<< Objectives >>SKILLS will provide disability professionals with a methodology and digital knowledge to contribute to the rapidly evolving digital knowledge gaps. Main objective is to improve know-how and competences of professionals in the field of independent living and provide them with digital tools on:How to teach an appropriate and facilitated use of DT to disabled end users;How to guarantee remote support to people with disabilities in terms of: entertainment, autonomy, self esteem, health, employment<< Implementation >>The Consortium will:WP2 Develop an e-training course for professionals of the disability sector to define, produce and deliver effective e-learning to disability end usersWP3 Pilot the e-learning course on Independent Living Skills with end users with ID by designing contents and concrete video-making with end usersWP4 Develop an e-platform where the training programs will be hostedWP5 Develop a roadmap and a policy recommendation document.<< Results >>Expected results:Professional e-training: “Lifelong learning for a digital living: training methodology for professionals in the field of intellectual disability”Training of end users: development of content and methodologies in blended mode to transfer knowledge to end users with ID in the fields of autonomy, sustainable living, leisure, workElaboration of video tutorials, thanks to collaborative work professionals-end usersE-learning platform Roadmap and Policy Recommendation document.

<< Background >>The Adapted Dual VET Program (ADVET) is a professional training tool developed and implemented by AMADIP-ESMENT (AE) in the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands (Spain) since 2015. It is aimed at people with intellectual disabilities over 16 years of age and has the objective of increasing their opportunities to access the labor market. It was developed to respond to the special difficulties that the group presents in terms of socio-labor insertion: low participation in the labor market, low level of studies and qualifications and lack of adapted professional training offer in the field of education. This lack of training offer places people with disabilities in a situation of special vulnerability after the completion of the compulsory educational stage, due to the lack of formulas for qualification and therefore difficult access to the labor market. According to the statistical data provided by Eurostat, in 2020 37.6% of people with disabilities remained inactive compared to 17.6% of the rest of the population. The employment rate of the group is 50.8%, 24.2% lower than for the general population. The ADVET program is developed in the framework of vocational training for employment. It includes: the issuance of a certificate of professionalism; complementary training on transversal skills; an eminently practical approach, based on the methodology of learning by doing (“learning-by-doing”) and on training in the workplace (“work- based learning”). Since its introduction in the Balearic Islands, 120 apprentices have participated in the program, 75% of whom have found job. Currently 6 other entities in the region are implementing this model, which has received the support of the Government of the Balearic Islands. Another pilot experience is underway since 2019 in Galicia, always with the financial support of the regional government. The ADVET has proved to be a successful model of access to employment for people with intellectual disabilities. There are already several entities from other European Countries interested in adopting it. To favor this transfer, it is necessary to define a common methodological framework for the implementation of the ADVET at the European level, based on the exchange of experiences between entities from different Countries and taking into account the different regulatory contexts.<< Objectives >>The objective of the DUAL-Ad project is to establish a European cooperation partnership to transfer the ADVET to other European regions and to develop a common implementation framework at the European level. The project has the following specific objectives: 1) Share the ADVET model at European level and analyze how it can be integrated with other training programs for employment aimed at people with intellectual disabilities, which are being carried out in the other partner Countries of the project. 2) Develop a common European methodological framework, to facilitate the implementation of the ADVET in the other countries of the project. 3) Develop and test a training program for experts in ADVET implementation, aimed to trainers and professionals connected to the VET system. 4) Create a European network of practices about ADVET, with the aim of promoting the dissemination and implementation of the model in other European countries once the project is completed. DUAL-Ad can be considered as a pioneering project to disseminate the ADVET model for people with disabilities at the European level, spreading this methodology among entities working on disability and companies. Currently there are no similar experiences at the European level. The main innovation of DUAL-Ad is that, for the first time, the ADVET model is shared and transferred to other EU countries, with the aim of promoting its dissemination at the European level. At the same time, it is not a one-way transfer, because – thanks to the exchange of experience and knowledge between the partners – the model will be improved and adapted to the characteristics and needs of each Country. In this way, the project contributes to the transfer at European level of a highly innovative and efficient training model for employment, which has the following advantages: - The training programs are more adapted and reflect the needs of people with disability and companies, since we take in consideration people needs and market demand. - The programs are more flexible, are adapted to the needs of the people and allow their professional certification. - Teaching and learning model is based on “work-based learning”, that is, learning through the performance of tasks in a real work context. - Tutoring is a fundamental value: we are committed to the figure of the tutor, who works in coordination with the pedagogical team and ensures continuous contact and follow-up actions in the company. - Delivery of training on personal and social skills, considering that they are a key to personal and professional success.<< Implementation >>DUAL-Ad lasts 36 months and is implemented by a partnership of 8 organizations from 6 EU Member States: 2 from Southern Europe (Spain and Italy), 3 from the North (Belgium, Finland and Luxembourg) and 1 from the East (Romania). This wide coverage of the territory of the EU makes it possible to collect, compare and share experiences between different countries that have a common need: to promote training for employment and job placement of people with intellectual disabilities and special needs. At the same time, the partnership facilitates the dissemination of the results among a large number of stakeholders; moreover, it allows the establishment of joint work networks at European level. The implementation of the project is also supported by 5 associated partners - 2 from Italy, 1 from Portugal and 2 from Spain - which will contribute to the dissemination and exploitation of the results. The Project Work Plan includes the following activities: 1) Preparation of a Methodological Guide for the implementation at the European level of the ADVET for people with intellectual disabilities and special needs. 2) Development of an open On-line Repository of educational and training resources, which will consist in short learning videos. These videos will easily illustrate all the methodological aspects to be taken into account to implement the ADVET. 3) Preparation of a common European Curriculum of expert in ADVET implementation.4) Organization of 2 transnational training and learning activities: a pilot training activity for ADVET experts, which aims to test the training Curriculum developed; a joint learning activity for people with intellectual disabilities and special needs, carried out by applying peer-to-peer learning methodology. 5) Organization of 7 multiplier events, to boost the dissemination and exploitation of the project results: 1 final European-level conference in virtual mode and 6 national events in each country of the project, in face-to-face mode. 6) Organization of 6 transnational project meetings for coordination and exchange of experiences: 4 face-to-face and 2 virtual. 7) Implementation of a Plan for the communication and promotion of the objectives and results of the project.<< Results >>DUAL-Ad will originate 3 main results: 1) A Methodological Guide for the implementation at European level of the ADVET for people with intellectual disabilities and special needs. The Guide will be the result of the exchange of experiences and good practices in the field of training for employment between the partner countries. This Guide will describe in detail the aspects and procedures to be taken into account in the development and implementation of the ADVET model, with regard to aspects such as the combination of employment policies with social policies, the pedagogical implementation and the use of adapted tools and methodologies.2) An open On-line Repository of educational and training resources about the ADVET, which will be used as a toolbox for the implementation of this methodology at the European level. Drawing from the experience of the partners, the Repository will include short learning videos, which will illustrate the most innovative methodologies and tools to be used when designing and executing ADVET programmes for people with intellectual disabilities and special support needs. 3) A common European Curriculum of expert in the design and implementation of ADVET for people with intellectual disabilities and special needs. The common Curriculum will be prepared on the base of on the Methodological Guide and will draw from the ADVET experiences carried out by AMADIP-ESMENT and IN-RED in Spain, integrated with the training experiences for the employment of the other partners. In particular, the Curriculum will focus on the implementation of the ADVET in two economic sectors: hospitality and facility services, in particular soft services such as gardening and cleaning. Another relevant result of DUAL-Ad will be the constitution of a European network of practices about ADVET. This network will initially be made up of the participants in the transnational training of experts and will be fed by the resources available through the open on-line Repository. Finally, an important achievement of the project will be the dissemination of the ADVET at European level and the awareness of key stakeholders such as the business sector, public administrations at the regional and national level and the families of people with intellectual disabilities.