New LLP e-flash!
Posted: August 30, 2013 Filed under: Erasmus+, Grundtvig, Leonardo, Lifelong Learning Programme, Transversal, Uncategorized | Tags: e-flash, erasmus plus 1 CommentWe are excited to announce the launch of our new look e-flash for the Leonardo, Grundtvig and Transversal programmes.
We have kept many of the key features from our individual programme e-flashes, bringing all the latest LLP, UK and EU News together in one place, and adding a dedicated section on Erasmus+.
Our new e-flash!
With this new section on Erasmus+, we can keep our readers up to date on the latest developments and information on the new education, training, youth and sport programme which will start from 2014.
Take a look for yourself…
To receive our new e-flash, please sign up to our mailing list.
You can also find the latest Erasmus+ news on our blog and download our Erasmus+ factsheet and FAQs at: https://www.lifelonglearningprogramme.org.uk/
6 tips for budding women entrepreneurs
Posted: August 27, 2013 Filed under: Grundtvig, Hints and tips, Social media, Transfer of Innovation | Tags: Business, Entrepreneur, Lifelong Learning Programme Leave a comment
Forbes recently published a report stating that in 2012 alone 126 million women worldwide were starting or running new businesses and an estimated 98 million were developing established businesses.
But it’s not easy starting a new business, especially if you have a family, are over fifty or come from a disadvantaged background. That’s why a number of Lifelong Learning Programme funded projects have focused on supporting female entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to develop the necessary skills to become self-employed. These are just a few tips from our projects if you’re a woman interested in setting up your own business:
1. Learn from other women entrepreneurs
Whether you’re confident about setting up your own business or a little hesitant, talking to other women entrepreneurs who can share their successes and challenges with you can help you learn from best practice and better understand the pitfalls of business.
Fe:male was a Grundtvig funded project that helped women across Europe connect in groups in order to mentor each other in business. Their website provides a wealth of resources and contacts if you’re interested in learning from other women entrepreneurs:
Read the rest of this entry »
A focus on employability
Posted: August 23, 2013 Filed under: Leonardo | Tags: employability, Europe 2020, leonardo, tweet, video, vocational education Leave a commentFrom apprenticeships to tech-levels, graduate internships to professional development opportunities, all of these routes have one common goal: employability. In this video blog we look at positive examples of how our projects are helping to make young people more employable and crucially helping them to land their first job.
Recently the charity Change Agents got in touch with us through Twitter to let us know the exciting news that one of their Leonardo participants was appearing on BBC One’s Look North to speak about his experience of the jobs market as a young graduate. Tim Hall shared his story of trying to find a paid job incorporating his passion for conservation and his delight at receiving an invitation to interview for Change Agents UK’s Leonardo Mobility Programme placement as an Audio-Visual Researcher. If successful, through the placement he would be able to develop his specialist skills and gain experience to make him more desirable to potential employers.
Tackling youth employment is not only a key issue in the UK, but a priority for Europe under the EU 2020 objectives. With the rate of young unemployed people in the EU reaching an historic high at more than twice the adult rate, the European Commission is taking action to make youth employment a reality. In this video blog, we speak to a range of inspiring LLP projects which work with improving employability and skills. Filmed at our Valorisation conference, watch below to hear a college’s perspective on improving youth employability, a Comenius project’s story of looking at opportunities for career development in the renewable energy sector and a Leonardo project developing standards for the maritime industry.
Study visits – the policy perspective
Posted: August 20, 2013 Filed under: Transversal | Tags: CPD, education, policy, transversal Leave a commentLast week some of you may have seen our first Transversal study visit diary written by Lisa Mok from Wai Yin Chinese Women Society. This week, Policy Advisor from the Department for Education, Charlotte Govan, tells us what she hopes to take from her visit to Tîrgu Mureş in Romania looking at innovative approaches to managing educational institutions.
My study visit experience so far…
“I’m a Policy Adviser at the Department for Education (DfE), working on the Academies programme. This aims to give schools freedoms from local authority control, over their budgets, curriculum and length of terms and days, allowing them to make changes that will raise standards in the school. I develop policy around two aspects of the process to open schools as academies.
Can they dig it? Senior volunteers uncover archaeology at home and abroad
Posted: August 16, 2013 Filed under: Grundtvig | Tags: Adult Learning, cultural heritage, Heritage Malta, senior volunteering Leave a commentFrom excavating artefacts to conserving a historic Roman bath house – these are just some of the highlights of a Grundtvig senior volunteering project looking at cultural heritage and archaeology work in Malta and the UK.
The senior volunteers in Malta – hats optional
The inclusive project was designed for participants aged 50 and above to take part in volunteer work in the archaeology and cultural heritage sectors. Many of whom had been keen to study subjects such as archaeology or history at university but never had the opportunity to do so.
The Malta connection
Malta has a rich cultural and architectural heritage, including the Għar Dalam (or the cave of darkness) with the earliest evidence of human settlement in the country some 7,400 years ago.
The 12 participants included six volunteers from the University of Sussex and six from Heritage Malta, the Maltese national agency for museums, conservation practice and cultural heritage. The Sussex volunteers first spent three weeks in Malta helping on-going archaeological excavation and conservation projects.
Excavation and conservation work was also based on a Roman bathhouse, at the Maltese town of Ghan Tuffieha, which was first investigated in 1929 and is now being re-excavated and conserved prior to being opened to the public. One volunteer from Malta, Raymond Jones, shared his thoughts on the opportunity:
“It was truly an experience to remember and brag about. All present on site were very kind and truly friendly and made our three weeks over there a great experience…”
Excavating the channels of the former Roman bath at Ghan Tuffieha
Transversal Study Visit diary – part one
Posted: August 13, 2013 Filed under: Transversal | Tags: CPD, Lifelong Learning Programme, poverty, social integration, Study Visit, transversal Leave a commentThe Transversal programme funds individuals to share expertise and best practice in a Study Visit hosted in another European country. With the final round of study visits now open we asked one participant to take part in a travel diary with a difference: to share their story before and after their visit before the transition into the new programme. Lisa Mok, Assistant Director of Wai Yin Chinese Women Society, shares her preparations as we follow her visit to Budapest to look at social integration of people living in deep poverty in part one.
An introduction
Lisa Mok leaves for Budapest, Hungary, in October to take part in the four day visit
“My name is Lisa Mok and we’ve provided services to ethnic minority communities in Manchester and the UK since 1988. I am involved in the development of our Education, Training and Employment unit, providing a variety of courses for the Manchester community. We learned about the Transversal programme from an organisation called Locality. We had been eager to get European Commission funding to deliver adult learning activities to support disadvantaged groups but found we did not have any partners in European nations.
Final thematic networking event
Posted: August 9, 2013 Filed under: Thematic Networking Leave a commentOn 12 June 2013, members of the thematic networking groups (TNGs) came together in Telford for the final event under the current Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP).
We were delighted to see so many of our longstanding members together with new representatives from the world of education and training at the event. It was an opportunity to share and evaluate the work of the TNGs over the last seven years as well as discuss activities for the future.
The day began with a presentation from Chris Walker, LLP Director at Ecorys on the latest developments with the new Erasmus+ programme.
Faye Hindle-Lewis, Head of Communications and the TransversalProgramme at Ecorys then gave a presentation on the TNG Journey.
A lot can happen in a year…
Posted: August 6, 2013 Filed under: Erasmus+, Grundtvig, Leonardo, Lifelong Learning Programme, Transversal | Tags: Erasmus+, grundtvig, leonardo, Lifelong Learning Programme, transversal Leave a commentOne year ago today, NASA successfully launched the Mars Curiosity Rover, Nick Skelton and the GB show jumping team leaped to victory winning a Gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics, and the Lifelong Learning Programme announced the 2013 Call for Proposals for the Leonardo, Grundtvig and Transversal programmes.
Now, 12 months later, there’s been a lot of positive change: the Curiosity Rover has discovered evidence to suggest why Mars lost its original atmosphere, Nick Skelton has been awarded an OBE and the Lifelong Learning Programme has funded almost 700 more education and training projects and is now evolving into the new Erasmus+ programme.
Five reasons to take part in a Study Visit
Posted: August 2, 2013 Filed under: Transversal | Tags: Erasmus+, partners, Study Visit, vocational education Leave a commentOver the past seven years more than 1550 participants have benefitted from European Study Visits and applications for the final round under the current programme are now open – but how could a visit under the Transversal programme benefit you? Here’s just five reasons why you should apply:
1. Short educational trips to concentrate the mind
As they only last between three and five days Study Visits are short and intense, meaning not only do you get to look at one topic in depth but you won’t have to spend too long away from the office. Open to decision makers and experts from all areas of education and training, this flexibility allows you to take part in an inspiring learning and development opportunity while still keeping up with your own workload.
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