According to the IOM and UNICEF (2016) one in five of over 1 000 ,000 refugees and migrants who have crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe is a child. It is estimated that 214,355 migrant children have arrived in EU member states only in 2016. Children with migrant background are at risk of violence along their migration route, and due to difficulties of identification and registration their child protection needs are not always identified or met. Reflecting on the analysis, it is argued that EU member states need to consider developing common procedures and systems which could reflect both the national conditions and adopt a European model assessed and based on Evidence Based Practice. For this reason this proposal promotes a tangible solution of interdisciplinary professional development within a European common/integrated approach. More specifically it interprets collaboration under a multi-level perspective: to meet professionals’ needs; to promote interagency collaborative schemes; and to advance quality progression within limited resources The aim of the GVETS is to develop an interdisciplinary capacity building program through gamification for professionals working with children in migration environments in order to improve their capacity and strengthen their role for the protection of children. The innovative pedagogical method of gamification will be deployed as its affordances are full alignment with training needs of social workers and professionals to address societal challenges. Particularly gamification of vocational training for professional in child protection and support, implies the deployment of experimentation, problem solving, communication and networking, critical thinking, contextualization and transferability of knowledge in to the field. The GVETS and its training accredited partners will secure the recognition of skills and qualifications of GVETS participants based on the EQF, EQAVET and the ECVET. GVETS addressess the national prioeiites of Hungary in VET satating: - Development of VET partnerships encouraging work-based learning in all forms, in particular student contracted training involving social partners, businesses and professional training services; - Introduction of system-wide approaches and opportunities in vocational education and in the workplace level for, trainers and mentors for efficient, open and innovative education through ICT application. Additionally, it satisfies a number of Erasmus Plus objectives such as: • Develop a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation •Transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications to facilitate learning, employability and labour mobility •Combine higher levels of excellence and attractiveness of training and education with increased opportunities for all • Support the development of the EU as a knowledge-based society Moreover, it satisfies a number of Erasmus Plus objectives such as: • Support inclusive training initiatives and digital inclusion for all •Open and innovative education, training and youth work, embedded in the digital era •Provide an innovative ICT–based educational practice that will motivate the adults to commit in active learning •Transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications to facilitate learning, employability and labor mobility •Combine higher levels of excellence and attractiveness of training and education with increased opportunities for all, including those at disadvantage •Strengthening key competences in VET curricula and providing more effective opportunities to acquire or develop those skills through I-VET and C-VET. The consortium consists of 7 partners from 7 European countries. GVETS envisions developing close synergies between the areas of work of the partners as one over-arching objective of the project, with common parameters the need for development joint curriculum to improve the digital skills of the EU labor force. The consortium consists of partners consists of 1 Association of VET Institutions (ITAINNOVA), 2 Social Work Organizations (IASIS, AIDGLOBAL), 2 Centers working with migrants (MENEDEK, DDG), 1 International Organization working with children (OIT) and 1 VET Technology and inclusion organization (CSI). Critical support to the consortium, in regard to the implementation, dissemination and exploitation of the project will be provided by wider network of associate partners of the core project partners. Long term benefits for EU and its Citizens -Placing social work l skills at the heart of a demanding society for support and establishing the EU the pioneer actor in the global migration crisis -Addressing social work skills at EU Level offering advanced tools for relevant skills upgrade and accreditations -Empower stakeholders to use accredited innovative ICT-based educational practices in enhancing people’s digital, collaboration, problem solving, creativity and innovation skills
Migrant children arrive to European countries unaccompanied and with families in great numbers, especially since the wave of arrivals in and after 2015. This necessitates professionals all over Europe who have the capacity and knowledge to support children and provide for their special needs and vulnerabilities when arriving and throughout their integration. The GVETS project was created as a response to the recognition of gaps in the VET structures of Europe in the professional development of professionals working with migrant children. The project’s objective was to utilize ICT tools and the innovative pedagogical tool of gamification to create a training platform covering a wide range of topics and competences relevant and essential for those working with children in a migration environment. For the preparation of the training design, partners conducted a background research on the existing VET structures and training opportunities for the target group. Based on the research and partners’ expertise, we developed the GVETS curriculum, and implemented it on the Platform to create the GVETS online training. The training consists of 7 Modules covering the topics of migration, child protection, crisis management, guidance, critical social work theories, social worker soft skills and digital aspects of social work. All Modules are available in English, and selected Modules in partners’ languages. The training Platform utilizes innovative ICT tools, activities and gamification elements, and synthetizes theoretical and practical knowledge with professionals self-reflection and hands-on problem solving and field work, and provides opportunity for networking through the chatroom. In addition, the training and the Platform involves assessment, validation and recognition tools, and a Guide for stakeholders on European VET structures such as ECVET, EQF and EQUAVET. The GVETS Adaptation and Policy Package provides support for stakeholders in the implementation and recognition of the GVETs training. The GVETS project consisted of 7 partners from 7 EU countries: Menedék Association (Hungary), Diversity Development Group (Lithuania), Oxfam Italia (Italy), IASIS NGO (Greece), AIDGLOBAL (Portugal), Center for Social Innovation (Cyprus), ITAINNOVA (Spain). The partnership represents expertise in a wide range of topics from migration, intercultural competences, direct support and child protection, to ICT tools, innovative pedagogical approaches, European VET standards and training. Apart from the consortium, participants were involved int the project based on their expertise as stakeholders, such as VET and HE institutions, individual trainers, academia, policy makers, public bodies, municipalities, organizations with relevant experiences in training and fields work. In addition, the target group of the project was involved throughout the preparation, development and implementation phases of the project, namely professionals working with migrant children (social workers, teachers, psychologists, lawyers, child protection guardians, family service providers, and other professionals), and students studying in relevant fields. The project directly involved 1347 participants cumulatively, 684 of whom provided inputs and feedbacks for the development of GVETS results, 557 enrolled into the English or one of the local language versions of the GVETS training, and 106 associated partners committed to utilize and distribute the GVETS materials in their trainings and activities. The platform will be available and updated long after the project closing, therefore new professionals will have an opportunity to register and utilize the GVETS training later on as well. The impact of the project is realized for partner organizations, who are themselves beneficiaries of the created training as training providers and/or field professionals, and a wide range of stakeholders and target group members are impacted through the availability of this new innovative capacity building tool. In addition, the long-term impact is expected to be realized in the structures and systems surrounding the support of migrant children, therefore the final beneficiaries are children around Europe who will receive better and more effective help. The GVETS training is already being used and the feedback from both trainees and trainers are highly positive, testimonies show that the topics presented and the easy-access form is truly gap-filling. The GVETS training platform creates a long-term opportunity for young professionals to develop their competences, and local and national HE, VET institutions and training organizations to implement training programs that reflect the development needs of social workers and other professionals, and that react to the needs of migrant children in the XXI. century.