App.t
Start date: Jan 1, 2015,
End date: Aug 31, 2017
PROJECT
FINISHED
App.T aims to create an app to support target groups who are likely to be less attractive to employers in the current EU economy and therefore be unemployed, along with their trainers. It will contain interactive training content which focuses on developing business start-up skills based on the principles of social enterprise. Users will develop soft skills and work preparation skills to ultimately increase their employability and access to the labour market. App.T addresses a number of needs and is hugely relevant to the European VET agenda, priorities and policy and, in particular, unemployment of young people in Europe which is generally much higher than those for all other ages.
The main objectives are to: Adapt existing training content to an app and for target groups; Identify informal/non-formal learning and match to formal qualification routes; Map content to possible accreditation and progression; Pilot; Potential commercialisation informed by market testing and quality assurance; user guides; dissemination; effective management.
The project consortium will be led by the University of Wolverhampton, UK. The university aims to be a University of Opportunity – renowned for creativity and innovation – developing students and staff who are entrepreneurial, eminently employable and well-connected within a research and professionally informed environment.
Siawns Teg, UK is a Registered Company and Charity based in rural mid-Wales. It employs 12 staff, and has a regular base of 30 volunteers mainly active in operational activities relevant to our work and also as Trustees of the organisation. Siawns Teg supports people who feel excluded from work, further learning, and community worth.
VsI GALVOCIUS, Lithuania is a non-profit organization that focuses its attention and directs its activities towards non-formal education and training of different social groups of society (children, youth, adults, socially sensitive and vulnerable people.
Volkshochschule im Landkreis Cham e.V, German, is one of the largest adult education centres in Bavaria. It is the largest adult educational provider in the District of Cham, it consists of over 50 full-time employees, over 250 free-lancers in 30 different locations. Nationwide the VHS Cham takes on a leading role in regards to the conception and implementation of transnational projects
FM Consulting, Czech Republic. FMC specializes on less usual services on the market, such as providing education in the field of information and communication technologies with a use of the latest technology and teaching methods. FMC has been long term involved in the development of human resources, with particular emphasis on lifelong learning and education support.
The methodology and results of the project are based around 8 key Intellectual Outputs. There will be 3 transnational meetings, a range of project management activities implemented and multiplier events held.
The key target group to be addressed is 16-25 years old who are unemployed and include specifically those that are: socially excluded; have confidence issues; have geographical obstacles; recent graduates; NEET (not in employment, education or training).
Other key target groups include VET trainers in the fields of employability skills, business start-up, social enterprises, training and VET sector organisations and other professionals in the field.
Other key stakeholders and organisations will be engaged with along with relevant policy makers, EU projects and the wider European community.
The project aims to make learning employability skills more attractive and accessible for people who favour modern social media technology tools like mobile phones in preference to historical learning and communication methods. Accessibility and recognition of learning is therefore at the heart of the project and will be achieved, predominantly, although not exclusively, through the app format and possible accreditation/progression routes mapping. Impacts are:
Increased confidence and motivation
Access to training content and support
Making learning employability skills more attractive and accessible
Increased ICT skills
Influencing behavioural changes towards employment
Enabling access to VET and/or the labour market
Recognising learning and progression routes
Overcoming issues that would normally prevent them being involved in European projects
In addition a number of more generic and over-arching results are expected.
Potential commercialisation is an integral part of the project and forms part of the project aims and objectives from the outset to ensure that the app can be sustained beyond the life of the project. The project website will also be available for at least 3 years after the end of the project and the establishment of links between partners and other organisations and networks will support further exchanges of experiences and a transnational, mutual learning process beyond the lifetime of the project.