Grundtvig 2 Partnership ITE
Athlone VTOS has engaged in a two year Grundtvig 2 Learning Partnership. This project is funded by Leargas, the National Agency for Socrates.
The partners are:
Athlone VTOS, Co. Westmeath VEC, Ireland
CEA Centro- Oriente, Asturias, Espana
Centre of Flexible Learning, Soderham, Sweden
Jonava Adult Education Centre, Lithuania
ROC Nijmegen, The Netherlands
The Project Title is ITE- Integration Through Education
Aim: To combat Social Exclusion Through Adult Education
Objectives:
- To identify and bennefit fom existing good practice within our European partners.
- Develop innovative methods to:
- encourage participation of adults with low levels of education
- integrate non- nationals and ethnic minorities through education centres
- provide individual flexible learning progrmmes to suit the needs of participants
The project started in September 2004 and the group met in Lithuania in November 2004, in Sweden in April 2005 andin Athlone, Ireland in November 2005.The final project meeting will be held in Asturais, Spain in April 2006.
The project activities are continuing throughout the year. The member organistaions have beneifited greatly from the sharing of good practice and all have engaged in new activities as a result. The following summarises the ideas generated. Details of the project are available on the project website www.athlonevtos.com. The final project will be online in the summer 2006.
The ideas being discussed and implemented are summarised as follows:
How to reach adults:
- Ambassadors/ former successful students address new students and outside agencies and tell of their experiences
- Networking and joint projects with external statutory, NGO and voluntary organisations
- Advertising: use of pictures
- Ruaral outreach: Mobile IT Unit
- Mixture of levels in one building removes the stigma attached to literacy - facilitates progression
- First contact with student crucial- encourage earl contact with other students
Integrate Non- Nationals
- Social events: presentations of certificates, fund-raising for charity
- Teaching tolerance to local community
- Integrate older people and non- nationals: resource materials and pace may be suitable for both
- Buddy system for non-nationals
- Intrgration required between non-nationals in the centre: specific activities
- Internships: non- nationals work in local community allowing them to compare skills, abilities and make realistic decisions about education and employment
Flexible Learning Programmes
- Personal action plans
- Flexible entry levels
- Provision in local communities, villages
- Flexible timing to start and within timetable: morning, afternoon, evening and number of hours per week, choice of subjects. National requirements differ in each country,affecting flexible provision
- Defined levels of literacy and objectives within them
- Access to materials appropriate for numeracy for adult learners
- Family literacy
- Home teaching for those with a temporary need: illness or disability
- Practical activities outside the classroom: around town
- Taster classes for one week: the individual learning programme
- Students with high level ability can learn at home: independent learning
- Integration of subject materials into other classes
- Supports: guidance, remedial teacher, mental health nurse, counsellor, probation officer
