<< Background >>A consequence of the growth of the world’s economy and its population is an increased global demand and rise in resource consumption: Our way of using things and throwing them away is an unsustainable and a waste of resources. Indeed, we need new, creative solutions for a sustainable future and it requires a circular way of thinking as to how we make our products and how we act as consumers.Recycling rates of municipal and packaging waste; and waste of electrical and electronic equipment are increasing in Europe, indicating a move towards using waste as a resource and creating a more circular economy (https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/waste-recycling-1/assessment-1 ). Recycling and upcycling have become a common undertaking at all levels of society in Europe. This creates new sustainable jobs for European citizens. The issue of environment and climate change is being addressed globally, as countries try to mitigate the effects of decades of waste and wanton disregard for the environment. The European Green Deal (EGD) aims transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society where there are no net emissions of carbon gases by 2050, and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The transition needs to be just and inclusive, as it will demand a joint effort to reach complete carbon neutrality. While addressing environmental issues, the EGD has people at the heart of the strategy. However, we tend to forget the human face when talking about environmental issues. The disadvantaged groups, in particular, are not being given enough focus: how can they contribute while having a good quality of life? For one, the employment gap between persons with and without disabilities remains high: A large number of persons with disabilities have a lower employment rate, are disproportionately affected by unemployment, and leave labor markets earlier. This is critical, as employment participation is important to ensure economic autonomy and social inclusion of persons with disabilities (https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=8376&furtherPubs=yes).Research shows a neglect of initiatives equipping disadvantaged groups with competencies to get a job within recycling/upcycling. NGOs working with vulnerable groups need to professionalize the teaching of such skills, enabling them to become an active part of the labor market and to earn a decent living. By enhancing the competencies of VET-trainers and volunteers who teach recycling/upcycling, this project will equip disadvantaged groups with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to thrive in an evolving labor market with emerging green business opportunities. The disadvantaged groups will not just receive training but also improve their employability and gain better access to the job market.The project has two target groups: the primary target group: teachers and volunteers (seniors, retired teachers, professional craftsmen) that teach practical craft skills used for repairing, renovating, and restoring secondhand items to citizens; secondary target group: disadvantaged groups - people with learning disabilities and mentally vulnerable, unemployed people on the periphery of the labor market.By developing a curriculum and a training program (PR1), TRAIN-SUSTAIN addresses the need for professionalizing trainers of disadvantaged VET-students in the field of recycling/upcycling furniture, appliances, clothes, etc. The training program will focus on qualifying the social and technical competencies of teachers and volunteers.in addition, the project will produce a handbook for future VET-trainers and a compendium of good practices on socio-economic business models to serve as inspiration to the partnership and eventually to organisations across Europe.<< Objectives >>General objectives:•to enable VET-institutions and NGOs improve the competences of their trainers and volunteers to become more qualified for teaching the disadvantaged target groups - unemployed, mentally vulnerable, people with learning disabilities, migrants etc. – in upcycling, recycling and/or repair of furniture, appliances, clothes, etc.•to ensure that the disadvantaged groups get the training and support that is required for them to handle a job within the aforementioned areas, thus enhancing their employability.•To promote social inclusion by providing disadvantaged groups with professional training as well as ensuring that they are ready for the job market. •To contribute to the realization of the European Green Deal by promoting sustainable use of used materials through recycling/upcycling. Specific objectives: •To professionalize the teaching of recycling/upcycling of goods •To help enhance the skills of disadvantaged groups in recycling/upcycling of goods for commercial enterprises •to develop a curriculum for trainers of disadvantaged groups•to develop a handbook for future VET-teachers and volunteer trainers•to develop a compendium of good practices on different socio-economic business models within the field of repair/recycling/upcycling•to engage 88 trainers in professionalizing the teaching of repair/recycling/upcycling of furniture, clothes, appliances. •To train at least 120 disadvantaged VET-students in recycling/upcycling goods that could give them employment•To promote the project through a website and the production of recycled material<< Implementation >>The activities of the project and the responsible organisations are: 1) TRAIN-SUSTAIN Curriculum for VET-teachers and Volunteer Trainers working with Disadvantaged Groups (See PR1)Activity leading organisation: FO-Aarhus (responsible for part 1) and Lousada (responsible for part 2) Participating partners: All partners2) TRAIN-SUSTAIN Handbook on How to Teach the Curriculum to Future VET-teachers and Volunteer trainers (See PR2)Activity leading organisation: SpainParticipating partners: All partners3) Compendium of Best Practices (See PR3)Activity leading organisation: CyprusParticipating partners: All partners4) International Teacher Training CourseActivity leading organisation: SpainParticipating partners: All partners5) Local Teacher Training EventsActivity leading organisation: All partnersParticipating partners: All partners6) Local Multiplier Events Activity leading organisation: ALL PARTNERSParticipating partners: All partners7) A Final Conference Activity leading organisation: PortugalParticipating partners: All partners<< Results >>PR1: TRAIN-SUSTAIN Curriculum for VET-teachers and Volunteer Trainers working with Disadvantaged Groups (WP leader: Denmark and Portugal)The project will develop a curriculum for VET-teachers and volunteer trainers who teach repair/recycling/upcycling of furniture, clothes, appliances etc. to disadvantaged citizens. PR2:TRAIN-SUSTAIN Handbook on How to Teach the Curriculum to Future VET-teachers and Volunteer trainers (WP leader: Spain)A Handbook will be designed to provide future VET-teachers with tools to successfully implement and facilitate trainings on the aforementioned topic. PR3: Compendium of Best practices (WP leader: Cyprus)Partners will identify and select a set of good practices i.e. successful socio-economic business models which involve and engage disadvantaged citizens in the recycling/upcycling of different material. The selected practices will be composed in a Compendium of Best practices.Additionally, the project will develop the following:1) Project Management Report - which will include all guidelines as well as the Minutes for each meeting; 1 report2) Quality Assurance Plan - which will include the evaluation of the project on a continuous basis, to ensure that the project is implemented in line with the application and ensures the highest quality standards; 2 reports - Interim and Final.3) Quality questionnaires which will be developed by the Internal Evaluation Leader for a) collecting feedback about the projects progress from the partners after each meeting; and b) feedback from the beneficiaries about the Outputs' quality before and after their finalization.4) An Impact Plan which will outline an agreed set of qualitative and quantitative indicators for each of the proposed intellectual outputs and 2 reports that will measure progress towards project objectives; 2 reports - Interim and Final.5) A Dissemination Plan consisting of how the partnership plans to disseminate the project process and results to its target audience and an ongoing document that will list and document all dissemination activities of all partners through the duration of the project's lifecycle; 1 Report6) Articles to be posted on social media with information about the project, its advances and outcomes. The content of each post will be elaborated in English by the lead organization of the dissemination activities. Social media presence to keep stakeholders and other interested parties up to date with project development actions.7) A Sustainability Plan (on how each partner plans to continue the project beyond its funding)8) A Partnership Agreement document will be defined, agreed, and signed by all partners before the start of the project -1 document9) A website that will describe the project and its activities; will serve as dissemination channel; and will be available in English, Danish, French, Portuguese, Greek and Spanish.10) Logo for the identification of the project period; 1 Report11) Project's templates for PowerPoint presentations and documents to maintain a visual identity.12) Project's e-Brochure to be used in dissemination activities.13) Multiplier events in each partner country and a Final Conference in Lousada, Portugal.14) Training of teachers (C1) that will take place in San Sebastián, Spain.