"CONTEXT/BACKGROUND Erasmus+ Program has set the objective of fighting unemployment through training and education, stating that “EU businesses need to become more competitive through talent and innovation” (see Part A of the GUIDE). The project SOCS aims to address this goal by improving learning provisions tailored to the specific needs of organisations or people who have HR and organizational development tasks. SMEs (especially social enterprises), Start-Ups or young entrepreneurs are very often low budgeted and therefore do not have the financial means to develop and install tools and trainings to further develop their business and the competencies of their teams. It is usually impossible for them to hire an external counsellor to support them in their strategical plan. OBJECTIVESThus, the objective of the SOCS project is to improve empreneurial practice by improving the skills of the responsible staff, especially those in charge in small organizations by the approach of symbol work. During the two years project period, partners aim to intentify the areas of interventions most needed by the targets, by finding the existing tools most adequate for use, adapt them if needed or to develop new tools based on symbol work, especially for the final download versions or online versions of the tools for free use. RESULTS:Regarding the specific Intellectual Outputs Partners aim to focus on the different intervention areas of business counselling: IO1 - Symbol - Toolset for Strategical Organizational DevelopmentIO2 - Symbol - Toolset for Team DevelopmentIO3 - Symbol - Toolset for efficient Communication and Conflict InterventionsIO4 - Symbol - Toolset for Work Place - Quality Check and Evaluation of Staff Satisfactionand to ensure their multiplication and mainstreaming, via an effective dissemination and exploitation strategy.METHOD & INNOVATION The specific approach with symbol work will lead to empowerment of the targets, to self-activation, taking self-responsible decision for their business, build their capacities in problem identification and developing effective action plans to solve problems. Visualisation will be used as a very precious technique to create new responses instead of only dealing and being pushed by day to day business. Symbols help to express preconscious attitudes and mental barriers, even blind spots and get more clearness about future actions. 3 out of the 5 Partners learned the power of working with Symbols in two previous Erasmus+ projects ""SymfoS, Symbols for Success"" (developed for professional orientators/counsellors working with the target group of young people on their professional orientation and integration"" and SymfoS for Youth Care"" (developed for youth workers dealing with young people in youth care system to overcome their problems). Both projects proved the impact of symbol work in regard to self-activation of the users in assessing and solving their problems and the potential of making aware new resources. Therefore, the partners decided that they want to further develop the tools being effective in individual intervention measures to the field of their original activities - business counselling - as they see a huge potential in this method. PARTICIPANTSOrganisational counsellors, Consultants, Business owners, Entrepreneurs, especially young entrepreneurs, organizational and human resources managers, organizational and human resources management students, technicians for organisational development and HR decisions in organisations, start-up founders.DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIESThe results will be developed in a 5 steps process:Step 1: Transnational screening with at least 6 interviews per country Step 2: Draft Symbol - Toolset (Tool creation, validation with 25 targets, Training-Guidelines)Step 3: Testing of Training Version & transfer to online version (test with 125 targets)Step 4: EvaluationStep 5: Dissemination and MainstreamingIMPACT• SOCS fosters the recognition of own strengths, skills and resources and goals which needed to be set• SOCS provides low but effective threshold service compared to text-based methods• SOCS develops an entire counselling process, containing clearing, design of pathways and creation of action plans. • SOCS works as it provides a holistic systemic approach The long-term impact on the target groups will be that SOCS will improve their skills in the following ways:- help them to apply strategies for development which suit to their business- Develop their innovation management and innovation skill and help them to adopt innovation as part of their day-to-day work- drive economic growth, through innovation and adaption in their work- improve their overall economic situation, by creating new opportunities for themselves and their staff members- come up with solutions for problems as processes and change will be accelerated or shortcut- improve company culture and working climate by more efficient team development."

"""REACH YOUth""INITIAL SITUATION AND PROJECT IDEAYouth social work shows that disadvantaged young people tend to listen to anti-democratic groups and are influenced by populist tendencies. In all cases of radicalization tendencies, it is relevant to reach these young adults if we want to win them over to democratic action and thinking.It is the task of youth social work throughout Europe to counteract these problems. Experiences of the partners involved show that existing intervention possibilities exist in individual approaches, but are often not effective enough to reach disadvantaged young people.Therefore, the aim of the project is to identify the most effective intervention instruments for anti-democratic tendencies in the partner countries and to bring them together in a training set. This ""Democracy Intervention Set"" is to be used throughout Europe and will enable professionals in youth social work to use a new, activating and interculturally designed training set in their work. The target group of disadvantaged young people will be motivated to consciously experience their self-efficacy and to deal with democratic values.PRIMARY TARGET GROUPS1. skilled workers in youth social work who work with disadvantaged young people2. decision-makers in youth social work, vocational training providers and universities of applied sciences in the social sector, INDIRECT TARGET GROUPS1. disadvantaged young people who are influenced by anti-democratic, populist and radicalising tendencies and who are insufficiently reached by existing methods.2. education policy decision makers who are responsible for the implementation of vocational training (VET) or initial social education (HE sector - universities of applied sciences/universities).PROJECT PARTNERSThe partner community consists of 5 partners from 5 European countries:•Sozialwerk Dürener Christen (Leadpartner) – DE•Asociacion Caminos – ES•Bimec Ltd- BG•Center for Social Innovation (CSI) – CY•CESIE - ITThe partners were selected on the basis of their project-relevant skills and experience. Three partners already have joint cooperation experience from another EU project.PERSONS, TARGET GROUPS AND INSTITUTIONS REACHED BY THE PROJECTDirect target groupsProfessionals from youth social work, students* (social work sector): •Transnational Trainings: 20•National Trainings: 75•National pilots: 125Indirect target groups•Young people in practical case work: min. 85 •Network partners in youth welfare to disseminate the project contents: 100PROJECT PRODUCTSThe following Intellectual Outputs (IOs) will be developed in the course of the project:IO1 Basic Report and National Adaptation Plans for the Use of the ""Democracy Intervention Sets IO2 SymfoS f YC - Intervention Sets""IO2 Democracy Intervention Set - Development of F2F TrainingIO3 Add-on module communication and conflict basicsIO4 e-learning platformIO5 Transfer Manual/Implementation GuidePROJECT ACTIVITIES• 5 multiplier events - one national multiplier event each in each partner country•2 trainings (REACH YOUth Democracy Intervention F2F Training and Workshop Advanced Training / Development E-Learning Platform)•5 project meetings (1 per partner country)PROJECT IMPACTS•to specialists in youth welfare, youth social work (primary target group): Expansion of vocational competence in working with disadvantaged young people•decision-makers and political actors (indirect target group): Education and support policy supports the implementation of the method as an offer in the vocational training of skilled workers (VET) and as a component in degree programmes at FHs (HE)•on disadvantaged young people (indirect target group): Improving personal and social integration (social inclusion), understanding democracy; dismantling radical ways of thinking and actingMEASURES FOR IMPLEMENTATION, DISTRIBUTION AND SUSTAINABILITY•Train-the-Youthworker"" and e-learning courses for skilled workers•National pilot projects (at FHs and with experts from youth social work)•Permanent implementation as a qualification offer at vocational training providers and in FH degree programmes beyond the duration of the project•Online platform for dissemination (curriculum, materials)•Recognition and certification of the method/curriculum•Transfer manual•Dissemination into practice by graduates* of the FHs•Multipliers Events for stakeholders in all partner countries•Dissemination in youth social work institutions via integration into partner networks•Closing events in partner countries•Public relations"

"The project ""GeNeus"" aims at the development, promotion and mainstreamig of a Set of Gender Neutral Selection Tools and Test. These tools and test will improve equal opportunities of both genders in educational and professional access to jobs and education. Specifically, these tools and test will be available and accessable for free. At the moment many organisations use poor selection processes as undstandardised interviews, which have all kind of biases, including gender prejudices, or do not have information, on how to conduct proper selection processes, nor have or can afford standardized tests regarding key work-related competencies. This project, will not only focus on gender equality, but also provide EU organisations with free selection tools, and their proper use instructions. Gender research on personnel selection or vocational orientation also could not find instruments for recruit and selection processes which are gender-independent . Also our interviews carried out for IO1 in the different partner countries show that there was no focus on gender equality in many selection processes in organisations. Test building standards, as well as associated statistical methodologies, involve techniques that allow for the control of these possible biases, which provide increasing reliance on gender neutrality of tests. Although there are laws existing in the partner countries, practice shows that there are still (hidden) mechanism favoring one gender in the recruitment and selection process in several stages. Gender neutrality would reduce the drop out rate and improve the succeeding rate for women in recruite and selection processes, thus contribute to equal educational and professional opportunities for men and women. Intellectual Outputs of the project will be : * A report on gender neutral testings * A Set of Gender Neutral Selection Tools and Test * Guide on Implementation of Selection Tools and Test * Set of Application of Gender Neutral Selection Tools and Test for SME * Set of Application of Gender Neutral Selection Tools and Test for Public Administration Measures * Set of Application of Gender Neutral Selection Tools and Test for Post Secondary Professionals Benefiniaries of the project will be organisations working with testing forms in their daily activities in all european countries (non english speaking countries and non partner countries with translation on own means). This because Outputs of IOs will be accessable on the project website for free and will not need further funding for implementation. This will be especially an advantage for smaller organisations who have limited funds but also for all organisations in general due to the specific gender aspect. Beneficiaries and Needs: The beneficiaries from the project are the society as a whole and women in particular (indirect target group). EU society needs to utilize the potential of women and combine their strong points with those of men in order to build a better and stronger Europe. Women need equal education and employment chances. Most recent Eurostat News release from 7th March 2017 shows that “Only 1 manager out of 3 in the EU is a woman..... earning on average almost a quarter less than a man” (http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/7896990/3-06032017-AP-EN.pdf/ba0b2ea3-f9ee-4561-8bb8-e6c803c24081) The target groups of the project are: • VET orientation centres, HR professionals, schools at secondary level, professional consultancies, VET training centres, Recruitment and assessment agencies, Woman NGOs, Employers – organizations and people who apply selection tools • Public employment centers or related services as there measures influence very much national professional agendas • Job orientation centers regarding study choice at high school and university level • Decision makers in public administration and organisations who are working with selection tools Project partners are Frauen im Brennpunkt / Austria, Bimec / Bulgaria, Inova & Instituto Politecnico of Porto / Portugal, Centro per lo sviloppo creativo ""Danilo Dolci""/ Italy, Servicio Regional de Empleo y Formación de la Región de Murcia / Spain."

"In connection with the progressing process of the aging of the EU society, initiatives are taken to activate professionally as well as socially adults and seniors. In a special situation on the labor market there are women whose statistical life expectancy is longer than men*, but the length of professional life is lower**. Many women whose children are grown up and become independent would like to start a professional career that will give them a sense of meaning. Unfortunately, returning to the labor market for many of them is a challenge because they often feel that their skills have become obsolete and they have nothing to offer to a potential employer.According to Eurostat data (access from 27/06/2018) regarding the employment rate in EU28 in 2017 – there is 58,9% professionally active women aged 50-64, while men, in the same age group - 71.1%.Project entitled ""Universal model of professional course for new age child carers dedicated for women aged 50-64 years"" responded to the need for professional activation of unemployed women and inactive people over 50, so that they could transform unique skills and knowledge related to bringing children into a professional career. In addition, access to the services of professionally trained child carers would also allow young parents to return to the labor market more quickly.The aim of the project was to exchange best practices and ideas for developing a universal model of a professional vocational course for future child carers, with particular emphasis on the training needs of women aged 50-64.As part of the consortium, the recommendations on personality characteristics and skills necessary for a child carer were developed, a self-assessment test was prepared as the first element to check the predispositions for working with children, tools and methods for verifying candidates for the profession were presented and a training program consisting of nine modules was prepared concerning different areas of knowledge related to childcare.Six partners from the following countries were involved in the project implementation: Poland, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. In order to best take into account the needs of women aged 50+ and the requirements of parents looking for a suitable child carer, among the institutions creating the course were Non-profit organizations (M'am'amloca, ProActivate Ireland) involved in activating older people and caring for their well-being, regional institutions dealing problems of the labor market (Voivodship Labor Office in Katowice and Government Office In Bekes County) and institutions leading and creating trainings (COOS and Bimec).Project activities were related to the implementation of international partner meetings (5 meetings during the project) and the development of project results:- creation of a project website containing the most important information about the project, project meetings and partnership results and its ongoing update; - carrying out two surveys concerning the personality traits of a guardian for children and the most important issues of the course conducted among parents and women aged 50+; - design and publication of a leaflet informing about the project;- preparation of a self-assessment test to test predispositions in the profession of a child carer;- evaluation of the test by professionals dealing with child care;- preparation of a model (program of a vocational course) containing 9 thematic modules, comprehensively preparing for the role of a child carer;- evaluation of the course by institutions involved in the creation of courses, professional activation and conducting training to confirm the high quality of the program and its minor modifications based on the analysis of suggestions received by the partners;- preparation and publication of a handbook showing the results of the project.The results will bring long-term benefits, especially for people interested in taking up a job as a child carer. The self-assessment test is one of the tools to assess the predisposition to work with children, based on test results, unemployed people or those wishing to change their career path may decide to take action to achieve this goal.The professional course model prepared by the partner group is comprehensive and flexible. It allows training institutions to choose all or the most important, from the point of view of the target group, modules and subjects in order to prepare professionally trained child carers. *Based on data from the Eurostat database, access from 27/06/2018, the difference in life expectancy of women and men in Ireland is 4.1 years, while in Poland it is 7.5 years.** Statistically, men in EU28 work 38.1 years and women 33.1 years."

"BYMBE Project is building up on a national Austrian Project called ""Job Navi"" http://www.zig-training.at/kurs/job-navi-junge-muetter/ , which was developped within a set of measures targeting NEETs in Vienna and accomaning studies how to face ESL and lifelong consequences of it. ""Job Navi"" was designed by Doris Landauer due to the specific problems faced by young girls getting pregnant and who do not finish their professional education. This concern is a problem throughout Europe, not yet adressed by comparable measures. BYMBE partnership a consortium of expert partners with supplementary competences in counseling, motivaitonal training, women and youth work and dissemination activities from 6 european countries: Austria, Italy, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Irland and Spain - now aims to develop a transfer of parts of this best practice to a) other countries and b) to include outreach services outside big national centers. Thus the project will focus on the adaption to national contexts regarding education and accreditation systems and to local service provision in the partner countries. All partners will implement the project in smaller centers. Palermo and Dublin are of about over 500.000 inhabitants, Kaunas, Gijon and Innsbruck are at about 400.000, 275.000 and 122.000 and the Bulgarian partner, is going to implement the activities with target groups in Haskovo region (250.000 inhabitants). Identified TARGET GROUPS of the project: • Direct Targets: Young mothers aged 15-25 who have not finished their professional education (IO2,4,5,6) and Social Workers (IO1 and 3) • Indirect Targets: Social workers, teachers, trainers, other stakeholders in the field and general public for dissemination; Based on the above information the overall objective of the project is to improve social inclusion of young mothers, which are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) by bringing them back to school (education or training). The specific project objectives reflect the holistic and innovative nature of the approach chosen by the partners. BYMBE OBJECTIVES: • Adapt & promote good practices of support for young mothers for going back to school or in employment in Europe • Develop innovative outreach strategy & motivational campaign for awareness raising on the issue • Support social workers and trainers by provision of additional tools, knowledge and skills for their work with YM • Develop holistic support instruments for YM, including counseling, training, peer-groups s.o. • Disseminate project results and raise awareness about the problem and how to address it The overall longterm IMPACT of the BYMBE project will be to raise the general awareness of the risk to be exposed to poverty of young mothers dropping out education and to motivate young mothers to re-enter education. Most important on shortterm during the lifetime of the BYMBE project is the development of a successful support package for young mothers which will be implemented in a pilot with min. 12 young mothers from 6 countries (all together 72) are expected to re-enter education. They will be the pioneers for promotion of the project tools after the project end. In the last period of the project the results will be mainstreamed to key players in the field by direct interviews and multiplier events in every country with totally 200 participants in order to mainstream the project on national and european level."