The central idea of the project is to implement and promote the framework of Social Solidarity Economy (SSE) in Vocational and Educational Training (VET), while the vision is a comprehensive training and professional development of younger generations, which integrates alternative socio-economic models in their framework of ideas and attitudes.Although a lot of work has been done on the positive social effects of SSE, less attention has been paid on the positive effect that SSE has on employability, when today, the SSE sector provides paid employment to 6.3% of the working population in the EU-28, compared to 6.5% in 2012. Furthermore, the project understands VET and especially CVET as a tool for social change: VET could prepare students for a broad occupation within loosely defined vocational streams rather than workplace tasks and roles associated with particular jobs. In this sense the project has a threefold scope and related objectives: - First, to make SSE a visible and familiar concept to the labour market with regard to social inclusion, employability and sustainability while introducing elements of competence profile of SSE VET -Trainer.- Second, to provide VET trainers with innovative teaching methods and tools by implementing alternative pedagogical experience (SSE in training). - Third, to empower trainers and therefore trainees with new approaches, skills and competencies coming from SSE in their attempt to enter the labour marketThis approach and challenges should not be addressed locally or even nationally but at a European level (and if possible, taking into account an international approach). In this framework, the different Cultural backgrounds (essential in SSE), national frameworks for Qualification (essential for VET) are brought together and work as a synergetic field.The direct target groups of the project are:- Local and national VET providers; trainers; mentors;- Career Opportunity Advisors;- Policy and decision-makers and in particular the statutory bodies responsible for the development and implementation of the European/National Qualifications FrameworkIndirect target groups:- Tertiary education Graduates as part of “Young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEETs)”. - Young graduates of secondary vocational/general education level (age 18-30).- Local, national and European SSE organisations.Therefore, the expected results of the project and on its completion are: - A VET Trainers’ Guide on SSE (skills, competences, knowledge, learning outcomes). It will introduce the SSE occupational area in VET system and particularly manual needed to trainers. - A common package of VET training modules on SSE. The modules will offer increased knowledge and innovative methodologies for VET providers to deliver more innovative curricula; provide improved knowledge on SSE for VET trainers, as well as a multicultural experience. - Pilot Testing of the material among VET trainers in every partners’ country and in one international training activity.- Advocacy for the inclusion of VET training modules in VET curricula at European and national levels. In this sense, the partnership will: develop and mainstream concrete joint strategies for SSE organisations to advocate for VET curricula innovation.

This project aimed to affirm the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) in Europe, specifically through VET trainers’ curricula innovation. Its inspiring vision is a comprehensive training and professional development of VET trainers, which integrates innovative competences and skills models in their professional framework. Currently, SSE is mostly inexistent in VET curricula in most European countries (see Mapping of opportunities and constraints for affirming SSE in IVET Curricula (O1.), SSE-IVE: affirming SEE through IVET curricula innovation). At the same time SSE is a promising but still largely unexplored subject of action, transformative attitudes, research and policy, and its potential is largely unknown, to most people, professionals such as VET trainers and therefore to the future generation of citizens, students and/ or trainees. The project aimed to build capacity of VET teachers and trainers to introduce and approach SSE in study programmes. This second edition off SSEE.VET enhanced the contribution to a more complete and inclusive training and professional development of new generations, integrating alternative socio-economic models with innovative competences and skills that SSE promotes. Given this context, the specific objectives of the project were set and accomplised: - To map of VET trainers competences in SSE and existing training programs, focusing on the need to develop a competence profile for SSE in different disciplines of VET studies; - To design a training course for trainers, including a training programme (objectives, learning outcomes, contents, methods, duration, etc.), list of pedagogical resources, list of study cases/good practices/inspiring examples and a e-learning platform, starting from the mapping (O1.) - To advocate for the inclusion of training in SSE for VET trainers, through national and european Action Plans to advocate for the inclusion of training course in SSE for VET trainers; - To raise awareness and to disseminate the project through multimedia tools reaching not only trainers and trainees but networks and general public at national and European levels. Following these objectives, the project developed in a sequential logic structure based on a three steps approach: Step 1 | Strategic assessment – The first step focused on data collection and stakeholders’ identification at national and European level. It was linked with the first project specific objective, which was to assess and analyse the national and European scenarios concerning VET trainers’ SSE competences and existing training programs in the same field. This step provided a solid foundation for steps 2 and 3, in terms of increased knowledge based on comparative data and harmonization of concepts and terminology, crucial to effectively work at European level. – Related outputs: O1. Mapping of trainers’ competences and existing SSE training programs – Related events: National workshops to disseminate O1. (E1. – E6.) STEP 2 | Trainers’ curricula innovation – The second step builded on the first one and was focused on a collaborative process to develop one training course which is relevant and meaningful both at national and European level. It was linked with the second project specific objective, which is to design a training in action course for strengthening skills of VET trainers. – Related outputs: O2. training in action course – Related training activities: C1-C17 – Related events: National workshops to disseminate O2. (E7. – E18.) STEP 3 | Advocacy – The third step was focused on amplifying the dissemination and exploitation of the mapping and the training course developed in previous steps – looking for the sustainability of project outcomes also beyond the lifetime of this project. It iwas linked with the third and most comprehensive objective of the project, which is to advocate for the inclusion of training in SSE for VET trainers. – Related outputs: Action Plan O3 and O4. Multimedia tools – Related events: International Final Seminar (E19) In this sense, the project completed four IO and an extra IO with a compilation of the SSEVET2 project for all interested stakeholders. Additionally, we implemented 19 multiplier events (18 national events and 1 European event) with a total of 184 participants; and 12 training activities (10 national training activities and 2 European training activities) with 103 participants. The participants are from different target-groups, such as local, national and European VET providers, local, national and European SSE organisations, local and national VET trainers and policy and decision-makers at national and European levels.Aligning with the values and principles of the Social and Solidarity Economy, the project methodology was democratic and participatory.

"<< Background >>Next generations have a key role to play in the creation of a more sustainable, equitable and fair future. At the same time, the youngsters are suffering from diverse constraints due to previous crises that have been increasing in consequence of the pandemic, and are already claiming for changes on public policies, practices and everyday choices of human beings. However, the needed paradigm change requires the change of consciousness, a new work mind-set and skills development. This is why a project designed by and for young people with the objective of providing them with the means and spaces to empower them, is fundamental.This project arises from the hand of a group of young people from different organisations that began to meet in September 2020 after the General Assembly of RIPESS, which established the need and desire to build a joint project by and for young people under the main idea that “Young people lack Social Solidarity Economy, and above all, that Social Solidarity Economy lacks young people”. We firmly believe that the new generations have a key role to play in building the future, and we claim that the majority of young people feel interested by the principles of the SSE and that they want their actions to have a positive impact on the community and the environment.In order to choose the theme of the project and its objectives, the group decided that it would have to be done jointly, by consensus and listening to the concerns of the young population in general. In this way, from the beginning, we rejected the idea of formulating a project based on the particular interests of our organisations, since the aim is not to ""assist"" young people in a paternalistic way, but to make them an active part of the whole process. That is why, on January 27, 2021, in the framework of the World Social Forum, we presented the activity: ""Setting the trends in activism for the economic transition"". The activity was an open assembly, a space to explore, advocate and lobby for an economic transition. Listening to the majority of the group, we understood that one of the needs of the young people was to learn more about Ethical Finance and local currencies so that savings and money flows would be related to social projects and not to speculation. But above all, through this event it became clear that a paradigm change is needed and that young people have a lot to contribute and need to be heard.In this sense, our proposal will fundamentally contribute to the achievement of priorities such as promoting active citizenship, recognition of youth work and initiatives and will advocate to provide young people with the necessary tools to empower themselves and build fairer and more egalitarian societies.<< Objectives >>This project aims, on the one hand, to promote ethical and solidarity finances, especially in the European Mediterranean region, to raise awareness among young people of the importance of keeping their savings in entities that invest in social and environmental projects rather than in armaments or a speculative economy and to promote active advocacy actions leb by youngsters. All this will lead to achieving the main objective of this project: to have a group of empowered young people. In other words, Ethical Finance is understood as a way to empower other people and to empower ourselves and our communities.Thus, a kind of bridge will be created between youth activism and Ethical Finance, leveling up youth socio-political (advocating for a finance benefiting communities) and socio-economic (beyond conscious consumption, making a difference with savings) empowerment.The project’s goal is to raise awareness among youngsters in European countries about Ethical Finance and foster ties between groups of young people who want to invest and participate in social projects.The specific objectives are:- To increase active citizenship and young people’s sense of initiative.- To increase the level of knowledge on Ethical Finance within the young people.- To increase the engagement of young people, in local, regional and international advocacy activities.- To increase the use of non-formal education methods and promote open digital tools.The project will empower and connect young people who want to have their say and take action in the realm of Economic Justice. This first youth unit is meant to be the core of the Youth Solidarity Economy Network, a permanent youth informal group promoting activism in Ethical Finance, sharing knowledge and practices, as well as co-creating opportunities to take action.This project was designed by young people and will be led by young people.<< Implementation >>Following the project proposal as well as regarding the objectives settled, the project develops:1) Project Results: Taking into account the reflections derived from the open activity held at the World Social Forum, we understood the need for concrete and well-structured information materials on Ethical Finance for youngsters. All this in link with the main idea that young people could be an active participant and voice in social change through solidarity, fair and ethical resources and practices regarding monetary issues. In such a way, the partnership proposed to develop a training program aimed at young people who want to learn more about Ethical and Solidarity Finance and who are interested in organising themselves for activism and transformation. This training program will be made freely available to individuals, but also to youth-led organisations and organisations working in the field of youth that want to take advantage of the training program in their work with young people.2) Learning and Training activities: Training is a strong tool to involve and to access information and knowledge as we can see by the successful implementation in previous European projects. For that, we implement a pilot training to test and validate the contents and the structure of the Training in Action on Ethical Finance (PR1), involving 15 young people from the partners’ countries and invited guests from the local community, in order to provide the participants with local initiatives, being in that sense a training-in-action activity. The idea is to have an opportunity to come into contact with a rich reality on Ethical Finance, that is why we choose Barcelona as the city to implement the pilot training.3) National multiplier events (Open-Days) and European Seminar in order to disseminate the PR1. We will organise different events that will mobilise relevant national stakeholders such as SSE organisations, Ethical Finance stakeholders and institutions, young people, youth-led organisations, umbrella organisations/networks, policy/decision makers.<< Results >>The project foresees outcomes and outputs.About the outputs, the PR - Training-in-Action on Ethical Finance and International Youth-led Campaign - to be created, piloted and implemented during the project will constitute free access tools to enhance the outcomes presented below and will be used by young people, activists, youth-led organisations and organisations working in the field of youth during the project and after its completion. The outcomes during the project are as follows:- Increased sense of active citizenship among young people.- Increased sense of initiative within young people.- Increased knowledge of Ethical Finance within the young people.- Increased engagement of young people, in local, regional and international advocacy activities.- Increased use of non-formal education methods by young people, activists, youth-led organisations and organisations working in the field of youth. Additional outcomes will be:- Enhanced opportunities for collaborative work in future projects;- Enhanced advocacy skills;- Increased involvement in European networks;- Enhanced linkages between Ethical Finance organisations and young people;- Increased visibility of Ethical Finance action and role on social change;- Increased connection with local realities by young people;- Increased awareness of Ethical Finance as a response to contemporary development challenges. The project’s outcomes on its completion are as follows:- Young people, activists, youth-led organisations and organisations working in the field of youth will realize the utility of the tools created in the project (PR) and adopt the methodologies piloted in their activities.- Daily practices from young people, activists, youth-led organisations and organisations working in the field of youth will be more aligned with alternative and more sustainable economic cycles.- Youth stakeholders will implement future practices aligned with alternative economic cycles. As transversal results we can also point out the following:- Increased knowledge and experience of the staff involved in the project (specifically in terms of Ethical Finance and youth activism, and more generally in terms of communicating in different languages and with people from different cultural environments);- Enhanced cooperation at national and European levels;- Enhanced Erasmus+ visibility and projection among national and European stakeholders as a relevant funding partner for European cooperation."