Quote: "We need a new learning culture", (education scientist Prof. Felix Rauner/university of Bremen) "Already in the Kindergarden contacts to the world of work should be built, for example when master craftsmen tell the childreen about their work ..." Although there exist many offers and supports for young people in Europe, the high number of early school leavers and vocational training dropouts present a constant challenge. Based on the experiences of the 10 project partners a common European strategy for a better transition between school, vocational training and work will be developed. Good practice examples from all over Europe will be collected, prepared and presented in a combined Guideline. Additionally, fitting offers for the target groups of the projects three core topics will be developed. These offers will have exemplary quality. The core topics are: 1.) Prevention of early school leaving 2.) Contribution to the prevention of vocational training dropout. 3.) Networks and structures for the improvement of transition The innovative aspects of this concept are the holistic approach beginning in pre school and reaching over primary school to secondary school to vocational schools to young adult education and youth work. Parents, stakeholders, companies and institutions but most importantly, the young people themself, will be involved. All work together to develop trans-sectoral structures and networks of relevant stakeholders as well as innovative and fitting offers to ensure smooth transitions for young people. During the first project year an empiric study will be carried out. Young people resume an active part in the compilation of the study by expressing their experiences in school, their wishes concerning vocational orientation and their needs. Other parts of the study contain surveys of schools, analyses of existing offers for transitions and the question for the use of new media and fitting offers for all target groups. The study will form the basis for the further work of the partners during the following two project years. During these years the project partners will exchange experiences, approaches and good practices. We will visit each other, learn from each other and work together to make this project a success.
" Quote: "We need a new learning culture!" (education scientist Prof. Felix Rauner/University of Bremen) "Already in the Kindergarten contacts to the world of work should be built, for example when master craftsmen tell the children about their work ..." (Source: http://www.sueddeutsche.de) Based on many years of experience of the partners, current statistics and the strategy of the European Union, the basic question was: What do young people need for a successful way of life, how can the social environment of the family, educators and educational institutions, educational biographies have a positive effect? How to achieve optimal transitions? Although there exist many offers and support possibilities for young people in Europe, the high number of early school leavers and vocational training dropouts present a constant challenge! During the period from 01.09.2014 to 31.08.2017 10 partners from 5 European countries were involved in this project The partners came from different fields of work : pre-school, Primary school, secondary School, vocational school, comprehensive school, project: "Peer to Peer", Youth work, Adult education. It was the aim of this partnership to use the experiences of the ten project partners to create one common document with advices and good practice examples that can be used as inspiration for institutions all over Europe to improve their work with children and youngsters in the field of transition. The core topics of our work were: 1.) Prevention of early school leaving 2.) Prevention of vocational training dropout 3.) Networks and structures for the improvement of transition The innovative aspect of this project was the holistic approach beginning in preschool and reaching over primary school to secondary school to vocational schools to young adult education and youth work. During our work, parents, stakeholders, companies and institutions but most importantly, the young people themselves, were involved. Essentially, it was possible to have a continuous exchange with the partner organizations and to get practical experience at 8 transnational meetings, 10 Job shadowings and 2 teaching assignments. In addition, there took place 5 multiplier events and parent-teacher conferences, model projects as well as a lot of specialist events. During the three project years the partners exchanged many experiences, approaches and good practices. We visited each other, got to know the work of the partner institutions and learned about strategies and projects in the different countries. We started to adopt ideas from the others, formed new partnerships and were able to integrate the experiences from this project into our own work. Examples include the installation of a language class according to the Finnish model, the improvement of the transition between elementary school and regular school, including the social worker of the regular school and the pilot project vocational orientation in primary school. In 2015, a survey on the three core topics “Prevention of early school leaving”, “Prevention of vocational training dropout”, “Networks and structures for the improvement of transition” was conducted in all partner organizations. Participants were more than 2000 students, parents and educators. The results of the questionnaire can be found on the homepage www.consistentway.eu. It was interesting, that in all the partners’ countries the results were similar: start early, be practical, be individual and don’t forget the parents!.This study was the basis for the further work of the partners during the following two project years as well as for the creation of the 60-page Guideline, as a result of the European project “Consistent way…” , with 32 good practice examples of the partners. In order to secure the project sustainably and implement concrete practical models, a sustainability concept was developed together with the partners. We wanted to make this project a success – and we sure we did.