The European Parliament and the Council of 18.12.2006 recommended a European Framework for Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. This European Reference Framework (ERF) identifies and defines for the first time the 8 Key Competences (KC) that citizens require for their personal fulfillment, social cohesion, active citizenship and employability in a constantly changing world of work and need to be instilled at all stages of education and training (Official Journal of the European Union L394).CS.Tour project, contributing to the development of a European Area of Skills and Qualifications, is using innovative methods to give real opportunities for those already working or considering a career in the Tourism Industry, to Learn, Certify and Maintain the following two (2) European Reference Framework Key Competences (KC): KC No 6 : “Social & Civic Competence” and KC No 8: “Cultural Awareness & Expression” The core skills of SOCIAL COMPETENCE include the ability to communicate constructively in different environments, to show tolerance, express and understand different viewpoints, to negotiate with the ability to create confidence, and to feel empathy while CULTURAL AWARENESS is the foundation of communication and it involves the ability of standing back from ourselves and becoming aware of our cultural values, beliefs and perceptions. Personal, interpersonal and intercultural competence cover all forms of behaviour that equip individuals to participate in an effective and constructive way in social and working life. Understanding other cultures and contexts within a constantly increasing level of globalization within Tourism industry, sets a solid basis for successful customer interactions, including how to manage a culturally diverse workforce. Tourism, brings individuals and human communities into contact, and through them cultures and civilizations, has an important role to play in facilitating dialogue among them. Becoming aware of our cultural dynamics is a difficult task because culture is not conscious to us . This project investigates the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed and the strategies for improving Social Competence and Cultural awareness acquisition by bringing together Vocational Education and Training and Business in the tourism sector. Nine (9) partner organizations from 5 different EU countries (Greece, Spain, UK, Sweden & Cyprus), all involved in Human Resource development and support services to tourism and hospitality sector, have joined forces through the CS.Tour project consortium in order to research to identify and analyze needs and barriers of stakeholders involved in the tourism and hospitality sector in relation to KCs 6 and 8. A Comparative Transnational Report will detect geographical particularities in the tourism sector regarding KCs 6 and 8 that will guide to the development of innovative training solutions. Based on the result of National & Transnational Report the consortium will DEVELOP, PILOT TEST, EVALUATE and FINALIZE for KC 6 & KC 8 the following Intellectual Outputs : 1. a Modular Training curriculum, 2. a Trainees Syllabus, 3. an open E- platform with learning material and training resources, 4. an online per-assessment tool that will define the individual training need and path 5. a complete Methodological Guide for the Trainers to empower achievement in basic skills through more effective teaching methods and 6. a Trainers Toolkit for teaching these Key Competences basic and transversal skills using innovative training Techniques 7. a complete Accreditation Scheme for Certifying KCs 6 and 8 according to European Qualifications FrameworkFinally, negotiating the complexity of cultural diversity is a life-long learning task that is relevant to the world of work, the community and in european contexts. The Certification proposed on these two Key Competences by the CS.Tour project covers a wide number of topics, and especially for those intending to enter a career in tourism, there’s nothing more important than learning how to interact well with a diverse range of individuals.

Crafts act as an important buffer in economic downturns and play a central role in providing VET on the job, both highly relevant for the transition from education to employment and to ensure a qualified workforce. In the last two decades, some traditional Crafts have declined due to mass production and rising consumerism. Others have evolved, embracing the digital age, particularly in marketing their products and engaging with new clients, collaborators and audiences. Furthermore, the traditional distance between craft sectors and ICT technologies is disappearing. The new generation of high tech digital tools and cutting edge machinery, like 3D printers, is transforming and leading the applied arts and craft sectors to a new digital age. To lead this transformation Europe needs to count with skilled handicraft teachers and trainers, equipped with the necessary competencies and resources to integrate these digital tools into innovative ICT based teaching and learning practices. VET teachers and trainers in craft sectors are usually handicraft professionals with expertise in their respective areas, and teaching in VET craft courses is frequently a secondary occupation. In many EU countries, initial teaching education is not compulsory for these VET teachers and trainers or some minimum training is required. They tend to acquire their teaching competencies through their teaching practice or through some continuous VET courses on train the trainers, usually not adapted to the specific needs of teaching crafts. The situation with regard to the training on ICT-based teaching skills is even worst, due to this lack of training opportunities and because many traditional Crafts do not use ICT and, as a result, neither handicraft teachers and trainers use ICT for teaching VET. The consequence is a lack of innovative ICT-based teaching practices in traditional handicraft VET, losing all the potential benefits of using ICT in education. The aim of this project has been to support the professional development of handicraft teachers and trainers in Europe in their transition to the digital age by improving their teaching competencies on innovative VET education through ICT based methods and tools. The project has prepared handicraft teachers and trainers to adapt also their teaching practice to the next generation of high tech digital tools and cutting edge machinery, like 3D printers, vinyl cutters or laser cutting and engraving. To this purpose, an alliance of Craft sectors organizations and VET experts and providers from 7 countries (Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and United Kingdom) have worked together to lead the project and co-create and test the following innovative methods and freely accessible OER: - A European ECVET Curriculum (IO1) on ICT skills for teaching Crafts. - Training Modules (IO2) on ICT based teaching methods specifically adapted for Crafts. - An innovative Mobile Instructional Learning APPs (IO3) designed to train handicraft trainers and teacher to use and design their own Mobile Learning APPs (IO5) for teaching Crafts. - A Multilingual e-learning platform (IO4), with innovative e-Learning courses and OER on ICT-based teaching methods for Crafts. - A Guide for validation, certification & accreditation (IO6) of innovative teaching learning methods through ICT in VET for craft sectors in Europe. Handicraft teachers and trainers are the main target users of the project products and final beneficiaries are craftsman students, learners and apprentices. During the life time of CRAFTS 3.0 project, the partnership have directly involved 99 handicraft teachers and trainers (32 partners staff / 42 experts involved / 25 target users in pilots), 125 I-VET and C-VET craftsman students, learners and apprentices (in pilots) and 500 stakeholders. A wider audience of more than 1000 recipients has been reached at local, regional, national and European level through all the partnes dissemination activities. The project applies European frameworks and instruments, like EQF, ECVET, EQAVET, Europass and EPALE, to promote and boost transparency and recognition of competences and qualifications, transnational mobility and the transferability of the project outputs to other Craft and VET organizations at local, regional, national and European level, with the support and active cooperation of a network of key associated partners and relevant stakeholders involved during the project. CRAFTS 3.0 supports the professional development of handicraft teachers and trainers in order to improve their teaching competencies in innovative education through ICT. The project has proved to have a direct impact in the improvement of the ICT skills of handicraft teachers and trainers. The long term impact envisaged is a strengthening of the VET system and programmes to fully exploit the potential benefits of ICT to support the transition of handicraft teachers and trainers to the Digital Age in Europe.

Development of Innovation was the project general objective, based on the priorities:•Further development of the VET quality assurance mechanisms; and•Contribution to the improvement of the Inclusive youth education and training.The project aims at elaboration of a VET quality offer for SEN learners, with a specific focus on learners with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), through the implementation of Quality Assurance (QA) principles in VET in line with the EQAVET recommendation. The team developed a QA Framework (QAF) and Tools for an effective support to VET providers to plan, implement, monitor & evaluate their training strategies related to participation in iVET and cVET; and to the continuous feedback loops between the two systems.Innovativeness:•Implements holistic approach to apply QA in VET for ADHD learners. Aims at defining a QAF (including principles, indicators, tools and guidelines) for iVET and cVET;•Applies a lifelong learning strategy in order to support education and training of ADHD learners at all ages;•Brings together relevant organisations with broad experience in QA - iVET and cVET, teacher training institutions, education and training of ADHD learners, business, HEIs and ICT;•Includes iVET & VET providers who to facilitate dissemination and test the QAF by majority of providers in the participant countries and across Europe;•Includes also business representatives, teacher education institutions, organisations training ADHD learners which guarantee the stakeholders' validation and recognition of the project key outputs and thus, to facilitate the mainstreaming and thereby sustainability. Target audience:iVET & cVET Providers, training teachers and ADHD learners; Teacher’s, School ADHD associations; ADHD learners; Project Partners; National and European organisations active in the VET field and inclusive education and training; National authorities (relevant Ministries, Agencies, regional Offices, etc.)Project outputs: •Compendium of good practices in the field of EQAVET implementation in VET for learners with ADHD. ISBN: 978-954-07-4510-7. The objective is to highlight examples of good practice in the field of EQAVET implementation in VET programmes addressed to ADHD learners, incl. details regarding the methodologies applied and results achieved. •Quality Assurance Framework for VET for learners with ADHD. ISBN: 978-954-07-4511-4. This is the key output of the project and the objective is to provide a user friendly tool as a benchmark for QA systems for the VET providers acting in the field. Based on the evidence summarised in the “Best Practices” compendium and the defined Indicators, “Guidelines Assisting VET School Boards in Delivering Special Education Services for Students with ADHD” were developed. They are structured around the three main dimensions “Improving my organisation”; “Improving my training delivery”; and “Improving my teaching methods”. http://tools4adhd.eu/guidelines/. The Introductory text is translated to all national languages of the consortium partners. •Toolkit for VET providers training ADHD learners. ISBN: 978-954-07-4512-1:In order to concretely support VET providers in understanding, implementing and measuring QA management systems, partners have also provided a QA Toolkit including tools for the three QA phases and related to the quality principles and indicators designed within the project. All these documents are published in the web-site designed to serve the specialised audience.Attained impact:The produced outputs:ocontribute to the support of VET-programs to align their quality initiatives with European and national policies in the field of inclusive VET;ohelp providers and local/regional/national authorities understand the level of change required of providers and VET-provision to align their QA approach with the inclusive ET policies;opromote awareness of the quality exercise among stakeholders and obtain the commitment of key stakeholders;ofacilitate the assessment and document stakeholder interests, influence and importance concerning QA in VET for ADHD learners;ogenerate a desire to change and improve VET-programs addressed to ADHD learners, e.g. indicate planned and ongoing initiatives that may be supportive of the alignment exercise, either national or regional/local level.Consortium:Eight institutions from BG, IT, GR, ES and SE were members of the consortium. The contribution of each of them is particularly important for the project success. Coordinator was Sofia University “St. Kl. Ohridski” (BG). Methodological coordinator was the team of Effebi (IT). Swedish partner led the development of the Toolkit. SciFy partner developed the web site for the users http://tools4adhd.eu. UNINETTUNO led the development of the Compendium with best practices. The Spanish partner developed the Glossary of the most used ADHD terminology then translated into all national languages.

"Against BubBLEContext/background:Bullying is an increasingly expanding phenomenon in all European countries. Numerous studies have been done on the dynamics that characterize it and on the numerous negative effects that this produces in students. The control and prevention of the phenomenon is still difficult to manage because very often the boys are resisting to report these episodes, not only for the consequences that this would have on a social level, but also for fear of any reactions. The monitoring of these behaviors is even more difficult if the victims do not have the tools to recognize them, let alone a social network that supports them. We're talking about guys with autism spectrum disorder. The few studies on the subject show that the peculiarities that characterize them make them ideal victims, so much so that, compared to boys without disabilities, they are 4 times more likely to be bulled. More and more European countries are adopting an inclusive education, but to be defined as such it must ensure that it is created as a safe and suitable environment for everyone's needs.Main objectives:With our project we aim to fight and prevent the phenomenon of Bullying against boys with high functioning autistic spectrum disorder (and the Asperger Syndrome), but not only, involving all the figures that are part of the boy's life context and that they play the role of main actors in this phenomenon.Our goal is to create a good practice that can then be adopted by other European countries not participating in the project and that can be adapted and revised also to combat different types of discrimination, which are victims of the most varied subjects.Through all these objectives we hope to make a strong contribution to the realization of what we hope will soon be an inclusive school, in the full sense of the term.Description of activities:We have divided our activities in four intellectual outputs: A study on Needs Analysis based on desk survey and in field questionnaires involving teachers and Administrative, Technical and Auxiliary staff, parents of guys with high functioning autistic spectrum disorder (and the Asperger Syndrome) and students between 10 and 14 years old from partner countries' schools; Planning of customized educational activities respectively aimed at teachers, Administrative, Technical and Auxiliary staff and parents of preadolescents with high functioning autistic spectrum disorder (and the Asperger Syndrome), with teaching methods that involve active participation, in order to provide them the guidelines and tools necessary to learn more about the phenomenon of bullying adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, to recognize it, to counteract it and prevent it. Development of a Tool Kit for early detection of risky bullying behaviors involving ""blue"" pupils with ASD, allowing an ""active surveillance"" of key signals. This tool will be customized in three different versions for teachers, Administrative, Technical and Auxiliary staff and parents of ASD students; Preventive action based on involvement of all students in socialising drama-based performances to develop knowledge and understanding of diversity and (on the other side) the ability of ""recognise"" bullying attitudes of the others, so as to defend their comrades and denounce such behaviors.Methodology:Forms of experiential rather than frontal learning will be preferred, using alternative techniques, such as the flipped classroom, the realization of theatrical activities, through which it aims to promote peer empathy and awareness of the phenomenon of bullying. The materials produced will be published on the project's webpage, which will provide step-by-step guidelines and video links that will lead to the project's YouTube channel, from which other schools will be inspired to design interventions to prevent and combat bullying.Desired results, impacts and long-term benefits:We hope that following our project, students will develop a greater sensitivity towards this phenomenon so as to be ready to denounce these behaviors, but above all to avoid their implementation.We also expect teachers, parents and Administrative, Technical and Auxiliary staff to have gained more tools for signal recognition and prevention of bullying in schools."

ContextAccording to the 2017 Digital Economy and Society Index, 44% of people in the EU have very low digital skills and an additional 27% have only basic digital skills. 19% of the people in Europe do not use the Internet. Europe is undergoing a digital transformation and citizens must be equipped with the appropriate skills to perform jobs and increase economic growth.The specific situations in the 4 countries involved are rather different since in some cases the level of digitalization (SE) is higher than other (IT, EL, RO). However, there are some common aspects that need to be underlined: 1. the digitalization level of low skilled adults is in all cases, is lower than the national average level; 2. in all participating countries there is a dynamic trend in providing public services to adults through digital channels (e.g. health, education, culture, etc.); 3. all countries involved have a common goal to increase economic competitiveness also through digitalization of production.Problem addressedKeeping these aspects in mind, in the proposed project, the partners will address the need to provide low skilled adults with necessary digital competences for supporting them in becoming more employable and socially integrated. The consequences of delaying improvements in the key areas could lead to the incapacity of Member States and Europe as a whole to reach the 2020 targets related to education and training, and digital skills.Target groupThe primary project target group consists of: low skilled adults (employed or not); Adult Training Organizations; Adult Trainers; Public institutions offering services to adult individuals (e.g. e-health, local/territorial centres for adult people, etc.). Project aim and objectivesThe project aims to strengthen adults’ capacity to efficiently use digital instruments as a precondition to improve their personal and professional lives, reducing significantly the inter-generational digital divide trend. In particular, the project will provide friendly learning tools for low skilled adults in order to support them in reaching specific digital competences, in line with DigComp foundation and intermediate levels.Project activities are organised in three outputs with the aim to develop:- Map of digital competences (O1) – specific key digital competences required by low skilled adults in order to improve the quality of their professional and personal lives- DInSAd Board Game (O2) – an interactive board game that will allow low skilled adults to acquire fundamental digital knowledge, skills and competences.- DInSAd Virtual Game (O3) –a virtual learning game for helping low skilled adults in acquiring digital competences at intermediate level, as described by DigComp 2.1.PartnershipThe project brings together 5 partners from 4 European countries, forming a transnational cooperation partnership with a balanced regional geographical representation of the Erasmus+ Area.Impact and long term benefits- improve low skilled adults’ digital competences and capacity to benefit from public services available in digital format- raise awareness regarding the importance of developing digital skills through innovative and interactive learning instruments- stakeholders dealing with adult education will have at their disposal practical learning tools for the development of digital competences that they can promote to their networks- the opening of dialogue concerning the subject of reducing digital divide and enhancing digital capacity of adults as precondition for their higher employability and wellbeing, will contribute to create a culture of cooperation among the different stakeholders with mutual benefit.