Innovative ways of including low qualified ex offenders and ex prisoners to labour market

Training of disadvantaged groups, e.g. marginalized low qualified adults ex prisoners and ex offenders that has never seen their competences certified due to not completion of any kind of training is becoming increasingly important. These target groups, by their nature or because of the life paths they've done, show some difficulty in attending “standardized” training courses. Lack of appropriate vocational and social skills increase their social exclusion since they are at high risk of long lasting unemployment, social marginalization, or deviancy. The INforEx Project created an integrated working methodology that combines theoretical analysis with qualitative research and hands-on activities, based on a participative and bottom-up approach, which means active involvement at any stage of all the relevant actors, either project partners or external stakeholders. INforEX developed a training model which was performed on the job and not in classrooms through practical activities thanks to entrepreneurs (small, sole proprietorship) becoming adult trainers who were supported by experienced tutors from partners' organisations. The project also developed a new EU skills certification method based on an innovative evaluation model in line with EQF requirements. To achieve these results INforEX elaborated a state of the art analysis and a training needs assessment among 103 stakeholders in 6 EU countries. After the provisional draft of the training model and the certification system their contents was transmitted to 15 adult trainers from partners' organisations who later performed the pilot training with 73 employers who became trainers of (ex) offenders. After the training of trainers, on the job training was organised for 108 (ex)offenders. Dissemination activities contributed to making INforEX known by the widest possible audience. This purpose was achieved by realising 5 workshops/seminars (with 190 participants) and final conference (107 participants) with other institutions of adult education as well as by signing agreements with local public bodies which stated their support to the project, its activities and interest in project results.During the project implementation 3 main intellectual outputs have been created:1) On the job training and certification methodology for low qualified (ex)offenders (accompanied with workbook and materials for their initial training);2) Materials for the Training of Trainers (tutors, training organisers);3) Guidelines for Employers (to successfully implement the on the job training).The created methodology was validated in Cyprus and tested in Lithuania with another low qualified group (long-term unemployed). General public has been reached through the project website (www.inforexproject.eu), EPALE platform, www.erasmus-plius.lt , regional media (etaplius.lt, Madrid Diario, Signalive websites), 4 online newsletters delivered to thousands of addressees and other events organised by partners in every project country.