The EUnited We Code project aims to answer to an european dual issue : a very high unemployment rate (7,3%) coupled to a digital divide which grows wider (due to a lack of training to basic digital competences, especially for disadvantaged groups and an increasing need for professionals in the ICT sector) and the challenge of professionalizing trainers delivering training in digital skills through an active pedagogy approach Since its beginnings, Simplon.co had spread his model of free technical trainings to digital jobs for disadvantaged groups (such as job-seekers, women, migrants, disabled persons) at the European level. Therefore, the schools factories, ETIC in Romania, Factoria F5 in Spain and BeCode in Belgium have been created. Through the EUnited We Code project, Simplon.co, the leader, and its European partners wish to build together a strong and tested pedagogical basis in order to help the trainers coach job seekers to develop new digital skills and support them in their transition to work. This pedagogical basis could be replicate in all of countries of the European Union. For this purpose, we organized 3 transnational meetings (in Barcelona, Cluj, Paris) and a training workshop (in Brussels) to allow our factories’ trainers and mentors to develop their professional capacities, learn from each other and build together shareable pedagogical supports to their Europeans peers. We built together :- A toolkit for facilitating the recruitment and onboarding of active pedagogy trainers : this toolkit is composed of a few examples of trainers positions, a guide to share good recruiting practices, an evaluation grid to analyse applications, and 4 videos of trainers explaining their motivation to animate a training course in digital skills for underpriviledged communities,,- The foundations for a VIDA platform to share challenges between trainers implementing an active pedagogy in their class to transfer their know-how to job seekers, neets, kids- A canneva for a mobility program between trainers at the local, national and transnational level, in order to formalize the sharing of good practices, organize the transfer of pedagogical experience from one training team to another, and improve the quality of the training for trainees.All these pedagogical supports are available in the different idioms of the partnership (english, spanish and romanian) and be broadcast on each digital platforms’ partners and the EPALE platform. Our partnership, based on Simplon.co methodology already provides another possible integrated and efficient orientation for job seekers and disadvantaged groups : with the EUnited We Code projects, it wishes to level up this solution and bring to all the European Countries a new approach, leading to more social inclusion and an access to training and qualifications for all with the continuous VET. Fill the mass unemployment problem while guaranteeing an access to digital job : this is our final objective.

Learning2gether was a 24-month Erasmus + funded project aimed at promoting and improving NEETs' employability at a local, national and European level by increasing their knowledge of the latest digital tools for business and developing skills sharing opportunities with older employers and employees in SMEs. Additionally, the project aimed to utilize young people's knowledge and skills to improve the social media knowledge and digital skills of older employers and employees in SMEs by developing skills-sharing opportunities with the young NEETs. The project was implemented by a transnational consortium of 6 partners from 5 European countries. It was coordinated by Bifröst University, based in Bifröst, Iceland. The Learning2gether project was innovative as it promoted intergenerational education, by building on the strengths of different generations, specifically NEETs and older SME workers/owners. These groups were brought together to share their strengths and build their knowledge of skills that they needed to further develop to improve their employability (NEETs) and modernise their business (older SME workers/owners). The partnership built on previously adopted, successful tools, experiences and methodologies in order to ensure that the training programme had the right impact. The material that was developed was successful in reaching the project's objectives as it was based on strongly evaluated methodologies of other successfully implemented projects, so their effectiveness had been proven. Project partners have reached out to a great number of stakeholders, through research/teaching/training activities, through multiplier events and other dissemination activities. Overall, the project involved more participants than planned. Slightly fewer SME workers were recruited, but the number of pilot training participants exceeded plans, and so did the number of stakeholders reached through a successful series of multiplier events. How have we addressed the selected program priorities?The partnership has worked with young NEETs to specifically strengthen them as labor market participants and learnersSME Workers have gotten to know the value and skills that youth can bring to the workplace, f.ex. in the area of digital marketing and networkingThrough the research, recruiting, events and dissemination activities, awareness has been raised among key stakeholders within education, for labour market institutions, NGOs, municipalities etc.With sustainable, open, and ready to use learning materials and resources, opportunities are there for many to take this work forward, adopt the methods, or perhaps apply them to similar/related groupsThe Guidebook from IO5, Policy makers guide greatly facilitates adoption of Learning2gether by anyone active in education and trainingThe platform and all learning materials are openly available.The platform was built using open software toolsThe policy makers guide is a document that is essential to anyone interested in using the L2G outputs, and facilitates such adoption immenslyThe unexpected emphasis on distance/blended learning was immensely valueable to the partners, the NEETs, and onward to anyone interested in adopting the material How have we addressed the needs of the target group?The NEETs have developed their skills, being trained by both facilitators and SME workersThe SME workers have developed their skills, being trained by NEETsThe project participants have trained and developed high-quality diverse teaching skills, as already recorded. Both through developing and reviewing the material, through the Train the Trainers events, but also through the partnership's joint efforts to adapt the material for blended and distance learning.Learning2gether was an innovative project as it promoted intergenerational education, by drawing on the strengths of different generations, specifically NEETs and older SME workers or business owners. These groups were brought together during the project to build knowledge and develop skills that our competence framework suggested were important; for the NEETs on one hand to support them in finding their right track on the job market or education; and for the SME workers and business owners to hone their skills in digital marketing, social media and networking and even down to just basic computer skill set.

The FREE to CODE project had the ambitious goal of using digital skills and computer programming as a means of human development that can help adult European prisoners to re-enter society. 1. CONTEXTSAlthough significant progress was reported in Europe on the digitalization agenda, different disadvantaged groups were excluded from it due to some structural or personal obstacles. This project aims at bringing prisoners and former prisoners closer to the labour market by developing in them coding and other relevant soft skills. This aim was achieved by developing a responsive and interactive training platform that can work also in closed institutions such as prisons. 2. OBJECTIVESThe project was aiming at the following objectives: General: - The project intended to develop an innovative training programme on coding for learners detained (men, at least graduated and with a short-time sentence, to prepare them to be reintegrated into the society), with the aim to favour the development of their digital skills and in turn their transversal skills, particularly problem-solving. Specific: - The project aimed at transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications; application of the European recommendations to validate the non-formal and informal learning with the improvement of their digital and programming skills in an informal and formal learning environment, - Applying the methodology of the European recommendations to validate the non-formal and informal learning to adult education into social assistance fields.Both objectives were achieved. The training programme on coding was created, piloted, evaluated and adjusted. There is now basic training on coding available for the prison systems around Europe. There are manuals available for this training in English, Romanian, French, Greek, Italian and Portuguese. The programme was built taking into account the European principles for identifying and validating non-formal and informal learning adopted by the European Council in 2004. Partners have agreed on the learning outcomes and stakeholders involved in the process of validation were involved in the multiplication events and expressed positive views on the programme. 3. PARTICIPANTS-NUMBER-PROFILEThe participants in the project were divided into two main categories: direct beneficiaries and indirect beneficiaries. Direct beneficiaries - prisoners, former prisoners and other disadvantaged people with similar profile - 162 direct participants took part in the survey or benefited from the training programme. Indirect beneficiaries - were the stakeholders (those interested in the programme - education agencies, labour agencies, local authorities, prisons etc.) and the community (NGOs) who participated in the multiplication events - 229 participants. The indirect beneficiaries were also informed about the project activities and results through the dissemination activities were approx. 10.000 people were involved. 4. ACTIVITIESAlmost all activities were performed as they were planned. However, due to the pandemic, most prisons were closed in Europe for the non-essential staff. Therefore, the project had to adapt its activities in order to achieve its aim and objectives. The main activities were: conduct national evaluations to identify the training needs and trainees expectations, design a training plan (taking into account the European standards for informal and non-formal validation), develop a training platform, pilot it and evaluate it and refine it. 5. RESULTS AND IMPACTThe main result of the project is the use of an online training tool in the prison field. This project is one of the first ones that contribute to the opening of the prison system towards the online platform. The training platform created under this project helps prisoners better prepare for the new economy where digital and computational skills are crucial. Following the guidelines of the European Framework for validating non-formal and informal learning, the project is easily scalable across Europe in prison and alike institutions. 6. LONG-TERM BENEFITSThe project is an example of how prisons can use the online platform to enhance education. We can expect the use of this environment to be expanded in the near future towards other sections of prison life: vocational training, job searching, visits and so on.