional material is based on the literature reviews and resources developed in IO2 and IO3.
This complementary material was applied in the piloting of the study and training exchange programme (C-STEPs) in the different countries. The resources were continually updated during the project’s lifetime and beyond. The media centre also provides the basis for organising further training in the future.
The media centre provides a variety of resources and material such as videos, activities, exercises, ideas and examples for field visits and short workshadowing for guidance practitioners, counsellors and lecturers. It combines the didactical framework of IO1, IO2 and IO3 with additional working material that was used in the piloting implementation of the C-STEPs.
Moreover, it aims to equip practitioners with practical tools for their work in the field of labour market integration and job placement. The content, material and resources aim to provide guidance practitioners and counsellors, but also lecturers and experts with additional working material in order to organise and shape their practical working process.
The starting point was made by including the outcomes of IOs 1 , 2 and 3. The most relevant resources were selected, categorised and tagged/indexed. Through the project the media centre’s database was extended, e.g. by means of scripts for STEPs, outcomes of group work of guidance practitioners, further videos provided by the partners and participants etc.
Academia+ C-STEP participants have access to all materials and resources used in the training as well as additional resources which helps to deepen their knowledge. These resources can then be incorporated into a guidance practitioners everyday work. Such resources could also act as stand alone resources that can be used by guidance practitioners that have not participated the training itself and thus would contribute to opening up Academia to a wider target group.
The media centre together with the webportal provide an infrastructure in a technical and content perspective. They guarantee that the effort, knowledge and experiences that have been participated in the training opening up academia+ by the organisers of the training as well as the participants are available for future purposes. By this the Academia+ implements a long-term, sustainable strategy.
IO5: Web Portal for participants, counsellors and guidance practitioners and lecturers
The project’s web portal, which acts as a gateway and front end for the media centre (IO4) was developed, tested and implemented in IO5. This web portal is the location where the project’s main target groups can access the project’s main outputs and components.
The portal consists of three main target group oriented sections:
- The participants section
- The lecturers section
- The counsellors and guidance practitioners section
In terms of the technical infrastructure, the web portal contains the following elements:
- The web portal itself as an overlaying framework that provides access to target group oriented sections
- The media centre that was implemented in form of a database
- A content management system (CMS) that is used as a learning environment by participants, guidance practitioners, counsellors and lecturers
The work and outputs within IO5 include the development of the concept, structure and layout of the online platform, the technical realisation as well as the implementation of three target group oriented sections as well as the implementation of the web portal in all partners’ languages.