Professionalizing Trainers of Disadvantaged Citizens in Creating Sustainable Jobs

<< Background >>The European Green Deal aims to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society with an ambitious goal of 0 net carbon emissions by 2050, where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The transition is to just and inclusive, where people are at the heart of the strategy. While new, sustainable jobs are being created for European citizens, the disadvantaged tend to be forgotten: the employment gap between persons with and without disabilities remains high. This is critical, as employment participation is important to ensure economic autonomy and social inclusion of persons with disabilities. A lack of initiatives equipping disadvantaged groups with the competencies to obtain green jobs exists. The partnership composed mostly of NGOs working with vulnerable groups addressed the need to professionalize the teaching of such skills, so they can be an active part of the labor market and earn a decent living. By enhancing the competencies of VET trainers and volunteers who teach recycling/upcycling, the Train Sustain project envisions equipping disadvantaged groups with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to thrive in an evolving labor market with emerging green business opportunities. << Objectives >>General: • To improve the competencies of trainers and volunteers of VET institutions and NGOs to become more qualified for teaching the disadvantaged groups (unemployed, people with learning disabilities, migrants, etc.) in upcycling/recycling; • To provide training and support to disadvantaged groups in recycling/upcycling; and• To contribute to the realization of the European Green Deal by promoting sustainable use of used materials. Specific: • To professionalize the teaching of recycling/upcycling of goods; • To enhance the skills of disadvantaged groups in recycling/upcycling;• 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 sustainable business models and inclusion practices within the field of repair/recycling/upcycling;• To engage 88 trainers in professionalizing the teaching of recycling/upcycling of furniture, clothes, and appliances. • To train at least 120 disadvantaged VET students in recycling/upcycling; and• To promote the project through a website and the production of recycled materials.<< Implementation >>The project’s main activities and the responsible organizations were: 1) TRAIN-SUSTAIN Curriculum for VET teachers and Volunteer Trainers working with Disadvantaged Groups, PR Leader: FO-Aarhus (part 1) and Proportional Message (part 2). Participating partners: All partners 2) TRAIN-SUSTAIN Handbook on How to Teach the Curriculum to Future VET Teachers and Volunteer Trainers. PR Leader: Gureak Participating partners: All partners 3) Compendium of Best Practices. PR Leader: Synthesis; Participating partners: All partners 4) International Teacher Training Course Activity Lead/Host organization: Gureak; Participating partners: All partners 5) A total of 6 Local Teacher Training Events and 6 roll-outs to vulnerable groups. All partners6) Local Multiplier Events in DK, BE, ES, CYP, FR (2x), and PT Activity leading organization: ALL PARTNERS 7) A Final Conference Activity Lead: Proportional Message; Participating partners: All partners8) Evaluation; Lead: Synthesis; Participating partners: All partners9) Dissemination; Lead: Dinamo; Participating partners: All partners<< Results >>The main accomplishments of the Train-Sustain project are the following:The project was able to have a total of 656 direct participants. These are VET teachers and volunteer trainers, vulnerable groups (mentally challenged, people with physical handicap, long-term unemployed, etc.) NGO practitioners, local, regional, and national authorities. They participated in the different activities of the project.1)Production of the TRAIN-SUSTAIN Curriculum for VET teachers and Volunteer Trainers working with Disadvantaged Groups in Recycling/upcycling Jobs (PR1); in Digital form in English, DK, BE, Greek, PT, ES, and FR.2)Production of the TRAIN-SUSTAIN Handbook on How to Teach the Curriculum to Future VET-teachers and Volunteer trainers (PR2) in digital form in English, DK, BE, Greek, PT, ES, and FR. The handbook provides Vet trainers with the tools and methodologies to teach the Train-Sustain Curriculum. 3)Compendium of Best Practices: A Comprehensive Guide for Sustainable Business Models and Inclusion Practices (PR3) ); in Digital form in English, DK, BE, Greek, PT, ES, and FR.These outputs can be downloaded at the project’s website: https://www.trainsustain.org/en (see under “Resources) Additionally, the project has: -Conducted an International Teacher Training (C1) in San Sebastián, Spain. This was a 3-day training seminar and practical workshop in recycling and upcycling (textile, plastic containers, office furniture), and repairing small gadgets/home equipment for Vet teachers and trainers of vulnerable groups. A total of 30 staff (VET teachers and volunteer trainers) of partner organizations attended the event.-Conducted Local training for teachers and testing of the curriculum to vulnerable groups in all partner countries. A total of 122 local trainers were provided training on the curriculum and how to use the handbook; and was tested on a total of 111 students who provided feedback on the curriculum and training methodologies. -Conducted a total of 6 Multiplier events in the partners countries; as well as a Final Conference in Porto, Portugal. Solution Solidarite (FR) and Proportional Message (PT) held 2 events each as it was difficult to reach the target groups for these events. These activities were attended by a total of 140 participants from different organizations, NGOs, learning institutions, and staff working with volunteers and vulnerable groups technicians and sustainability employees who train others, program managers and educational employees, migrant support workers, and the general public.-Produced a Quality Assurance Plan and an Impact Evaluation Plan which ensured the quality of the implementation of the project, monitoring and evaluation continuously ensuring that the project was implemented in line with the application and ensured the highest quality standards; -Produced 2 interim reports: Quality Assurance and Evaluation and Impact Evaluation-Produced a Final Quality Assurance and Evaluation Report and a Report of the Impact Evaluation-Produced a Dissemination Plan that included plans for the oWebsite with versions in the national languages of the partnership (www.trainsustain.org)oSocial Media: Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086201596803); Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/train.sustain.europe/?hl=en) oSocial Media postsoLogo