Learning, Youth and Innovation in European Trade U..
Learning, Youth and Innovation in European Trade Unions
Start date: Jun 1, 2015,
End date: May 31, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
CONTEXT/BACKGROUND
Within the context of this application/project Glasgow Kelvin College is the contract holder and the City of Glasgow College is the sending organisation. Glasgow Kelvin College submitted the original application for the project, however the project has been delivered in the main by the City of Glasgow College.
This project explored trade union youth organization and the links to trade union education. Currently, in the UK, there are a number of educational activities aimed at young workers e.g. Unions into schools, training of student reps, links with national student union bodies, links with local authority school projects. This aim of this project was to explore the above and other examples of youth aimed organization and training initiatives in other countries.
ACTIVITIES
Trade Union staff staff will took part in a variety of teaching and learning related activities to extend and develop their professional practice. This included -
- Joint presentations on current structures and practices. Distribution of resources/materials used for youth education including training trainers in the UK, Unions into Schools projects UK etc.
- Detailed discussions on project details, aims and objectives, including identification of best practice.
- Meetings with other trade union educationalists from the youth sector to share best practice and identify pedagogical models in TU training.
- Meetings with national union policy officers from the various federations. Identify strategic aims and objectives of policy decision and practices in relation to youth organization and education.
- Visits and observation sessions. This provided an opportunity to interact with other trade union education centres, with particular focus on youth training, links with youth and the trade union movement in a wider context.
- Discussions relating to opportunities for transnational collaboration with the host organizations and key stakeholders within those federations, including stakeholders external to the union federations i.e. local authorities, schools, youth organizations.
NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS
The individuals who participated in this project are staff who teach courses in the Trade Union Education Centre at City of Glasgow College. Staff had the opportunity to discuss and share good practice with colleagues who work within Trade Union organisations. 4 members of staff participated in the project.
OBJECTIVES
Key objectives were to -
1. Compare best practice
2. Compare and share union policies at different levels – national, European, Sector etc.
3. Explore opportunities for transnational collaboration.
4. Explore pedagogical approaches to youth TU training programmes – e.g. online focus, digital etc
RESULTS
Results were as follows -
- Staff developed additional skills within their subject expertise
- Staff developed new teaching methods developed as a result of sharing of good practice
- Development of partnership working in an international setting
- Improved understanding of educational systems and qualification frameworks within another European country.
- Positive exchange of information and work methods
POTENTIAL LONG TERM BENEFITS
During this project partners discussed the potential development of a KA2 Partnership Project. The aim of this project will be to develop learning materials/resources in relation to Youth Work and Trade Union education. This will further develop and transfer innovation in relation to the transnational delivery of Trade Union Education Programmes.
IMPACT
- Increased knowledge of current structures and practices.
- Increased knowledge through shared good practice in relation to distribution of resources/materials used for youth education.
- Increased knowledge gained from meetings with other trade union educationalists from the youth sector to share best practice and identify pedagogical models in TU training.
- Increased knowledge of e-learning platforms, resources and materials, and or the use of social media as an educational medium.
- Increased knowledge strategic aims and objectives of policy decision and practices in relation to youth organization and education in Finland and Austria
- Opportunity to explore opportunities for transnational collaboration with the host organizations and key stakeholders within federations, including stakeholders external to the union federations i.e. local authorities, schools, youth organizations.
- Opportunities for the development of new curriculum areas at Glasgow Kelvin College specific to Youth Work and Trade Union Education.
- Participation in Erasmus+ projects raises the college profile.
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