The Caretaker project gives students the opportunity and insight to begin a process of taking care of oneself, others and the world around us. Our traditional teaching methods in schools have remained the same without hardly taking into account the rapid evolution of technology and means of communication over the past 20 years. This technological evolution has been so rapid that our youth today (referred to as Generation Z) have even been given a new label known as “iGens”. So it is crucial that these teaching methods are adapted in order to support the needs of the students. We live in a digital era where the means are there to make this a reality. iGens excel at multitasking and have an incredible knack for “thinking beyond the box”. What is lacking is “face-to-face” and “in person” contact because it is becoming the norm to communicate through devices and apps. We cannot continue imposing old methods but instead find a common ground, therefore we have devised this project which will combine the positive of the old and the positive of the new - a healthy balance between the two. Our objective is to devise a method for us as teachers, to provide our students with the opportunity to recognise that there are ways on how to cope with the stress and pressures that impact their daily lives and to give them a safe space to do so. To guide this process, our students will address themes under four main topics: Our Future, Mental Health, Sexual Awareness and Personal Development, which are topics that are relevant to their growth. By dealing with the topics through creative expression they will explore emotions, reduce anxiety, increase self-esteem and resolve other conflicts. Through integrating live-streaming the students can instantly connect with peers in other European countries who experience similar problems and together can overcome obstacles, find solutions and achieve personal insight by sharing and discussing their creative results. YouTube will be the chosen online platform to provide information from their live-stream discussions to a wider audience. There will be up to 20 students between the ages of 13 -16 years and some teachers involved from each of the four participating European schools. The students will come from very different social and cultural backgrounds with a wide range of abilities. The one thing they have in common is that they all have to cope with their future, their personal development, their sexual awareness and their mental health. A number of tasks and challenges dealing with the aforementioned themes will be delivered through creative and practical activities. Challenges will deal with the students active engagement with the community around them. The Tasks will deal with self-reflection and will incorporate various artistic forms of expression such as drawing, painting, story telling, performance, songwriting, singing and more. These activities will be carried out by the students either working alone, in pairs, creating role plays, group work or cross-country participation through live stream via the online video chat portal “Zoom”. The students will use a prepared ‘Booth’ - which can be a small room in the school, equipped with an iPad where tasks will be given and live-streams will be held. The iPad will also be used to record the majority of the activities within the tasks and challenges. Throughout the project the students from all four schools will combine their results together to create content for a YouTube channel. It will be a collaborative platform for the students to discuss live on a bi-monthly basis the different topics, tasks and/or challenges presented to them. It will be an open space for self-reflection, different points of view, respect, compassion, peer learning, teaching and understanding. It will be a secure informative platform open to the wider public and will enable our students to become responsible YouTube users, aka YouTubers. During the last meeting with all project participants in Berlin, an exhibition will be arranged to display and showcase the students artistic outcomes resulting from their creative tasks. Throughout the project the teachers will act as supervisors and give guidance to the students and not act as teachers in the common sense. They will give the students the space and opportunity to find out about themselves and their opinions on the given themes. All of these themes have moved into focus in recent times, be it fear and anxiety over climate change and the loss of nature, different attitudes to diversity or the political development in Europe and the world. We want to enable our students to have a good outlook on their future, overcome prejudices, deal with growing up and to share their emotions with peers. The work on this project will influence our students to be responsible, civil and intentional digital and social media users - to be caretakers.

The role of education, and the way it prepares students for their future lives, is changing as the knowledge-based economy continues to advance in Europe. The ever-changing nature of the European employment landscape demands a high-level of flexibility and adaptability in the workforce. This high-value, dynamic knowledge economy has for the most part done away with the notion of a “job for life” or a “skill for life”. The emphasis now is on employability and adaptability; on upgrading skill sets to keep pace with change; on changing career pathways to respond to market conditions. In this new reality, career planning and development is no longer viewed as a linear process and more emphasis is now placed on nonlinear, chance and unplanned influences.When people in education talk about career guidance it is generally referred to as a service; advice and/or direction provided by an expert for the benefit of students. Career guidance in school education environments is generally centered around the final years of the 2nd level academic cycle and concentrates on supporting the most appropriate transition for students from school into higher education, 3rd level, tertiary vocational education, or employment. While this 'service' approach might be considered appropriate within the parameters of education establishments where students and career guidance professionals coexist on a daily basis, the most likely career pathways for students currently in education today cannot be defined on a once off basis and the career planning needs of students can no longer be satisfied by this 'service' based approach.The rationale behind the SELFIE project is based on the belief that we now need to consider career planning as a subject instead of career guidance as a service; a subject with curriculum resources at different levels, with required learning outcomes and an assessment framework to measure attainment. In math, students are taught to add, subtract, divide and multiply. They bring these skills and abilities with them everywhere they go and can call on them and rely on them throughout their life. In career planning students should be taught (A) how to research the marketplace and identify potential career opportunities; (B) how to evaluate options using appropriate decision making processes and criteria; (C) how to assess their own strengths and weaknesses; (D) how to present themselves in the most beneficial way to academia or to potential employers. There is a need for a growing emphasis to be placed on critical inquiry and mental flexibility and on providing students with the necessary skills and tools for those tasks. Given the predilection of young people today for social media there is a need to employ these new technologies to help students begin the process of building sustainable networks and to help them gain experience in research, experimentation, problem-based learning and other forms of creative work. The SELFIE project has developed a career planning subject framework incorporating introductory, intermediate and advanced levels that will help students to develop the necessary skills to enable them to construct their own self-portrait and career progression pathway and update it as required throughout their working life.While the initial focus of the SELFIE project was on school-based career planning provision the principles on which the model is based will be just as relevant throughout the educational landscape and can help inform the development of career planning curriculum materials for all age groups and environments. SELFIE supports the strategic objective of the Education & Training 2020 framework by helping to improve the quality and efficiency of education and training through the development of career planning teaching that is more appropriate for Europe's dynamic and knowledge based economy. It also enhances creativity and innovation by supporting the development of the key transversal skills of research, critical thinking and decision making.The main activities undertaken in the project included the following: a Summary Research Report, Learning Outcomes Matrix, Curriculum Development and Assessment Framework, Introductory Curriculum Resources, Intermediate Curriculum Resources, Advanced Curriculum Resources, Teacher Induction Programme, Project Website and a Career Planning for Dynamic Economies policy paper. The project has achieved its overall outcomes, as the main outcomes of the project have been developed and delivered and included: a comprehensive suite of resources for the school counselors/career guidance providers and for the students in terms of new ways of approaching career guidance and promoting self-guidance for the students.The analysis of best practices, equality and inclusion has during the timeline of the SELFIE project, added knowledge and value to the work of partner organisations.

Long-term unemployment is at record levels in the European Union with nearly half of those out of work jobless for more than a year. These latest figures mean that long-term unemployment in the EU 28 Member States is the highest it has been for at least a decade. Long-term unemployment as a percentage of total unemployment has risen sharply from 33.5 percent in 2009, to 47.5 percent last year. It is widely accepted that when European labour markets emerge from the current economic crisis they will be profoundly changed. If those who are long-term unemployed are to have any chance of finding quality employment they must be given the tools to successfully adjust to this new reality.Support agencies working with the long-term unemployed are struggling to come to terms with the situation as many of their target group have been removed from education for a number of years. Developing key competences like learning to learn, digital competence, social and civic competence, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship and cultural awareness and expression are key first steps that need to be taken if many of the long-term unemployed target group are to be reintegrated into the workforce. ARiS is a project about promoting and developing the concept of an ‘encore career’ where long-term unemployed persons in their prime working age – 35 to 50 years old – can access re-training opportunities to add new skills that are appropriate to the knowledge-intensive economy and re-launch their careers at a higher skilled, more sustainable level.In Europe today 70% of those who will comprise the workforce in 2020 have already left education. For those long-term unemployed over 35 years old the task of finding new employment is extremely difficult as even ‘old’ jobs now require ‘new’ skills. While many of this cohort have been outside the education system for over 15 years and more; in the knowledge-intensive economy it is almost irrelevant to focus on one’s past disposition towards learning; it is ones present disposition towards continuous learning that counts most. As lifelong learning is the key to the modern era it is more important to start today than reflect on why you didn’t start 5 years ago. The knowledge-intensive economy is very demanding but also very forgiving, in that the most sought after skill-sets are the latest skill-sets. Starting the journey to an encore career today and playing catch-up in the modern era can be a relatively short process. Participation rates of adults in learning remain very low in all European countries. In particular marginalized parts of the population, including the low-qualified, unemployed and migrants, continue to be absent from learning opportunities. It is a commonly experienced phenomenon that those who could benefit most from education and training are the ones less likely to engage. We need to start again and build the basic key competences of those displaced by the economic crisis. This project is about developing appropriate tools to achieve that.There are two primary target groups addressed by the ARiS project namely; long-term unemployed persons over the age of 35 years and adult education organisations and their staff. While it was more than likely that the proposed key competence resources to be developed would be relevant to learners of all ages the project specifically targeted the 35+ age group and ensured that the learning tools were customized to suit the learning habits and learning preferences of this target group. A significant emphasis was placed on developing the digital competence and the learning to learn competence. From partner experience it was clear that the older cohort of long-term unemployed are less likely to have good ICT skills which are essential in almost all employment today. Research carried out by the project team with long term unemployed, teachers and education centre managers indicated that the long term unemployed were aware that digital competency was an essential tool for re-entering the labour market alongside other key skills such as communications and study skills. Educators indicated that short concise sessions, flexible timing, practical activities, blended learning activities and short lesson plans for ‘quick wins’ that could be accessed through various media including mobile devices, iPad, tablet and the full range of Web 2.0. would be the most appropriate. A very comprehensive multi linguistic web platform was developed that serves a modern way of learning: self - regulating learning or/and blended learning. This website contains links to various resources for both learners and educators and addresses the 5 competencies identified; Learning to learn, Digital competence, Social and civic competence, Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship and Cultural awareness and expression. Presentations and information sessions were delivered to stakeholders and long term unemployed facilitating the use of this website.

"As a concept, workplace learning incorporates a diverse set of scenarios and practices some of which are more regulated and controlled than others. While apprenticeships are generally very structured programmes with clear learning milestones that can be measured and assessed other popular models like internships, job shadowing and service-learning voluntary work offer less in the degree of certainty that substantial learning outcomes are achieved. While it is widely accepted that workplaces provide strong learning environments because they offer real on-the-job experience that makes it easier for some students to acquire essential hard and soft skills, the quality of workplace learning can be somewhat unpredictable especially in the less regulated environments. The DIDO project aimed to offer a new and innovative contribution to the field of VET pedagogy that was not reflected in current initial teacher training or within the resources available for the continuous professional development of VET staff. Workplace learning is a powerful tool in VET for up-skilling existing employees and for enabling a two-way flow of information between potential employers and future employees. There are considerable benefits for employers and employees if the workplace learning environment is structured and appropriately resourced.The project responded to the communication ""A new impetus for cooperation in vocational education and training"" which stated that the continuing development of skills and competencies of teachers and trainers must be reviewed in light of their evolving roles. The key element of workplace learning that the DIDO project addressed was ensuring quality in workplace learning environments by improving the capacity of teachers, trainers, mentors and counselors to respond to the demands of training provided on the job. It was also a tool to support teachers to value learner diversity, support all learners, to work with others and to manage their own personal professional development. DIDO developed and piloted an innovative didactic approach that addressed the specific challenges of workplace learning for those working in the field. All partners in all partner countries engaged with these professionals, presented the project objectives and results and then completed the CPD curriculum. The project consortium consists of the following:•Ireland - Lead organisation – Louth & Meath Education and Training Board. A local statutory education and training authority •Austria – BEST InstitutAn independent Austrian organisation •Solvenia – KADIS D.O.O. LiublianaA private organization operating in the field of human resources•Romania – GRUPUL PENTRU EIROPEANA ASOCIATIEAn NGO whose mission is to contribute to EU integration process •Cyprus – INNOVADE LI LTDAn SME based in Cyprus, with a team of professionals with several years of experience •Italy – People Help The People A non-profit organization. It establishes relationships and projects within the EU•Switzerland – Swiss Federation For Adult LearningThe Swiss Federation of Adult Learning (SVEB) is the umbrella organization of adult education and lifelong learning in Switzerland and is a silent partner on this project.Five partner meetings were held. A project website, Facebook page,a logo and branding concept was devised. All the modules from the curriculum have been translated to the 6 languages and are now available on the project website http://www.didoproject.org/In total the curriculum has been completed by 72 teacher trainers mentors and counselors in Ireland, Cyprus, Romania, Italy, Slovenia and Austria. Local working groups were established in each partner country of 3 workplace trainers and 3 low skilled workers and the function of these groups was to ensure that the tools and resources developed were appropriate to each local partner setting. The project has held dissemination events in the 6 countries to over 300 stakeholders. The DIDO project developed an innovative didactic model for a new continuous professional development intervention in workplace learning. It adopted an ab initio approach to developing this new CPD resource that will help teachers, trainers, mentors and counselors address the needs of workers, low-skilled workers and workers in vulnerable employments. As targets and expectations for workplace learning are increasingly framed within overall lifelong learning objectives and policies of Member States the didactic model developed by DIDO will be relevant and applicable beyond the initial target group and indeed throughout the economy where up-skilling of the workforce is a prerequisite for competitiveness and inclusion. It is hoped that the positive reception the project has to date and the completion of the curriculum will continue."

Research findings in the area of science education show a number of problematic issues: i) negative attitudes, low self-efficacy and declining interest about science ; ii) low achievement in international surveys on science literacy in numerous EU countries; iii) inadequate and stereotypic conceptions about science and scientists and iv) gender, race, and socio-economic status differences. Strategic Objective 2 of “Education & Training 2020” states that greater attention needs to be paid to “making mathematics, science and technology more attractive,” and that more efforts should be made in order “to ensure high quality teaching, to provide adequate initial teacher education, continuous professional development for teachers and trainers” and “to strengthen science teaching.” The SciFUN purpose was to address the aforementioned problem. The project aimed to address the challenge of engagement in science through an innovative approach to science teaching, to make learning science Fun and Relevant to students’ contexts, to increase pupils’ motivation & achievement in science and to prepare European educators to better engage pupils in science education. The specific objectives were: 1) to provide educators with analytical information regarding acclaimed international and European best practices in science teaching & learning, integrating informal and authentic learning, outdoor activities, and collaboration with scientists; 2)to support educators in utilizing social media, mobile devices, comics, digital storytelling, multimedia and Web 2.0 technologies to engage students in science education; 3)to design sample cross-curricular teaching units enriched with digital tools that may function as models for building new teaching units; 4) to develop & disseminate the “Making Learning Science Fun” Toolkit and relevant resources to European educators.The partnership consisted of 7 organisations from RO, CY, GR, PL and IE. The coordinator UPIT (RO) is an efficient HE provider in the region; GIE (RO) is an educational materials developer; CARDET (CY) is the leading independent education research centre in Cyprus; UoP (GR) holds experience in ICT in education & inclusive education; INNOVADE (CY) has deep expertise in e-learning development, dissemination of results; ULO (PL) is a HE institution specialised in quality assurance; LMETB (IE) has international recognition for innovation in education. Together they had the expertise necessary to successfully implement the project.Main activities undertaken were: O1: developing Guidelines; performing desk & field research (by literature & curricula review, questionnaire, Focus Group) on state of art on Science Education in Europe; elaborating national and Transnational Reports O2: developing Guidelines; performing desk research on best practices for making learning science fun; elaborating national and Transnational ReportsO3: developing Guidelines; performing desk & field research (by literature review &Focus Group) regarding ideas for designing learning activities; elaborating national and Transnational ReportsO4: developing Guidelines; performing desk research (by review of relevant projects) for recommendations for utilising comics, mobile devices, digital storytelling & social media; elaborating national and Transnational ReportsO5: developing Guidelines; performing desk research (by curriculum mapping); desigining Sample Cross-Curricular Units; elaborating national and Transnational ReportsO6: compiling the aformentioned outcomes in a user centered design to compose the SciFUN Toolkit, revising it based on feedback from piloting, translating in partner languages & localising it, preparing the digital form for online deliveryO7: developing Guidelines; designing the Curriculum (3 modules) & training materials; piloting it (by 2 workshops); elaborating national and Transnational piloting reportsO8: creating, developing, maintaining the website & online platformO9: developing case studies based on pilotingWe also performed Management, QA, evaluation, dissemination, exploitation, sustainability activities which continued all over the project.Results & impact: increased awareness on teachers who became familiar with SciFUN outcomes, approaches, methods and activities; 54 well trained teachers through the piloting workshops and over 129784 stakeholders reached through questionnaires, Focus Groups, f2f meetings, Training Modules, multiplier events and various dissemination channels – social media, websites, articles in newspapers, scientific paper in international journals, etc.Longer-term benefits will be more obvious in the coming years through the larger SciFUN outcomes distribution. Meetings with teachers, pupils, teacher trainers and stakeholders will be achieved to share results and learn to use them in professional activities. The free access to SciFUN website & online platform will be another stimulus to help disseminating SciFUN Toolkit.