The main goal of the project is to create, within the framework of transnational cooperation, within 24 months of project implementation, a new methodology for teaching adults in the context of non-professional education and to create tools necessary to implement this methodology (course programs and educational platform), thereby creating paths for improvement skills and effective encouragement of adults from the target group to develop and improve digital and social competences.The target group of the project are adults over 30 who are low-skilled or low-qualified. The project will also affect organizations working for the above-mentioned persons, including those providing development services, labor market institutions, entities providing social care, non-governmental organizations, etc.Directly in the activities of the project will be involved min. 45 people from the target group (on average 10-20 people from the country of each partner) and min. 7 from the above organization (on average 2-3 organizations from the country of each partner).The project was developed jointly by the participating organizations, and its management and process of achieving results will be based on the cooperation of these organizations, which will lead, among others, to down: - development of a new methodology for teaching people over 30 in the context of adult education- development of three detailed course programs - development and launch of an education platform.The results generated within the framework of the project will be disseminated free of charge, under an open license. The project will affect many levels, including at the organizational (partner organization), local, regional and European level.

Migrant youths are at risk of low employability potential due to local prejudice, linguistic barriers, cultural differences and lack of recognition of their skills/ experience/ qualifications from back home. Our project will reverse these trends by creating resources for youth workers to help migrant youths utilise social media for personal branding: presenting themselves in a professional manner to potential employers, creating videos of them describing their competences (to add to their CVs) using Google Tools present on their smart phones (Google Docs, etc) which can help them enhance their employability. Google Docs and Drive can help them keep their CV updated, rather than depending on others to draft one for them. Including a URL to a YouTube video of themselves, migrant youths can help overcome potential stigmas and stereotypes before having an interview, by being able to present themselves and their linguistic skills through video. Youth Workers need to be equipped to promote migrant youths' employability since this is one of the ways to promote their overall social inclusion and integration in society. PROJECT OBJECTIVES •Equipping at least 12 youth workers with competences & resources to promote migrant youth employability •Enabling 80 migrant youths to use social media and mobile apps to enhance their own employability through personal branding •Promoting migrant youths' social inclusion In order to manage and Implement UpGrad_Me, we will conduct various activities in Malta, Spain and Italy, roping in at least 9 youth workers to train 80 migrant youths by the time the project is concluded. Youth workers will help us to pilot the training course and manual during the project. The training course and manual developed will be piloted with the support of youth workers who regularly work with migrant youths, but who were not directly involved in developing the training course. Below are the project activities in chronological order: -1st Transnational Project Meeting kick-off meeting in Malta with the partners -Needs analysis conducted with local associated partners and stakeholders -Developing the training course and manual Cooperation among all partner organisations -Piloting of the training course and manual This will be done with groups of youth workers and migrant youths youth workers delivering training and migrant youths receiving it. A total of 15 hours of training by each partner organisations, to 80 youths collectively. These will be spread over 5 days of 3 hours per day (the specific dates and format will be flexible, and personalized in order to meet particular request from participants) -Evaluation of the effectiveness of training course and manual Questionnaires handed to youth workers and migrants who participated in the training course piloting, as well as focus groups in each country with potential employers from different labour market sectors for feedback and input -2nd transnational meeting Held in Spain to discuss feedback of participants, including feedback from the focus groups and feedback about project management from all the partners. -Local dissemination activities in each country Held with associate partners and stakeholders to promote the training course and manual, Erasmus+ funding, how to use the resources developed and encouraging them to make use of the resources developed through the project. -Conclusion of project Final project evaluation and submission of final report to EUPA.(National Agency) Impact: The training course and manual will be developed to be used by youth workers to teach 80 migrant youths the potential of their smartphone (20 in Malta, 20 in Italy and 40 in Spain). At least 12 youth workers will help us to pilot the training course and give us their feedback. At least 60 more will be reached through the local multiplier activities in each country and dozens more will be reached indirectly through the project dissemination plan. Youth workers will have resources at their fingertips to promote the employability of migrant youths in a fun and innovative way. Personal branding is also a relatively new approach to enhancing employability, since it empowers individuals to take charge of their situation and work to improve it. Through personal branding, we will be including migrant youths of working age (18-30) who might be at a disadvantage to find work. We will help them gain necessary skills to be independently able to apply to as many job vacancies as possible; sending a CV from their email and exercising themselves in the creation of a YouTube CV, which will open them to an active mock interview where they will learn to sell themselves in 10 to 30 seconds to a potential employer. We will do so by introducing them to the very useful, available and free functionalities of their mobile phones. Mobile phones are proven to reduce the need for physical travel, they ease access to information about job openings and give access to potential employers.

The A PART OF EU 2.0 project focuses on one of the EU's greatest challenges for the future: achieving the integration of migrant and minority youth (MMY) into society through their participation. As the proportion of migrant and/or minority youth in Europe has increased, the problems and difficulties in terms of their participation have also become more complex, with high barriers to their effective participation.OBJECTIVESA PART OF EU 2.0 aims to promote the participation of migrant and minority youth in EU society through:•Providing professionals with innovative methods to encourage the participation of MMY in 5 areas (social and political participation, participation through volunteering and associations, sport and culture, training and access to employment and through the family).•Increasing the social, civic and digital competences of the MMY through training for participation.•Providing tools to professionals from social organizations, public administrations and the private sector to create structures, procedures and synergies to improve MMY participation.•Offering practical solutions and policy recommendations to institutions, civil society and the local, regional, national and European private sector, in order to improve MMY participation.The target groups of A PART OF EU 2.0 will be:•Professionals working with migrant and minority youth (youth workers, social workers, trainers, mentors, counsellors, mediators, counsellors, etc.)•Migrant and Minority Youth (MYMY): migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers and minorities aged 16 to 30•Professionals from local, regional, national and European public administrations working in the fields of social inclusion (social services, employment, etc.).•Private sector professionals•Local, regional, national and European policy-makersMore than 2,790 people will benefit from this projectAPOFEU 2.0 uses an innovative methodological approach, which analyzes the different areas of participation related to each other and whose relationship influences the level of social inclusion of young immigrants. The 5 areas of participation are1.Political and social participation2.Participation through associationism and volunteering3.Participation through training and access to employment4.Participation through culture and sport5.Participation through the familyOUTPUTS1.The European Training and Participation Platform for migrant and minority youth and professionals will make available a training platform for the MMY with MOOC courses in the 5 dimensions of participation, to improve their social, civic and digital skills, and a participation space for these groups, as well as a learning area for professionals.2.The Innovative Intervention Tools Manual is aimed at professionals who work with MMY to improve their skills, so that they can carry out an integral and transversal intervention with MMY and promote the participation of MMY in the 5 areas of participation. The Manual will be composed of 7 intervention zones, conceived as learning modules.3.The APOFEU 2.0 Guide, with innovative methods and tools to promote synergies and cooperation between social organizations, public administrations and private sector to promote MMY participation, addressing the need to involve and engage these 3 and the means to do so.4.The APOFEU 2.0 Policy Recommendations report will enable policy makers and decision-makers at all levels to develop policy changes with regard to MMY participation and social inclusion, responding to several of the major current policy issues across the EU.The overall medium and long term impacts that APOFEU 2.0 wants to achieve are:-To produce a positive impact on the pedagogy for MMY thanks to the products developed in the project.-To make the difference in the daily work of the professionals that with MMY.-To have an impact on the political agenda, as well as on the direct political changes to improve the social inclusion and participation of the MMY.-To cause tangible effects on MMY, by improving their qualifications to have more options to improve their civic engagement-To contribute to generate social impacts, providing an innovative way to improve the social participation of the MMY in the EU and in the countries of the consortium.-To provide an innovative Platform and educational resources that will be a reference in the EU in the field of social participation and inclusion.The consortium is led by SSF (Spain), with UCBR (Italy), IASIS (Greece) and Guaraní (Spain).

Youth unemployment is one of the most important problems that have been facing European countries in recent years. While the general unemployment rate is 13,6% in Spain, 3,3% in Malta, 9,7% in Italy and 5,8% in Cyprus, youth unemployment rate is 30,9%, 10%, 29,6% and 15,2, respectively. At the European level, general unemployment in EU27 is 6,5%, while youth unemployment rises until 15%. (Data: February 2020, Eurostat).The situation is especially hard for young Migrants, Newcomers, Asylum seekers and Refugees. According to Eurostat, the youth unemployment rate for people that were born outside the European Union is always higher than people born in the EU. In 2018, the EU-28 youth unemployment rate for the native-born population was 14.6%, while the rates for foreign-born persons were higher: 23.5 % for those born outside the EU). In this context, UpGrad_Me 2.0 project pursues the following general objective:improve the employability of migrant youth, newcomers, asylum seekers and refugees at the European Union, through the promotion of labour orientation and career counselling, by using Video Games and gamification methodologies.To achieve this objective, the project will work with the following target groups:1. Young Migrants, Newcomers, Asylum seekers and Refugees from 16 to 30 years old (young MNAR)2. Professionals dealing with young Migrants, Newcomers, Asylum seekers in the career guidance and labour orientation field (career counsellors, educational advisors, youth workers, job counsellors and other related staff).The consortium of the UpGrad_Me 2.0 project is formed by four partner organizations from Malta (AMAM), Spain (SSF), Italy (Arciragazzi) and Cyprus (CARDET). These organizations work daily with young MNAR in different projects, providing labour orientation and career counselling as well as promoting their empowerment and supporting and upskilling them with different programs, some of them related with digital technologies. Partner organizations will actively involve their staff professionals and beneficiary target groups in the project.It is planned that the project will involve a total of 200 young MNAR and over 128 professionals in total, in its different activities. Also, we aim to reach at least 400 stakeholders and 18 associated partners among them. The estimated number of people reached through the multiplier events is 170 and through the various dissemination activities implemented is 1.000.To achieve its objectives, the partnership will develop the following intellectual outputs:IO1: UpGrad_Me 2.0 Research. Research will take place in order to discover the different skills and competencies associated with professional families, based on the European NACE system. The final aim is to elaborate a unified classification of professional families and the skills and competencies associated with them, to have a simplified structure that can improve career and job counselling by professionals and be easily understood by young MNAR.IO2: UpGrad_Me 2.0 Gamification Experience. The UpGrad_Me 2.0 Gamification Experience will be an online “Escape Room”. The contents will be created with the results of the Research (IO1). This Output will allow young MNAR to deeper know their different skills and competences, identifying possible vocations and professionals fields of interest. It will be directly accessed on smart-phones and other mobile devices, significantly increasing the chances of making a lasting impact on the target group and fostering self-awareness of own skills, competences and job preferences, and autonomy.IO3: UpGrad_Me 2.0 Career Guidance Handbook. Partners will develop a compilation of good practices and innovative methodologies about employability using gamification techniques. It will enable a holistic and transversal intervention of professionals with young MNAR improving their employability.The methodology addresses the needs of participants and introduces an innovative approach, the promotion of labour orientation and career counselling by using Video Games and gamification methodologies, that can be useful to avoid lack of motivation and encourage autonomy in the active search of employment in the labour market.The project expected to achieve different results:- Provide an unite analysis of the different professional families and the associated competencesand skills.- Improve career and labour guidance by professionals dealing with young MNAR- Increase of self-knowledge and self-awareness of the own skills and competencies of young MNAR- Promote empowerment, participation and exchange of experiences of young MNAR and professionals.The dissemination and exploitation activities and multiplier events will ensure that the project is promoted and socialize with relevant stakeholders and professionals, in order to point out the importance of keeping working to promote social inclusion of young MNAR and promoting quality and innovation of youth work

"<< Background >>The PLAYEM project focuses on one of the biggest challenges in relation to the effective inclusion and employability of young migrants, minorities, refugees and asylum seekers in Europe: how to achieve an effective, innovative and attractive intervention to promote their access to a job. Youth unemployment rates are significantly higher than overall unemployment rates in the European Union. While the unemployment rate in countries such as Spain, Italy or Cyprus is 16%, 9% and 6.8%; the youth unemployment rate amounts to 39.9%, 29.7% and 20.1%; respectively (Eurostat, 2021). Moreover, employment rates for young people aged 16-24 are significantly lower for those born outside the EU than for those born in the EU (Eurostat, 2020). The PLAYEM project aims to strengthen the employability of young people, foster their social inclusion and increase the quality, innovation and recognition of youth work.In this sense, the project will meet the needs of the target groups in two different ways:1. Through the Project Results.At the end of the project, 3 main Outcomes will be developed, to support the achievement of the project objectives through youth participation.The IR are key elements in the project and will help to achieve the expected results, based on innovative tools adapted to the real needs of the beneficiary populations. These will be the PLAYEM Platform (IR1), the PLAYEM Innovative Model (R2) and the PLAYEM Gamified Experience (R3); which together will offer a series of resources to JMMR and youth professionals, to promote the employability of migrant youth, minorities or refugees through the use of Information and Communication Technologies. In this way, through the AREA FOR PROFESSIONALS, youth professionals will learn about new methodologies and good practices to promote the employability of the users with whom they work and, also, they will be aware of the PLAYEM Platform: an innovative resource that JMMR will be able to access. Young migrants, refugees and minorities will also benefit from these Intellectual Outcomes, as they will be able to access the YOUTH AREA of the PLAYEM Platform, which will include: Training Area (MOOC to improve transversal competences and PLAYEM Gamified Experience to improve competences and skills oriented to access the labour market; RI2 and RI3, respectively), Employment Area and Experience Area.2. By promoting the participation of young people:The participation of the young JMMR population will be one of the main actors of the project, evaluating and supporting in the design of the different Outcomes. The aim is to prevent the target populations from being ""passive beneficiaries"", favouring an active role during the creation and development of Results. JMMR and professionals will be directly involved in the development of the Intellectual Outcomes. Thanks to this participation they will have the opportunity to assess the project's Results, offering their comments and opinions on them. This will be a direct way to favour their participation, social inclusion and autonomy.Furthermore, the participation of the different stakeholders involved in the project will be encouraged through the creation of a Stakeholders Committee (SC) for each partner organisation. It should be noted that the stakeholder committees will also be formed by the young people. The SC will oversee the evaluation of the draft handbook and campaign materials in order to propose improvements and share different points of view.<< Objectives >>The general objective of the PLAYEM project is to promote the employability of young migrants, minorities, asylum seekers and refugees (JMMR) through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In order to achieve this objective, the following specific objectives are proposed:- S.O.1. To improve the personal branding of JMMR for access to jobs, through audiovisual and interactive material.- S.O.2. To favour innovative tools and methodologies for professionals working to promote the employability of JMSR.- S.O.3. To develop the competences, skills and knowledge of JMMR for access to the labour market.- S.O.4. To improve the social skills of JMMR through the use of audiovisual and interactive material.- S.O.5. To promote the autonomy of JMMR during the Active Job Search process.- S.O.6. To reinforce the feeling of European citizenship, especially among JMMR.- S.O.7. To strengthen the contact networks among the young population through virtual spaces oriented to the promotion of employability.- S.O.8. To strengthen networking and communication between youth workers, local authorities, enterprises and third sector entities.<< Implementation >>- Project results (R). Fundamental elements that will help to achieve the objectives, based on innovative tools adapted to the real needs of the beneficiaries. They are: the PLAYEM Platform (R1), the PLAYEM Innovative Model (R2) and the PLAYEM Gamified Experience (R3); which together will offer resources to JMMR and youth professionals, to promote the employability of migrant youth, minorities or refugees through the use of New Information and Communication Technologies. In this way, through the AREA FOR PROFESSIONALS, youth professionals will learn about new methodologies and good practices to promote the employability of the people they work with, and they will also learn about the PLAYEM Platform: an innovative resource that JMMR will be able to access. The JMMRs will also benefit, as they will be able to access the YOUTH AREA of the PLAYEM Platform, which will include: Training Area (MOOC to improve transversal competences and PLAYEM Gamified Experience to improve competences and skills oriented to access the labour market; RI2 and RI3, respectively), Employment Area and Experience Area.- Learning, Teaching and Training Activity (AAEF). This group training event plays a key role during the development of PLAYEM. Two professionals from each partner organisation will be trained to develop their skills, competences and knowledge related to Outcomes 1, 2 and 3. They will then train 10 professionals in the Innovation and Social Inclusion Labs in their respective countries.- Innovation and Social Inclusion Labs. These are designed to pilot the different Outcomes at national level. Two professionals from each entity will train at least 10 professionals in each country member of the consortium on the contents of the project. Subsequently, these 10 will train JMMR: 5 for each professional. This implies that a total of 150 young migrants, refugees or minorities will receive training related to the contents of the project, which will ensure the transferability of contents, their improvement and adaptation to the needs and realities of the beneficiary population.- Multiplier Events and Final Conference of the project. These will increase the number of recipients and indirect beneficiaries of the project, facilitating its knowledge and dissemination at regional, national and European level. During these events, the different Results will be presented and their potential will be communicated.- PLAYEM management. The different administrative management tools will also favour the improvement of the internal processes of the partner entities. On the other hand, the Stakeholders Committee will play a key role in sharing the most relevant PLAYEM Results with the beneficiaries and other stakeholders, to know their opinions and assessments. It will favour the ownership of the project and its transferability.- Quality and Evaluation Plan (QEP) will be the main management instrument to guarantee the achievement of the Results, through constant monitoring, as well as foreseeing the different measures to ensure the continuous improvement of the project.- Dissemination and Exploitation Plan of the project. The Dissemination Plan (during the execution of the PLAYEM project) and the Exploitation Plan (after the end of the project), will be instruments that will aim to disseminate the findings, milestones and results of the project at local, regional, national and international level; in order to raise awareness and interest in the main topic of the project, and making it easier for the target populations to know the PLAYEM Results.- Sustainability Plan. Together with the Exploitation Plan, this will allow the Results to continue to be available and transferred to key stakeholders after PLAYEM has ended.<< Results >>PLAYEM aims to achieve the following results in order to achieve its objectives:1. PROJECT RESULTS. Together with the training activities, and the Multiplier Events, they will help to achieve the objectives:- PLAYEM Platform for Learning, Training and Participation for Migrant Youth, Minorities and Refugees and Professionals. It will facilitate a virtual space for both groups, which will contain, on the one hand, an ""Area for Professionals"", with good practices and a Guide of recommendations for job orientation. On the other hand, the platform will contain an ""Area for Young People"" which will include a ""Contact Area"", ""Employment Area"" and ""Training Area"" (R2 and R3).- PLAYEM Interactive Model for Social and Labour Inclusion: Innovative Tools for Young Migrants, Minorities and Refugees. Through this Interactive Course, JMMR will be able to receive training to improve their social skills, personal branding and transversal competences. This course will be available online and thanks to it, participants will receive training in five core modules.- PLAYEM Gamified Experience for Work Skills and Competences. JMMR will receive an online training to improve their employment-oriented competences, skills and knowledge: training to favour their access to the labour market as well as to optimise the selection processes.All Outcomes will be available on the Platform (R1) and will facilitate transferable learning for both JMMR and professionals. Another expected outcome is the realisation of a joint training of the professionals involved in PLAYEM, as a Learning, Teaching and Training Activity, which will then be piloted by youth professionals and JMMR. Multiplier Events will favour the dissemination of the Results at European and national level. 2. CAPACITIES, SKILLS AND COMPETENCES OF JMMR AND YOUTH WORKERS.The subsequent application of PLAYEM Results will strengthen competences and capacities both internally (professionals of the entities) and externally (stakeholders and non-formal partners). JMMR will be provided with resources and training that will support:-Contact between JMMR, exchange of work experiences and carrying out labour market consultations (R1).-Job offers (entities, companies or public administrations) (R1).-Social skills and assertive communication for the access to the labour market (development of transversal competences) (R2)-Skills, competences and knowledge oriented to facilitate access to a job (R3).In addition, youth workers will benefit from the availability of training resources that will favour:-Knowledge of innovative methodologies on career guidance through ICTs (R1)-Skills, competences and knowledge to mentor JMM in social skills and assertive communication (R2)-Skills, competences and knowledge to guide JMM in their access to a job (R3).3. MANAGEMENT PROCESS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT.The management tools, together with the development of innovative contents, will have an impact on the improvement of the partners' capacities to carry out their daily activities. The Risk Plan and the Quality and Evaluation Plan (QEP) will favour the creation of quality, useful and transferable results. Meetings, events, newsletters, press releases and the Platform will foster the consortium's communication, dissemination and sustainability.4. SOCIAL OUTCOMES. Improved employability of JMMR will be favoured, as well as their rapid social inclusion. The expected results are aligned with the main European policies, in terms of:- Fostering the integration and inclusion of JMMR.- Promoting equity, participation and social cohesion.- Use of ICT for the empowerment of JMMR.- Training of professionals working with JMMR"