"A resident on two in urban sensitive areas came from immigration (Liberation, nov 2011). In the large European cities, the concentration of immigrants in the slums has an impact on their integration, their desire for participation in democratic institutions and their self-image and perception of others. Several studies show that young people see this segregation as negative, and realize they’re receiving poorer educational opportunities and chances of success arte lower than in other parts of the city (Douzet, Robine 2013). Moreover, the weight of prejudice tends to increase in periods marked by crises (economic, social or political), so the «people from immigration» become the first scapegoats (Leyens, J.P; 1994). The danger occurs when young people internalize these prejudices as part of their identities and replicating the behaviors associated to them (concept ""of negative identity' developed by the psychologist Camilleri, C, C 1990).The T’ICI project aims at the exploration and development of adaptive, beneficial and multicultural identity strategies among young people living in sensitive areas in order to foster their personal development and living together.Specific objectives:Towards the young from 16 to 25 years residing in disadvantaged and multicultural neighborhoods:-Explore their own dynamics and identity strategies while recognizing and identifying those that are more adaptive, beneficial and consistent with the living together.-Through an artistic experience, (creation of short films) address the causes that can be the basis of identity conflicts so that develop social skills (interpersonal collaboration, oral communication, conflict management)-Increase their motivation and commitment in the multicultural civic life and living togetherHow? Through a combined methodology of action and research (interviews filmed by peers) and esthetical intervention (creation of documentaries and short films)To professionals of youth working with young people from difficult neighborhoods:-facilitate the understanding of identity issues and their impacts on the lives of young people-give concrete and practical ideas for interactive activities with youth that promote dialogue and living together-the tools so that they can better assist youth in the process of building healthy and appropriate intercultural identities.How? Through an innovative non-formal methodology based on an action and research made by the same young people and enriched with theories on subjects and practical activities.Target groups:-young people 16/25 years old, residing in disadvantaged and multicultural neighborhoods-Youth Professional Workers (educators, facilitators, advisors) working in disadvantaged areas.A total of 5950 persons belonging to the two target groups will be involved in the project both directly and indirectly.ActivitiesFor young people:-' workshops: documentary-research - Action '.-""workshops: «short films for a multicultural citizenship and living together.For Youth Professional Workers:-workshops to teach them to use the Toolbox ""mosaic of identities.""-international training-an international conferenceFor both group targets:-Participation in the Forums ""Everybody for a multicultural citizenship and the living together"".Methodology:-Research - participatory action-Esthetical approach-Non-formal educationResults:-A report on the Action and research methodology-5 documentaries on ""the identities of young people in multicultural neighborhoods and the living together""-1 research report-15 short films-Training for Youth Professional Workers-An interactive portal with educational resources and artistic onlineImpacts:a) At the end of the project the young people of sensitive and multicultural neighborhoods:-will identify and developed more intercultural, healthy and adaptive, identity strategies in conformity with the living together.-will develop social skills (interpersonal collaboration, oral communication, conflict management), as well as related to the action-research methodology-increase the motivation and engagement in civic and multicultural lifeb) Youth Professional Workers:-will have a clearer understanding of identity issues among young people from disadvantaged and multicultural districts, as well as resources to better support them in the process of healthy and adapted construction of intercultural identities healthy and responsive.Partners:Five TICI partners represent different geographic areas and disciplines, which will mutually enrich themselves during the life of the project. Merseyside Expanding Horizons (UK) has a number of years’ experience supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in their search for employment. The association has implemented various social inclusion projects around skills development for disadvantaged young people by promoting informal learning and advising them on their career orientation. MEH especially brought"

Beyond the strict politics in several European countries to strike and stop the hate crimes, is being clearly, that those measures are not being enough to build a tolerant society. And because it has been visible that is not only through the law that we can solve this problematic, we believe that to build a more tolerant and inclusive society we need first to create and share a common understanding of the hate phenomenon. By sharing personal experiences, understanding the intrapersonal and interpersonal aspects of this issue and by studying the social causes and consequences that affects not only young survivors of hate speech, but also oppressors, and in ultimate case all society, we may create a deep and clear understanding of the hate speech, what can be the way to generate more effective measures to foster a society more open and inclusive for all. With this project, we aim to RAISE awareness of hate speech crimes among the community and local institutions and give support and tools to pursuit more justice and equality regarding to this subject. Is still important to keep spreading and make clear that the violation of the right to live with no fear and intimidation is a crime, as the violation of any other Human Right. Is a priority of the project to help to address diversity and promote ownership of shared values of equality and non-discrimination,finding powerful solutions to decrease hate speech crimes and to foster social inclusion creating a more aware,cohesive and inclusive society. No matter cultural, religious, gender, aged, racial differences, we look to achieve the identities’ affirmation of the youth through the work together with other youth workers, with professionals and with local institutions, giving them tools of empowerment and of support for other youth. The importance to carry this project transnational is to RAISE up the EU values and to promote awarenessof them and creating a more inclusive Europe with no hate for the differences in a mixed and diverse Europe that sometimes it shows intolerant and unstable. On a first phase of the project, investigation, analysis and consultation of data will be conducted. The findings of the IO1 activities will be published in the format of a study that will serve as the basis of subsequent project activities for all Partners. IO1 will mainly identify specific causes and consequences of hate crimes and possible exintent solutions. Secondly, we will gather professionals/ youth workers that will take an active role on the construction of a Toolbox for youth workers to build (and help to build) resilience of young people against hate speech by sharing knowledge and experience, by delivering workshops among local Partners and discussing the problematic to build a collection of the best practices and tools for the toolbox. On the third phase of the project, the Raise up training! (IO3) will be delivered with the aim of, through comics creation, the identities’s expression and affirmation of youth, including young survivors.By delivering this training, we will create a safe environment for the participants to discuss deep concernings, thoughts and feelings regarding hate speech/crimes with no fear, and encourage them to take an active role on their own communities to promote and foster social inclusion as provide tools of self impowerment and of support for other youth. For the elaboration of the Policy Recommendations (IO4), consultation sessions will be made among policy makers and local institutions. Their feedback will be crucial to make progress on the construction of this IO. RAISE! will continue to make an impact on the target groups and on our communities after the lifetime of the project due to the actions taken during project implementation to engage a significant number of multipliers across the active members of society committed to keep fostering social inclusion.We will ensure the outcomes are made available - user friendly and easily adapted for different learning environments through the website in a first instance. We will promote the benefits of the innovative ways to disseminate EU values of equality and nondiscrimination and co-production methodology via continued engagement with networks of associate Partners.

CONTEXTYouth are the seeds of change. Youth Connections is a project aimed at creating strong link between young refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants and EU Youth through creative work and cultural activities aimed at fostering social inclusion. EU Youth Report stated that young people should be able to grow up in inclusive and pluralistic communities, based on EU democratic values, the rule of law and fundamental rights Education, youth participation, interfaith and inter-cultural dialogue have a key role to play in preventing radicalisation by promoting common European values, fostering social inclusion, enhancing mutual understanding and tolerance (EU Commission, 2015). These are the values that Youth Connections will pursue. RESULTS1. Innovative approaches, methodologies, educational contents and inclusive settings will be developed to foster dialogue between young Europeans and young resident refugees, asylum seekers and migrants of the same age.2. Youth workers/trainers multicultural staff, including people from a migrant background, will be selected and trained to deliver a more holistic approach culturally sensitive and appropriate to improve the quality of their youth/social work.3. Innovative non-formal educational pathways will be created to foster social inclusion and dialogue between young Europeans and coetaneous refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.4. Young EU citizens and immigrant youth will become leaders of joint initiatives with transnational visibility aimed at raising awareness of the importance of concrete social inclusion, in the local communities.5. Private organizations and public institutions will engage on Youth Connections social inclusion programme and Charter, widening their diffusion and strengthening the whole project’s impact. Project Partnership believes that Erasmus+ is an effective instrument to promote the inclusion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Inclusive education based on specific quality youth work can play a major part in tackling inequalities and on the prevention of marginalization. Youth Connections project will foster the development of new social and intercultural competences and critical thinking; it will also tackle discrimination, segregation and racism, thus contributing to prevent acts of extremism and violence.TARGET GROUPS:-Young refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. It is the common experience of partner organisations that this disadvantaged group can be become more vulnerable to processes which disadvantage them further.-Youth workers, trainers and teachers will be trained through innovative methodologies, teaching/learning modules and guidelines to involve the above-mentioned target group together.-EU youth, to promote creative intercultural teamwork with the aim to concretely foster social inclusion. -Local stakeholders (associations, schools, public authorities, etc.) will be also involved in project's implementation.-Project Intellectual Outputs will be innovative as they will be created from the perspective of both youth workers and of immigrant youth; this will bring to the success of Youth Connections social inclusion programme. Intellectual Outputs are: -Methodological framework, based on innovative action research involving directly target groups from the very beginning of the project (IO1). -Social inclusion Programme, involving multicultural young teams in creative quality youth work including social events such as: cultural evenings (music, dancing, art), language exchanges, refugee life-experience sharing, sports together, etc. (IO2). -Multimedia Tools: cross-media web platform; user friendly guide on free tools for creative works involving youth; Youth Connections short documentary film where young participants the project will be the main protagonists (IO3). -Youth Connections Charter for social inclusion and quality youth work, whose compliant organizations will then be awarded a “Gold Flag” as a symbol that they are compliant with the charter and deliver best practice in their work, fostering social inclusion between young resident refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants and young EU citizens (IO4).-Youth Connections Protocol for certification of competencies, the Protocol will be used as a guide to validate and certificate the competences of any professional making use of the innovative learning approach developed by this project and of the contents of the training tools developed (IO5). The geographical location of the project’s partners is a clear asset, as the project will be developed in the following 6 EU countries: FR, IT, UK, LT, PT and SK. Six relevant multiplier events will be organized: a national event in each partner country and a strategic transnational institutional event in PT, to let Youth Connections reach the core of EU. Project’s innovative methodologies, approaches, tools and Intellectual Outputs will have a wide impact and will be applied at Local-National-EU level.

"<< Background >>Through the recent publication of the ‘European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience’, building on the analogous 2016 document, the Commission recognises the importance of skills to ensure social fairness: the Commission is placing skills at the heart of its policies, steering investment in people and their skills for a sustainable recovery after the coronavirus pandemic, considering that businesses need workers with the skills required to master the green and digital transitions, and people need to be able to get the right education and training to thrive in life.Yet, data from the OECD Skills for Jobs database portrays a large presence of qualification mismatch, that is believed to have negative effects on job satisfaction and productivity overall: 18% of adults work in jobs that typically require a lower qualification than they hold, i.e. they are overqualified, while 19% of adults work in jobs that typically require a higher qualification than they hold, i.e. they are underqualified [OECD, 2017]. This evidence can be interpreted as a direct manifestation of a lack of recognition of both formal and, most importantly, non-formal or informal, pre-existing or acquired personal and professional skills and competences.According to the OECD, “the recognition of non-formal and informal learning is an important means for making the ‘lifelong learning for all’ agenda a reality and, subsequently, for reshaping learning to better match the needs of the 21st century knowledge economies and open societies”. Despite the publication of the Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning as early as 2012, and the subsequent elaboration of CEDEPOF’s European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning in 2015, the aim of enabling citizens to demonstrate their learning still remains unfulfilled. Most Countries still need to establish systems that enable individuals to identify, document, assess and certify all forms of learning and to use it for advancing their career and for further education and training.In particular, the 2019 OECD booklet ‘Getting Skills Right: Engaging low-skilled adults in learning’ portrays evidence that many adults with low skills are anything but ‘low skilled’: they may have low literacy and numeracy levels, but at the same time they may possess a range of other valuable skills; equally, some adults may have low qualification levels, but may have gained skills through years of work-experience that are equivalent to those associated with formal qualifications. Recognising these skills through validation and certification can benefit individuals, employers and the economy. For the individual, it recognises their (informal) learning effort, which can increase motivation and become a stepping-stone to further (formal) learning. Employers benefit from skill recognition through higher productivity, by being able to better match employees’ skill sets and jobs.The benefits of skill validation and certification for the individual and employer, in turn, improve labour market functioning [Kis and Windisch, 2018]. For these positive effects to materialise, it is important that employers and society at large value certificates that are obtained through skill recognition and see them as equivalent to those acquired through formal learning. In fact, non-formal learning opportunities make up a large share of all learning taken up by low skilled adults: 69% of learners take part in on the job training, 34% learn in workshops and seminars, 18% through open or distance education and 10% participate in other courses or private lessons [PIAAC, 2015].Based on this analysis, the project seeks to address the needs of both educators and adults - in particular those from vulnerable groups - in relation to the lack of recognition of non-formal and informal learning.<< Objectives >>General objective: The overall aim of the project is to identify and develop possible ways of recognition and validation of competences acquired by non-formal and informal settings, especially with left behind adult learners and other disadvantaged target groups, mainly through the use of a Validation Portfolio.Specific objectives: • To promote the socio-economic advancement and inclusion of disadvantaged individuals that experience gaps in formal education credentials, through the recognition and validation of their non-formal skills and competences;• To study, analyse, explore and make more accessible the European and national scenarios of validation of competence and adult education in terms of statistical data, public policies and best practices • To increase access of target groups to the recognition of competences acquired in non-formal and informal settings, through a training curriculum focused on the European Key Competences for Lifelong Learning and a Validation Portfolio;• To provide free access to digital learning content, through the creation of an interactive digital platform, containing all learning materials and methodologies developed in the project as interactive activities, and additional content regarding the topics of innovation in education and of competence validation;• To contribute to the improvement and update of policies, through a set of recommendation guidelines aimed and fostering strategic actions and common efforts carried out in cooperation by public authorities, training organisations, social actors and certification institutions, in order to increase opportunities to validate non-formal competences and to raise awareness about the importance of recognising different types of certification..<< Implementation >>On the first steps of the project, partners will be committed to promote and market the project among their teams and among their networks and different stakeholders. A dissemination plan will be presented during the Kick-off meeting including guidelines for the regularity of social media posts, creation of newsletters and all templates and logos to be used by the partnership during the project lifetime.• 4 Transnational Project Meetings will be held in important milestones (at the end of each PR), for partners to meet and discuss the productions developed, their thoughts and feelings regarding the ongoing of the project, participants feedbacks, the quality of the productions realized and the partnership by itself, all those points will be evaluated among all as the meetings as well.• 5 Project Results are designed to be implemented through:- the realization of surveys to adult educators and educational institutions to understand the state-of-the-art of partner countries regarding the validation and recognition of non-formal and informal learning experiences;- delivering developed training modules on KCLL to the targeted groups;- the development and testing of the New Validation Portfolio;- the elaboration of a set of guidelines and policy recommendation concerning the validation and recognition of skills and competences;- and finally the elaboration of e-learning materials for the creation of an Interactive Validation Platform where all the project outcomes and results will be uploaded for free access of everyone.• 2 Learning Activities will also take place in order to test and evaluate the project results in an international context and promote an international learning experience to the targeted groups and partners. • Finally 7 Multiplier Events (6 local events and 1 international confernce) will take place in order to share to a wider audience the project outcomes and results, explain the project objective and its achievements, demonstrate its impact and explain how to use the developed tools to also insure its sustainability.• During the project lifetime different ongoing internal management of financial monitoring and project implementation, quality assurance and evaluating activities will take place, promoted by the consortium leader and by each partner according to their role and expertise in order to ensure a high-quality of the project productions and project implementation. Extensive promotional activities will also be planned and perform throughout the project at different stages of its lifetime and beyond its conclusion.<< Results >>The planned project results to be produced and delivered are:- PR1: ""Validation of non-formal and informal learning - Analysis of European and National Scenarios"" - PR2: “Training Curriculum on the 8 European Key Competences” - PR3: “New Validation Portfolio in Practice''- PR4: “ Guidelines for Recommendations”- PR5 “ Interactive Platform - My competences”.Throughout the development of these results, the partnership aims to achieve respectively:(1) PR1: ≥ 35 professionals involved in consultations - 7 National Reports produced - 1 Report on the Validation of informal and non-formal learning developed(2) PR2: ≥ 70 professionals reached during testing - ≥ 14 pps involved in C1(3) PR3: ≥ 70 learners trained on the portfolio activities - ≥ 21 adult learners involved in C2(4) PR4: ≥ 21 endorsements of the document received - ≥ 35 educators and ≥ 21 learners involved in the development process(5) PR5: ≥ 150 educators and ≥ 100 learners reached.In addition, at least 56 members of partner organisations are planned to be have participated in Partnership Meetings; a total of ≥ 292 people are expected to have participated in MEs, among national, international and online pps.Through these actions, outcomes expected to be achieved are: - increased societal awareness regarding the importance of non-formal and informal learning experiences on the acquisition of skills and validation of competences;- improved knowledge of both consortium members and target groups on the different validation and recognition processes in the partner countries and in Europe;- enhanced capacity of adult educators, trainers, training organisations, learners, policy makers, local authorities, certification institutions and other relevant groups of recognizing and valuing people’s competences beyond their formal qualifications or diplomas;- strengthened dialogue and collaboration among educational institutions, training providers, and the public sector for the coordinated social planning and implementation of actions aimed at increasing and validating of the skills and competences of vulnerable adults."

I-Motole responded so to the European needs, challenges & policy within Adult Education: Recognition + validation of key competences acquired through non-formal learning as a major challenge (CEDEF OP 2009) covering the settled four common EU objectives to address challenges in education and training systems by 2020: making lifelong learning and mobility a reality, improving the quality and efficiency of education and training, etc.The targeted groups were specially Roma & disadvantaged groups; refugees and asylum-seekers; people with disabilities; people in specific situations of exclusion from learning, such as those in prisons, plus members of deprived communities experiencing poverty and social exclusion.We also targeted educators, trainers, staff, other professionals and policy makers working in adult education once their work affects directly or indirectly our last beneficiary (adult learners).The overall aim of the project was to produce a more effective educational experience for adult learners through effective strategies focused on improving the intrinsic motivation of adults from marginal, vulnerable, disadvantaged groups or situations of social exclusion. Firstly we developed an Analysis research and Needs Analysis (IO1) to identifies the gap between teachers and vulnerable learners perceptions that affects learner’s motivation. Then, innovative methods were developed and included on the Training Package for Adult Educators (IO2) developed. The partnership met in September 2018 in Macedonia (C1) to train each other and go back to each country in order to pilot with Adult practitioners. Adult practitioners involved reported that they feel more motivated and learnt tools to use in their sessions.A Validation Portfolio (IO3) was developed to raise awareness among learners of the competences acquired in non-formal and informal settings. This portfolio also serves as a tool for the educators to track, validate and certify their learner’s knowledge and competences what also enhance the learner’s employability opportunities. The most satisfactory register that we received during the project was from the evaluations results of the 83 learners that had the opportunity to participate, at least, in one of the sessions provided training activity in Portugal in March 2019 (C1). For most of them this was their first experience in such international context. Through the development of the Recommendations (IO4) and the dissemination events, we could spread the Action plan with recommendations to improve Adults Education systems in Europe throughout many different organizations and levels of actions at a systemic level.Each partner held local multiplier events, the Belgian partner hosted the International Multiplier event where we had the opportunity to meet and share with a major number of policy makers and professionals on the adult education field all project developed.Throughout the project lifetime the Online Interactive Portal (IO5) has been enriched with the interactive tools developed by the partners. Those methodologies are online and available to all educators across Europe and behind boarders - they can be used in a variety of contexts of adult education, in any way limited to any particular educational content, being useful for any matter to be delivered by adult educators, whether it is languages, academic subject teaching, practical, vocational trainings, etc..). Among the long-term benefits for adult learners, the opportunity to experience and learn with other peers from other countries provided them self-confidence and an all-new experience as a real feeling about European citizenship. Moreover, they had the opportunity to get to know better themselves, rising awareness of their effective potential and improving their quality of life: their social and civil skills were enhanced.For the staff of our schools and associations, for our local partners, and for all the educators and trainers we are now equipped with luggage of activities, methodologies and tools to deal with adult learners and in how to improve their motivation to keep studying, participating and investing on their future. we had the opportunity to meet other training organizations and schools across Europe; understanding the work they do and how they are doing it; creating and testing new methodologies and activities for adult education; testing our new propositions and mainly enlarging our spectrum of action on the field as enlarging our international network.The project brought more attention to adult education and its importance among our institutions, staff, local partners and policy makers, where there is little investment in innovation. Finally it also made people (organizations and learners) more aware of the possibilities of such projects and about Erasmus+ program.The policy makers that the partnership met were available with engagement, promising an Imotole impact on future policies.