Introducing project partnership

Coordinator: CIK TREBNJE, Slovenia

The Trebnje Centre for Education and Culture is a public organization, established by the Trebnje municipality to promote and develop adult education. Organization has two units: Gallery of Naïve Artists and Adult education centre. CIK Trebnje is also the lead partner of Local Action Group Suhe krajine, Temenice in Krke (LAG STIK).

CIK offers a comprehensive range of education programmes: from elementary school for adults to secondary education programmes, as well as numerous non-formal education programmes (general education, vocational training and different courses). In recent years, increasing attention has been given to various projects that develop and encourage lifelong learning among different target groups, to raise their level of literacy, especially of socially week (elderly, rural residents, members of the Roma community, special needs persons, the unemployed, young, persons serving a prison sentence, etc).

The main sphere of activities:

– primary education for adults is intended for all adults with incomplete elementary education wishing to complete elementary school and enrol on further education courses

– participants of vocational and technical education in the areas of economics, catering, commerce, administration, tourism and pre-school education are adults that have not managed to attain or complete their vocational or technical education during the course of regular education, or their existing education does not meet labour market requirements

– Courses: language courses, Slovene for foreigners, computer literacy, accounting and bookkeeping courses, assistant chef, home care nurse

– Third age University is intended for the retired population and aims to prevent loneliness among the elderly, increase their inclusion in education and society, as well as encourage active citizenship

– Intergenerational learning centre providing different programs where older learners and students engage in learning together in a third level environment, we engage older people and our students, young and children from the local area in teaching and learning together, especially to learn basic ICT skills, handcrafts, dancing, language courses…

– National and multilateral projects.

KPEDU - KESKI-POHJANMAAN KOULUTUSYHTYMÄ, Finland

Folk high school, part of Federation of education in Central Ostrobothnia. Subsidizer: Finnish government.

– Staff 30 (includes 1 principal, 1 middle manager), 5 buildings on rural setting

– Main tasks by decree: adult education

– Program: non-formal adult education in photography, dance, theatre, Finnish language, art, pop- culture, basic independent living for disabled young adult, art for disabled young adults, daytime activity for disabled seniors and working skills for disabled adults. Also offering wide range of different short and long courses. We also arrange professional education for example personal assistant.

– We have strong and long experience working with people with learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities.

– We have 20 years’ experience of teaching workers in this field.

– Our school is innovator of education and teaching methods in this area (intellectual disabilities)

– We already have knowledge of digital storytelling- method and we are using the method in classes.

– We have experience of many international projects

UPSTREAM STORIES, Denmark

Upstream Stories is an NGO focusing on empowering underprivileged groups and individuals through participatory media. Our aim is to provide events and workshops that will enhance participants’ creativity, self-reflection, critical thinking and making their personal stories heard, as well as upgrading their IT and communication skills. We have several years of experience facilitating Digital Storytelling which is our main area of expertise. Upstream Stories is recently started by a group of experienced and industrious facilitators, whose wish it is to focus on participatory media, and the difference and meaning it can create for people at risk of exclusion. We all have experience with NGO work and project management, and have participated in several projects funded by Erasmus+.

A.N.F.F.A.S. ONLUS DI PORDENONE, Italy

Anffas Onlus Pordenone is a non for profit voluntary association addressed to people with emotional and learning special needs. It is affiliated to Anffas National which has more than 170 sections all over Italy. It runs the Centre “Giulio Locatelli” which was opened in 1994. This Centre is a daily care service for 20 guests and a residential home for 20 guests, too. We add 2 emergency places for families who need a temporary break or support. In 2004 Anffas opened a new community for independent living and challenged people too, 15 in the daily care service and 24 in the residential lot. In 2013 we opened a special unit addressed to 8 children with special needs. The principal aims are to give a non-independent person physical, emotional and relational support based on his real needs. We try to offer our guests the chance to develop or maintain their basic skills. Besides the personal care Anffas tries to combat marginalization and exclusion for all the people in need, we promote solidarity and tolerance towards diversity to be seen as a personal enrichment. Our association promotes training courses for Voluntary Movement, courses on how to relate to severe challenged people, stages for schools and universities. All our activities vary and alternate in time and respond to the occupational and abilitation needs. Anffas Onlus Pordenone in involved in European Voluntary Service since the pilot phase in 1996 and has been working within ENVOL, network specifically working with volunteers with multiple disadvantages. 15 of these volunteers had a chance to start a new life during their EVS and after taking the professional qualification in Italy are now employed in the social health sector in Pordenone and Anffas. These very successful EVS experiences added to the international value and open-mildness that volunteers bring, foster our motivation to keep on working with the Erasmus+ Youth programme. Moreover we can witness that non formal education focused on our experiential activities helped the previous EVS volunteers to have access to professional social courses especially in France, Germany, Finland and Denmark. In the two Anffas centres the following professionals are working and supporting the clients: 1 psychologist, 1 doctor, 1 paediatrician, 6 nurses, 1 physiotherapist, 1 general coordinator, 1 educator, 6 responsible of the shifts, 5 responsible of the crafts rooms, 1 music therapist, 1 art therapist, 1 dressmaker, 5 cooks, 1 technician, 3 secretaries, 85 qualified carers…

THE REYKJAVIK ACADEMY, Iceland

The Reykjavik Academy (RA) is a private, non-profit membership organization consisting of independent professional scholars, educators and cultural workers in the fields of liberal arts, social sciences and the humanities.

The organization‘s principal funding source is the Icelandic ministry of culture and education, either from block- or research grants, in addition to service based contracts with the City of Reykjavik and rental income.

During the past 20 years RA has housed and supported various research projects, educational experiments and writings, conferences and publication projects. Additionally, many RA-scholars also work independently as lecturers and part-time educators at different levels of the Icelandic educational system, especially within higher education. Amongst RA-members are also writers, translators, publishers and documentarists. Scientific basic research within the framework of social sciences and humanities remains one of the main components of the organization.

RA has the capacity to accommodate up to 45 researchers and academics at a time and can offer different working environments such as shared or private office space and short or temporary access to library and community rooms.

The organisation has hosted and participated in EU- and EEA-funded projects.

VSI TARPTAUTINIS DARBO KONTAKTU TINKLAS, Lithuania

The International Labour Contact Net is an NGO , established in 2003. We have three regular full-time employees, and contract more people depending on project needs.

The organization seeks to improve equal opportunities (employment, occupation, and learning) for socially excluded groups of people, including people with disabilities.

Our usual activities include: bringing together grassroots and civil society groups as well as government and business sector representatives , both employers and employees, to address our target group employment issues and issues of concern to local communities; networking with various organizations in Lithuania and abroad; developing new tools and methods for more efficient work with the disabled; creating volunteering opportunities for adults; facilitating experience exchange among regional and foreign NGOs.

Our specific expertise covers: elimination of informal and illegal labour; developing core competencies (literacy skills, IT skills etc.) of unemployed target group representatives; provision of support to communities and NGOs; consulting local government representatives on issues of employment of socially disadvantaged groups; serving as experts for foreign partners; development guides and other information and pedagogical tools for people working with the disabled, etc.

Associated partners

Varstveno delovni center (VDC) Novo mesto, Unit Trebnje, Slovenia

Varstveno delovni center (VDC) Novo mesto, Unit Trebnje, which performs the service of protection, management and employment under special conditions, includes 23 users with intellectual disabilities on a daily basis, and 8 more users coming from the municipality of Mokronog – Trebelno once a week. They engage in a wider social environment and participate in the cultural, sports, health and educational activities and events that are part of our everyday life and with which we want to raise the quality of life of our users. Creating your own product is an opportunity to express the creative spirit and individuality of users, as well as the ability to market products. Within the framework of the own product program, users create greeting cards for well-known subscribers. Companies located in our vicinity are a source of employment opportunities (cooperative work). The Trebnje unit is also marked by love for sports, as users regularly participate in local and regional sports games, which are also being prepared during recreation. Most users have the pleasure of short trips, walks and exhibitions. A lot of information and attractions are also disclosed daily via the Internet. VDC Trebnje Unit will be strongly involved in project development and its activities: attendance at international workshops, collaboration at organisation of Slovene national multiplier event, collaboration at preparation of newsletters and press releases and project promotion through their channels.

European Association for Education of Adults (EAEA)

European Association for Education of Adults is the voice of non-formal and informal adult education in Europe. EAEA is a transnational, non-profit association with 141 members in 45 countries. EAEA promotes the social inclusion aspects of the EU 2020 strategy; it promotes adult learning and the widening of access and participation in formal and non-formal adult education for all, particularly for under-represented groups. They promote learner-centred approaches that take people’s lives into account and enable them to acquire all kinds of competences, with particular attention to basic & transversal skills. Their role in the project will be project promotion and dissemination of results through their different channels.

ÁS styrktarfélag (ÁS), Iceland

ÁS styrktarfélag (ÁS) is a nonprofit organization and one of the leading companies servicing people with intellectual disabilities in Iceland. It was founded in 1958 by entrepreneurial parents whose goal was to fight for an independent life and full societal rights for their kids and others with intellectual disabilities. Today ÁS styrktarfélag runs thirteen homes for 56 persons. Eleven of these homes are in houses owned by ÁS. Currently there is a new apartment home being built in Hafnarfjordur and two more on the drawing board. The organization provides daycare for five young children with severe physical and intellectual disabilities and ten youngsters aged 16 – 20 after school hours. Around 150 persons with intellectual disabilities use the organizations Work and Activity program on different locations around the city of Reykjavik and surrounding municipalities. ÁS styrktarfelag´s board is composed of parents and next of kin of people with intellectual disabilities. Today there are around 670 members registered. This strong support has made the association stronger and is the foundation for the future. ÁS is active in co-working internationally on various projects related. They will be strongly involved in project development and its activities: attendance at international workshops, collaboration at organisation of Icelandic national multiplier event, collaboration at preparation of newsletters and press releases, project promotion through their channels.