The term Digital Champion is not new, so a distinction should be made: EU Digital Champions are ambassadors for the Digital Single Market, appointed by their Members States to help every European become digital. Community Digital Champions have the same goals but work from the bottom up rather than top-down. Digital Champions are the essential elements of our approach to digital transformation – they get the work done on the ground and make a huge difference to their communities.The Digital Champions for Community Success project brought together 5 partners from 4 EU countries to develop a Training package and Methodology to be used by adult educators and particularly by Trainers and Carers of vulnerable adults facing obstacles such as: disabilities and/or learning difficulties, vulnerable adults with social obstacles: low-skilled migrants, long-term unemployed, elderly in care. Trainers and carers are able to boost the impact of their work with the target communities and foster digital champions, who will continue to work within their communities to support their peers. As acutely highlighted by the Covid19 pandemic, in this age of digitisation of almost every aspect of our everyday lives, these adults are even more isolated and either dependent on external help or just excluded from participation in society. Often the approach was to solve their immediate needs, instead of empowering them to solve their needs by themselves and have a sense of achievement. The project drew on partners’ experience and newest research to create a Training Package for adult educators and carers who work with disadvantaged adults in different communities, no matter what the local context or type of community. The project created an integrated platform hosting a space for users, as well as 3 comprehensive training modules based on a training framework designed at the beginning of the project.Module 1 (Digital Skills) presents in 6 thematic groups various digital skills necessary to navigate modern life. They are structured by levels of ability, taking into account corresponding literacy, numeracy and transferable skills.Module 2 (How to be a Digital Champion) focuses on the competences that an educator / trainer / coach / facilitator of vulnerable adults should have or acquire in order to improve their practice of working with vulnerable adults. There is also a list of online tools which can be used for the support sessions with vulnerable adults.Module 3 (How to become a Digital Champion) describes the best practice when identifying suitable members of a community to become digital champions. It provides an insight into motivational and support strategies for the digital champions.A mini handbook has been prepared for the digital champions as first hand support in their new role.The training modules are complemented by a 9 case studies, illustrating the good practice in order to inspire the take up of the DCCS approach by communities of vulnerable adults.Stakeholders, such as other practitioners, local authorities and support organisations were involved through a comprehensive dissemination strategy and face-to-face or online multiplier events in each partner country: UK, Germany, Italy and Cyprus. This project is innovative on several levels:•Adult education sector – new approach of delivering and improving the retention of basic digital skills•Learning methodology – the Digital Champions for Community Success methodology is a catalyst to any training programme delivered by support organisations to vulnerable adults•Learning content – the self-learning modules offer an interactive way of exploring this new methodology•Skills development – after completion of the self-learning modules, educators will have gained new work skills, but most importantly the vulnerable adults will gain from the new methodology•Access to information – vulnerable adult learners will be able to access online services such as online banking, government services, and also this improved access to information online will help them make better consumer choices.•Geographical context – this project will benefit all the partner countries and the wider EU in different ways depending on the local situation. This project is important not only for its innovation in adult learning focused on vulnerable adults, but also for its impact on their social inclusion.

This two-year project involves 5 partners from 5 countries and focuses on the upskilling both volunteers and existing language teachers who are working on the teaching of the home language to asylum seekers and refugees. It addresses shortfalls in both provision and quality. The Council of Europe Report (2017b) highlighted the key role of volunteers in providing language tuition to newly arrived asylum seekers and refugees in both formal and non-formal contexts. However, they rarely have access to training. Furthermore, research by the Fundamental Rights Agency, in 2017, highlighted that even in formal settings, many teachers are not trained or have no experience with general issues of migration and diversity, to work with refugee students and their particular needs or to teach the national language as a second language. This project aims to address these shortfalls by creating a model of training provision that focuses on the specific needs of the target groups of asylum seekers and refugees, and the quality of teaching and learning. It aims to explore such issues as knowing the needs and expectations of the target groups, different techniques to improve engagement, and learning models to meet those needs, including non-formal learning. It will share existing expertise and develop new strategies. The aim will be to provide a model methodology and set of resources that have been tested in a range of contexts with a variety of target groups, which can then be more widely adopted.The resources to be developed will be a set of 5 training modules. The approach taken by this project is very much learner orientated and linked to their specific needs and ambitions – this is covered in the first module of the training. Evidence shows that all too often, there is a one size fits all approach and that this is de-motivating. The learner-centred approach will focus on the individual need and use individual plans to tailor provision and measure progress. This project also aims to ensure that formal approaches are supported by non-formal learning, and that there is a synergy between them. The 5 modules are:1.Getting to know your target groups and their needs – including using a self-evaluation tool2.Active engagement techniques including creating a positive climate for learning3.Structuring learning including preparation, planning, and resourcing 4.Teaching Models including lesson design for inclusion incorporating both formal and non-formal learning, learning styles, guided learning, and group work5.Assessment for LearningThese will be trialed in two cycles with volunteers and trained teachers and it is anticipated that they will reach 400 learners. The outcomes of the trials will be reported in an impact report.The project addresses the Adult Education priority of extending and developing the competence of educators and other personnel who support adult learners and the horizontal priorities of supporting individuals in acquiring and developing basic skills and key competences and social inclusion. The overall anticipated result will be a new training model and resources with evidence that they can impact on the quality of teaching and learning of those working with asylum seekers and refugees, despite different educational and cultural contexts. They will be made freely available to NGOs working with asylum seekers, voluntary organisations, training providers and regional authorities across the EU.

"The scope of ATENEA is to foster European cooperation between different partners (and relevant stakeholders) in adult learning (migrant integration, intergenerational learning, social inclusion) through specific innovative pedagogical approaches using the ""Autobiographical Theatre"" - ATENEA is based on a good practice of “Autobiographical Theatre” that was carried out with mental health disease adults , of the Àmbit Association( Project leader ) in Spain . Domingo Ferrandis's opera ""UN MUNDO APARTE ADENTRO DEL MUNDO"" (A world apart inside of the world) developed in collaboration with Asociación Àmbit, was presented at the Festival of ""10 Senses'' and was sponsored by Bancaja Foundation. The Project is connected with the idea of Autobiographical Theatre and aims to recover, integrate vulnerable and excluded people increasing their personal and as well as social skills and, above all, improving their quality of life. The project aims to address the problem at a transnational level through a team of partners that complement each other towards spreading innovative methods to face the vulnerability. Thus, project wants to rethinking the teaching and adult learning strategies with the Autobiographical theatre approach allows us to construct proposals that include the differences and rediscovering the expressive and communicative possibilities that dramatic art has. Many people live in maximum invisibility, for the rest, in several European countries and in the world and need alternative and innovative strategies to their social inclusion. ATENEA wants “to promote and scale up of Ambit's good practice and to develop it together with international partners: YEPA, Lithuania, K.A.NE., Greece, DRPDNM, Slovenia , Les Cultures , Italy and EMYF, Germany ATENEA project promotes the social inclusion, priority will be given to actions that help address diversity and promote ownership of shared values, equality, including gender equality, and non-discrimination through of non-formal educational and training paths. ATENEA will engage 25 therapist and five different groups of vulnerable people (30 people in all) and about : Women facing social and geographical obstacles; long-term unemployed people ; People with mental diseases ; Asylum seekers/refugees; Women from disadvantaged neighbourhoods and Former inmates. Participants will be involved in7 local workshops and in 4 international pilot training workshops, taking part, at the end in Autobiographical theatre plays. Moreover, they will be involved in a Festival of Autobiographical Theatre in Germany. The pristine idea aims to reflect on the experience in a theatre training process with a group of people with disabilities, who were in vulnerable conditions and diversity. In today's education, there are great challenges to answer the adults’ educational needs who are searching for opportunities for learning. Educational models are sometimes thought from the methods and processes, but leave the beneficiary part aside, on which they affect changes and conditions that the environment provides.Prior to designing and running the workshops' programme, each project partner will conduct an interview with participants and the accompanists. Thus, the needs of the participants and problematic areas to be covered will be identified. The fear of taking up new challenges and changing daily routine, as well as reluctance to any kind of changes will be the main problems shared by the participants and will be managed first between their accompanists.The concept of “Autobiographical Theatre” consists of an original piece based on the contents of the author's personal life (participating user), and the representation in front of an audience. The autobiographical or self-referential piece usually has a revealing aspect that shows personal contents and allows the author / authoress/actor/actress to aesthetically explore events in his life, express feelings such and make visible issues that concern and interest him/her."

While 79% of Europeans access internet regularly (at least once per week) and all figures seem to prove that a majority of forms of work will require digital skills in the near future, the reality is that many people do not have yet the digital skills needed to face such transformations. And that is also the case of educators. According to DigiComptEdu “Educators’ digital competence is expressed in their ability to use digital technologies not only to enhance teaching, but also for their professional interactions, […] for their individual professional development and for the collective good and continuous innovation in the organisation and the teaching profession”. Figures show that the percentage of adults participating in education and training is directly related to the level of educational achievement (Eurostats); therefore, we can assume there is a need to engage people with low educational attainment, with a special focus on migrants, long-term unemployed and people aged over 45, in lifelong learning activities. They need to be attracted to enter and remain in adult education in order to impove their skills/competences and, thus, be (re)included in the labour market. In order to do so, these are educators and educational managers who need to be trained to offer them more personalized learning paths and environments. This partnership aims to address such challanges by contributing to an empowerement of adult educators by reinforcing their knowledge and skills regarding digital teaching/learning to engage adult learners with low educational attainment into lifelong education through effective outreach, guidance and motivation strategies as well as providing educational managers with necessary resources for creation and promotion of an educational offer using digital technologiesThe project targets directly adult educators working with immigrants, long-term unemployed and adults aged 45+; educational managers of adult educational centres and partner organisations. Indirectly, parties that will benefit from the main project results will be adult learners, local authorities and adult learning centres at local level as well as international bodies active in the field of adult education and training.MAP partners have established the following objectives: -Support adult educators and educational managers in assessing their digital competences and making them aware of new (digital) skills and competences needed in adult education-Extend skills and knowledge of adult educators and educational managers to motivate adult learners to learn and be better prepared for equity, diversity and inclusion challenges in the learning environment. -Develop the competences, particularly digital ones, of adult educators and educational managers to improve teaching methods implementing innovative practices and digital technologies and effectively promote educational offers. -Strengthen the cooperation and networking between organisations and associated partners active in the field of adult education on national and EU levelsSuch objectives will be achieved through the creation and further exploitation of three main outputs:1. Digital competences self-assessment tool2. Train the trainer blended course3. Digital Handbook on online and offline promotional strategioes of educational offers for adult educators and educational managersThe project overall goal is that EU educational systems get more ready to exploit new educational approaches and perspectives that support adult educators working with adults with low attainment in education taking advantage of new technologies deployment. The partners believe that all of these will lead to an ultimate increase of the intrinsic motivation of adult educators and managers to exploit potential of digital competences and, finally, the motivation of adults to start a life-long learning and stay in it.

This project “Open the Door to Europe” matched some of the most important priorities of the Strategical Partnership Projects because it supported the development, transfer and implementation of innovative practices in adult non-formal education; facilitated exchange of knowledge and educational materials as well as enhanced the quality and relevance of the learning offer in adult formal, non-formal and informal education and training; increased awareness about different levels and types of adult education within the European context; promoted network building and collaboration between companies active in the field of adult formal and non-formal education, vocational training, and employment; provided increasing and upgrading of foreign language (FL) skills. The project sat up and achieved the following objectives:1. Promote access of the parties involved into adult education - both teachers/trainers and students - to innovative teaching tools and learning materials, in order to improve the quality of adult education and training.2. Provide teachers and trainers with the necessary tools and methods to improve job relevant communicative, socially situated, FL competence and cultural background knowledge of the target groups: young people, both unemployed in search for a job and University graduates in search for a better job; newly-arrived immigrants in the need of social and labour inclusion; and academic and administrative staff in order to gain a higher position at work. 3. Foster the cooperation between organisations active in the field of adult formal, non-formal and informal education and civil society from different European countriesThe above-mentioned objectives were achieved through creation of the OER – e-learning platform containing the following components:1. Game-based online language courses (CEFR A1-A2) (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Bulgarian, Latvian, Polish, and Turkish) based on job related linguistic materials and social/daily life situations, developed, tested as a blended course, adapted, and embedded in educational programmes of partner organizations.2. Virtual methodology and teaching tools workshops for teachers.3. Social portal ”Melting Pot”: e-chat for “language tandems” where foreign language students refined their speaking skills practicing with native speakers. 4. Resource Library for teachers and learners consisting of linguistic, intercultural and job resources section.The partnership was formed by 7 partner organizations from different sectors of the adult education system which brought about diversity of approaches and experiences: non-formal/informal education providers DomSpain (Spain) and LesCultures (Italy); VET providers Wisamar (Germany) and LatConsul (Latvia); two universities - a private university Collegium Balticum (Poland) and a public University of Uçak (Turkey); and a human resources development and management centre Nikanor (Bulgaria), an expert in labour inclusion. This choice of partners provided a good balance between multi-level formal, non-formal and informal education providers in different European countries united by the idea of improvement of job-relevant FL skills of learners in order to upgrade their professional skills and/or promote their labour inclusion.The OER stimulated overall interest to innovative teaching practices and contributed to the range of educational services and quality of the educational programmes provided by partner organisations which were able to offer specialized courses in different foreign languages within their local communities. Teachers and learners were able to take any course or use teaching/learning materials from the OER free and at any convenient time, which promoted re-skilling/up-skilling of adult learners and contributed to a reduction in the number of adults with low skills. At the national level, educators in partner countries got acquainted with innovative teaching tools and learning materials, and, correspondingly, improved the quality of adult education and training. The impact of the project in general was the promotion of different European languages, both more and less used within the European community as well as the promotion of labour and study mobility within the European Union. Besides, it contributed to network building and collaboration between companies active in the field of adult formal, non-formal and informal education, vocational training and employment.