Micro-enterprise Learning Partnerships - ME2ME, is an innovative project that aims to develop bespoke peer-to-peer learning networks in real and virtual environments where micro-enterprise owners can share their knowledge and skills with other business owners supported by duly trained VET professionals. The owners of micro-enterprises are the key decision makers where learning in this sector is concerned and by attracting business owners to these new learning environments the project will improve the potential for learning within each micro-enterprise engaged especially for staff or workers with low skill levels. Developing closer working relationships between the world of education and the world of work is a major priority for all Member States to try and ensure that VET provision responds to the needs of the market place. Bringing VET professionals and micro-enterprise owners together within the framework of the ME2ME project will help to cultivate positive attitudes and relationships that can be difficult in real-world settings. Partners in 8 Member States will work with key business stakeholders to identify skills and knowledge that could be used to benefit the business community as a whole. Partners will conduct audits of micro-enterprises in their local areas to identify skill and knowledge assets that could be useful to the wider business community. A suite of bespoke mini-learning-format resources appropriate for on-line learning environments will be developed to address issues identified during a research and audit exercise in each local area. As most of the business owners involved in the project will have no pedagogic training, an induction programme will be developed to ensure that the required quality standards are achieved in the peer-to-peer learning environments developed. Similarly, as most VET professionals are unfamiliar with on-line learning and the change in roles that it requires and don't have the required media production skills to produce mini-learning-format resources a continuous professional development curriculum will be developed to support their role as developers of engaging learning content and facilitators of learning in the new peer-to-peer learning networks.
The ME2ME project has been aimed at development of bespoke peer-to-peer learning networks in real and virtual environments where micro-enterprise owners share their knowledge and skills. During 24-month timeframe of the project eight partners from eight EU countries have developed six intellectual outputs, organized five transnational meetings, transnational training event and multiplier event in each partner country. Each partner has performed piloting on local level, using the materials developed in practical way and developing peer-to-peer learning networks. The project brought together VET professionals and micro-enterprise owners to create attitudes and relationships that otherwise would not be created. Partners have identified skills and knowledge that could be used to benefit the business community as a whole. Partners performed audits of micro-enterprises in their local areas to identify skills and knowledge that could be useful to the wider business community. The partnership developed and piloted CPD curriculum resources (for VET professionals) and Induction to Pedagogy training programme (for micro-enterprise owners that had no pedagogic training to ensure that the required quality standards are achieved in peer-to-peer learning networks). A suite of bespoke mini-learning-format resources appropriate for on-line learning environments has been developed to address issues identified during a research and audit exercise on local level. These resources supported the role of VET specialists as developers of engaging learning content and facilitators of learning in the new peer-to-peer learning networks. Partners have developed also e-Learning portal to provide access to the learning resources developed and Policy Paper that addressed the issue of the transforming of micro-enterprise owners from consumers of education and training services into producers of education and training.