The social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities is gaining increased importance in the EU context. Several measures and supports had been given from different types of organizations as well as from local, national and European policies. Despite the European Disability Strategy (2010-2020), there is still lots of work to be done even considering the emergency and mediatism of this subject.In this context, the T21COMmunity Project aimed at promoting and facilitating the social inclusion and the employability of European Down Syndrome (DS) youth citizens through Tourism and e-skills. Initiatives and strategies in this area are still, mainly, being done by non-profit organizations and associations in the civil society with very few financial resources. Therefore, this project aims at making a positive difference in the area of DS youth support.The project has two main primary target groups, namely:1. Young people between 13 (preferably older than 17 years old) and 30 years old with DS that face psychological, social or physical challenges and that need alternative pathways to engage with education and new technological competences for employability.2. Teachers, stakeholders and relevant professionals involved in the delivery and development of creative and innovative educational responses for young people who do not engage in mainstream educational settings.Three specific objectives and related activities were addressed:The first one, translated into sharing good practices at various levels, was focused on the specific target group of disadvantaged and ‘at-risk’ young people, namely DS young citizens.Education systems that maximize social inclusion; developments in the use of technology to create active learning environments that support innovative pedagogies, collaboration and effective practice for disadvantaged learners; and increase the limited research in the area of non-formal learning (especially in e-skills) were impactful results.With the second objective it was meant to identify key components that constitute a successful and engaging educational experience for learners and instructional roles within an online and blended learning environment. The partnership challenge was to identify the unique set of design principles and component parts required to provide an effective solution for education of disadvantaged people. By the third objective, it was intended to explore areas for the application of key components in the development of innovative approaches. It was focused on the learning perspective of “how could we learn more about these thematic”, and as technology continues to evolve, the ability to merge these upcoming technologies with non-formal education also became increasingly relevant to explore viable solutions to address the needs of DS targets.In order to test the new educational materials with gamification tools, methodological and pedagogical guidelines with specific and innovative approaches to the DS target population, and to develop their skills on tourism and e-skills towards their inclusion and employability, learning and teaching activities were undertaken for a group of 6 DS participants per partner country, 18 in total (supported by 2 accompanying persons per partner country), having a huge impact in target population and stakeholders involved.The scientific, societal, technological, policy and economic impacts achieved at the local, regional, national and European scope consisted in the fulfillment of the various workshops and actions that promoted equity and inclusion among these target groups (young adults with DS). Thus, the inclusion of DS citizens in society and in the labor market through the implementation of several actions, initiatives and activities that this project provided were perceived as viable and highly important strategies to the social, digital and professional inclusion of these citizens, having in general a noticeable impact at all levels. In addition, this project provided several outcomes and results that, not only, contributed to the social and digital inclusion of DS citizens as well as allowed the development of specific activities, namely: digital educational contents; methodological and pedagogical guidelines; innovative web platforms and social networks; and also creative short stories eBooks among others. In terms of longer term benefits, this project allowed, due to is relation with stakeholders, volunteers and teachers, the launch of a unique and innovative training course in Higher Education for young people with intellectual disabilities, named Digital Literacy for Labor Market, with the participants of TV COMmunity project, being one of the most important impactful outcome.

The Starting Up – Accelerators of entrepreneurship 4 inclusion project is aimed at young people with intellectual and developmental difficulties (IDDs) with a degree of incapacity up to 60%, this group hasn’t had opportunities to continue studies or to enter the labour market.In 2018, the first Higher Education course for young people with IDDs (see https://siese.ipsantarem.pt/ese/cursos_geral.FormView?P_CUR_SIGLA=LDMT) started in Portugal (at the Higher School of Education – Polytechnic Institute of Santarém), an initiative that has mobilized civil society, the business world and the police makers themselves for this problem, and which needs to be further developed, not only in Portugal but in all Europe. In other European countries, other courses and initiatives have been developed for this public, however with low expression in what concerns the insertion in the labour market.The Portuguese Government recently approved and published a law (law nº4/2019) regarding minimum number of employees with disabilities in companies with more than 75 employees, this law actually comes into force in the month of this project submission (February 2019).In this way, with non-formal methodologies, it is intended to develop competences in young people with IDDs disorders for insertion in the labour market, both as employees and as self-employed entrepreneurs with innovation and social concern.This proposal is in line with the National and European challenges. In fact, the relevance of the project is that it matches OECD reports (e.g. OECD, 9 Feb. 2018), in which international experts insist that, while indispensable, the reinforcement of funds and the increased value of practitioners and institutions are not yet contributing consistently to innovation and productivity growth within the priority areas of social and labour inclusion.In spite of this, some of the priority areas and sectors are still in need of a genuine and adequate analysis, being scarce or lacking in initiatives to include young participants with intellectual disabilities in the labour market. The project will produce outputs that are innovative for its field, since it presents a unique training system that is specially adapted to students with IDDs and to the youth workers that work with them, a job network platform for enterprises and young graduates adapted to the needs of both employers and employees, and tools to help students to create and organize their CV, portfolios and other materials. In terms of impact we expect this project to increase the awareness to this problematic and to increase the chances of this young students to enter the labour market. This is especially important, because it demonstrates the lack of attention being paid to young people with disabilities. Therefore, implementing this project will certainly raise the chances of them being more integrated in the society.We expect the project to remain sustainable, assuring that the developed content stays available and accessible long after the funding. Also, by maintaining the job platform network we hope to constantly increase the network of stakeholders (e.g. associations, enterprises, schools) that will keep the project sustainable. Lastly, with this project we hope to influence policy makers in creating state programs to address this issue.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than one billion people are in need of assistive tools. Such tools are becoming increasingly digitized through the use of Information Technology (IT). However, only a small percentage have access to needed technology what has a negative impact not only on their lives, but also on their caretakers/families and the society as whole. Because they are perceived as different, they also frequently encounter stigmatization, discrimination and inequalities, largely by people who are not properly educated on social inclusion. Therefore, without innovative IT solutions based on emerging technologies (e.g. IT tool with Augmented Reality glasses which displays communication commands for contacting caretakers), people with disabilities (PWDs) are isolated. The “Innovative Solutions based on Emerging Technologies for Improving Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities (INNOSID)” project builds upon ten years long activities of the “ICT-AAC Competence Network” and broadens its activities geographically (through internationalization) and technologically (through focusing on emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and 3D-printing). ICT-AAC main vision is enhancing social inclusion of PWDs by designing and developing free IT solutions aimed at enabling communication, supporting education, and raising public awareness about needs and abilities of people with disabilities. The INNOSID project will be implemented by the consortium consisting of 6 higher education institutions (HEI) and 1 non-governmental organization (NGO) from the domain of the people with disabilities, from 5 EU countries (Croatia, Spain, France, Portugal, Hungary). The project goal is to improve social inclusion of PWDs by creating innovative IT solutions based on emerging technologies. To reach the project goal, the following three equally important objectives will be fulfilled: (i) developing a multilingual support for existing IT tools for improving social inclusion of people with disabilities; (ii) designing new innovative IT tools based on emerging technologies for improving social inclusion of people with disabilities; and (iii) improving higher education system through tackling skill gaps – raising awareness, developing open educational resources and providing training to students and lecturers in the area of innovative IT solutions based on emerging technologies.The INNOSID objectives will be achieved through delivery of the following results: (i) multilingual support for 5 ICT-AAC applications (support for Croatian, English, Spanish, Hungarian, French, Portuguese, including multilingual user guides); (ii) study on emerging technologies for improving social inclusion of people with disabilities; (iii) 4 product vision statements and specifications for IT tools for improving social inclusion of people with disabilities; (iv) 2 newly developed, free and publicly-available IT tools (software) for improving social inclusion of people with disabilities (including user guides); and (v) 20 slide decks published as Open Education Resources (OERs).In order to deliver INNOSID results, the consortium will organize and implement: (i) 4 multiplier events for disseminating project results to target groups (and broader audience); (ii) 4 learning/teaching/training (LTT) activities for providing training to students and lecturers (based on blended mobility and project-based learning) in the area of innovative IT solutions based on emerging technologies; (iii) 7 transnational project meetings to ensure project delivery tracking and quality verification; and (iv) dissemination and visibility activities based on project's web page and social media to ensure efficient communication about results to internal and external stakeholders, as well as project sustainability and impact by providing open and free access to developed IT tools, user manuals and OERs.INNOSID project target groups are: (i) people with disabilities; (ii) students from participating HEIs; (iii) lecturers (researchers) from participating HEIs; (iv) high school students; and (v) IT companies. The project will directly include a few dozen of people with disabilities through evaluation of the newly developed IT tools and participation in the multiplier events, while the number of indirectly impacted people with disabilities will be significantly higher as developed IT tools will be available for free download via Internet. Around 60 students and 35 lecturers from INNOSID consortium HEIs will be involved in learning/teaching/training activities, while around 300 high school students will participate in the INNOSID multiplier events. Several IT companies which will participate in the project will benefit from ready-to-use specifications for IT tools aimed to improve social inclusion of people with disabilities, what will help them to fulfill their corporate social responsibility function in such a way.

"The project is based on the underlying principle that considers all individuals as subjects of rights.However, social inclusion and full participation of people with intellectual disability are not yet a reality, but a future challenge. Currently they are recipients of aid and must become active contributors to the common good, offering their experiences, reflections, and their voices. Hence, global citizenship and civic engagement of adults with intellectual disabilities needs to become a European imperative, because the most egalitarian societies benefit everyone.This project has as GENERAL OBJECTIVE:- To raise awareness of young adults with intellectual disabilities (18 to 30) on their rights and common social issues to strengthen their active citizenship and civic engagement.The SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES of the project during the two years envisioned include:- To enable young adults with intellectual disabilities in acquiring and developing key competences and skills to strengthen their civic engagement in the European democratic life.- To improve isolation of young adults with intellectual disabilities so they can take an active role in society.- To train trainers and staff members on how to promote active citizenship and civic engagement of young adults with intellectual disabilities.- To develop an international network to promote lifelong learning and to improve the quality of life and effectiveness of citizenship experiences of young adults with intellectual disabilities.DIRECT TARGET GROUPS:- Young adults with intellectual disabilities (18 to 30).- Staff members and trainers.INDIRECT TARGET GROUPS: - Other stakeholders (adult trainers, counsellors, teachers, university academics/researchers, social educators, third sector agents, etc.).- Political opinion-leaders and decision-makers (Town halls, national parliaments, ombudsmen, etc.). The PARTNERSHIP consists of 7 organizations from 5 countries (Spain, Hungary, Czech Republic Italy and Croatia). All partners are highly experienced (except Down Seville) with EU projects. Most of them are members of the European Down Syndrome Association (EDSA).FOUR MAIN INTELLECTUAL PRODUCTS will be created:- O1. Database on global citizenship and civic engagement among young adults with intellectual disabilities for EU associations/organizations with material, good practices, activities and resources.- O2. Handbook for staff members and trainers on global citizenship and civic engagement among young adults with intellectual disabilities.- O3. Platform of the blended training for staff members and trainers: Methodology and Contents.- O4. Toolkit for young adults with intellectual disabilities on global citizenship and civic engagement among young adults with intellectual disabilities.The project would celebrate TWO TRAINING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES: - An international workshop for young adults with intellectual disabilities on global citizenship and civic engagement.- A blended comprehensive training activity for staff members and trainers on global citizenship and civic engagement among young adults with intellectual disabilities.The EXPECTED RESULTS at the level of the different groups engaged in the project:YOUNG ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES (18 to 30)- Personal knowledge on the topics related to global citizenship, their rights and common social issues to strengthen their active citizenship.- Awareness of being European citizens and their understanding of their active role in the current challenges of the modern society.- Acquiring and developing key competences and skills to strengthen their civic engagement in the European democratic life.TRAINERS- Reinforce knowledge in the different areas of the project through the learning and cooperation process with all partners.- Pedagogical tools and strategies to promote active citizenship and civic engagement of young adults with intellectual disabilities.PARTNERS- Increased skills for cooperation; identification of new opportunities to further develop new solutions to tackle emerging problems;- Share the know-how of their organizations and will gain from the expertise of other European partners.- Experience a variety of methods and procedures at European level, beyond the fragmented knowledge of each of their organizations. STAKEHOLDERS - Access to new tools and skills to support global citizenship and civic engagement of young adults with intellectual disabilities.Regarding the LONG-TERM IMPACT, the project would contribute to enhance global citizenship and civic engagement among young adults with intellectual disabilities, helping to create more inclusive societies and promoting social cohesion. In brief, the project will offer an important contribution to the ""Agenda 2030"" for Sustainable Development of the United Nations: ""Guarantee an inclusive, equitable and quality education"" (UN, 2015), and the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities."

"<< Background >>BASIC IDEA.People with intellectual disabilities are discriminated and marginalised. Covid 19 has worsened their condition and their digital exclusion is even more evident.The e-learning course about health and safety at work, developed thanks to this proposal, will help them to get basic skills at home or at the training centre with their tutors, with or without pandemic crisis. In this way, they will increase their employability also with a facilitated access as trainees or workers in the hospitality companies of the Valueable network, which is proposed as the already consolidated framework of the testing activities, with internships duly prepared and managed. The e-learning course will be included in the set of tools aimed at supporting a successful job inclusion.CONTEXT.A hard situation which risks to get worse because of the pandemic.THE TARGET GROUP: PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES (ID)a) People with disabilities account for 10-12% of the world's population.b) 0,1% of European citizens (740.000) are now living with ID.c) Prevalence of people with Down Syndrome (Ds), commonest (15-20%) identifiable cause of ID, is 1/2000: 370.000, in Europe. Their average life expectancy has increased; it is now around 60.THE RIGHT TO VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND TO WORK.People with ID face a much higher unemployment rate than the rate applied to the general population.The right to work is getting crucial to ensure their independent living and self-determination.Furthermore, the vast majority has never experienced any form of vocational training and this is an extra limit to their access to the labour market.SAFETY AT WORK.The lack of adequate training on health and safety could be used as an excuse to justify discrimination against people with disabilities. There are no health and safety regulations specific to people with disabilities .DIGITAL EDUCATION.Training systems for people with ID are not equipped to face the challenges presented by the shift to online and distance learning, as it is happening very fast across Europe, also due to COVID-19.RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH ID IN THE COVID-19 CRISIS.The EU Parliament resolution (July 2020) highlights how the COVID-19 has shown that inclusive education is not yet a reality, in particular with regard to accessible digital and innovative technologies and distance-learning applications.Lock down greatly affected the mental health of persons with ID and their relatives, which requests measures adapted to their needs to ensure their well-being and independent living and not to become further isolated.NEEDS.When employed, workers with ID are among the most vulnerable. There are almost no examples of Health and safety training being provided to workers with ID in a manner they can understand.Vocational training for people with ID has been carried out exclusively through face to face or on the spot activities. The lock-down period has highlighted how the time ""suspended"" both in training and at work could be quickly turned into digital mode. However, people with ID have been struggling to cope with the poor or total lack of accessibility to digital education, particularly in vocational training.<< Objectives >>OVERALL OBJECTIVE:Promoting the social and professional inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities especially- but not only - in hard times of pandemic, when they risk to be further marginalised.PURPOSE:Enhancing the access of at least 84 European trainees/workers with ID to VET and employment in the hospitality sector, through a tailored and digitalised vocational training spread by the Valueablenetwork.<< Implementation >>ACTIVITIES.Design and development of e-learning course on “Health and safety at work” for (potential) workers with ID.Field testing of the e-learning course by trainees/workers with ID, who will have internships at Valueable hospitality companies on a local level and abroad.METHODS.1) Development of the PROJECT RESULTt: background analysis, design of the prototype and presentation at the meeting of the partnership, development of the prototype, field testing (limited within thepartnership) and its evaluation, extended testing.2) TESTING through internships and work experiences of people with ID at local level and abroad, in hospitality companies, with decreasing tutorship.3) VOCATIONAL TRAINING ACTIVITIES which: a) deploy digital tools and methods to deliver quality and inclusive education (e-learning course); b) incorporate digital online technology into subjectspecific(health and safety at work) training and work-based learning.4) Use of easy-to-understand (ETU) resources for people with ID. English ETU contents of the e-learning course will be analysed through the ""Flesch Index"", a specific software, tomeasure contents readability, usability and accessibility.<< Results >>PROJECT RESULT:The digital “Health and safety at work” course, in ETU format, in 8 languages (English-master, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Hungarian, Croatian, Turkish), tested by at least 84 people with ID (12 people with ID per VET provider) from 7 European countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Turkey).OUTCOMES AND IMPACT:People with ID:a) increased empowermentb) increased digital skillsc) increased job inclusion opportunities.VET providers:a) increased competences in supporting job inclusion of ID workersb) increased digital educational skills.Hospitality companies:increased knowledge and awareness ID-related issues.POTENTIAL LONG-TERM BENEFITSa) Long-term more effective VET of people with ID.b) Long-term improvement of attitudes of different stakeholders (hospitality managers and entrepreneurs, employees and citizens in general) towardS people with ID.c) Long-term positive economic and social impacts."