We want to carry out this projects for the following reasons To increase the number of courses that can avail of Erasmus opportunities and all the benefits in our college. To build confidence and develop social skills and independence in our students. To acquire new skills and competencies in the teaching and learning of Sport, TV, Horticulture, music and Lab skills. To improve the chance of future employment for participants through acquired knowledge and skills from work placement training. For staff exchanges of best practices in teaching methodologies and strategies which can be used to develop and modernize our educational teaching standards. On a European level we want to promote multiculturalism. We want to increase participation and tackle early school leavers in education by promoting Erasmus + programs in our school. We want to promote other European languages and to allow our students to develop a sense of European citizenship and identity. We want to build European networks in education and industry for future collaborations. The duration will be for 2 weeks. (x2 over 2 years) This staff member and students will spend the first day in the host college learning new teaching methodologies and skills before meeting their work managers. They will also be given information on safety, local culture, socialisation, some basic language classes and information on work placements. Students will then travel with teacher to related work practice placements. 2 students will work with local personal Gym 2 students will work with TV company GMT Productions. 2 students will work with local horticulture company 2 students will work in a water testing lab 2 students will work with a local music/performance group All companies have a close working relationship with our host college and have agreed to take our students for their desired work placements. This will serve as work experience which our students must complete for QQI Fetac level 5 accreditation. By students carrying out this work experience abroad they are being exposed to a different culture, language, and work practices which will all contribute to the overall objectives of this mobility.
This project was a second Erasmus+ mobility partnership between Galway Community College in Ireland and Agrupamento de Escolas nº 4 de Évora in Portugal. Contact persons Tom Flanagan and Ana Pires met at the Leargas Connect Conference in Dublin in November 2016 and decided to apply for funding to send students on mobility projects to each others respective colleges. This project continued on from our first Erasmus venture undertaken by Galway Community College which proved very benefical to our students, staff and the wider school community. We decided to expand our Erasmus programs in our College by putting relevant information in local newspapers and in local radio adverts to offer places to more departments. Information was placed on Erasmus noticeboard in the main foyer informing students of the opportunity to participate in mobilities. The Erasmus committee was established in our school from our first project with AG4 in the school and the Erasmus co Ordinator informed all teachers at a staff meeting about the potential benefits of such projects for students, staff and the teaching and learning environment. All students were informed and given applications to apply for places in their chosen departments. Interviews were set up and a selection criteria was established making the process fair and transparent. After consultation with our Partners we offered 2 places from our Music course to participate in these mobilities 20 students were chosen to travel to Evora with a teacher from each department getting the opportunity to accompany them and meet their educational counterparts in Portugal. The accompanying teacher travelled out to support our students and to experience the exchange of best practices in vocational education and training and then accompanied our students home. Although teachers involved were travelling as accompanying persons they found the experience very worthwhile and enjoyable, they have built contacts in education and industry and it has allowed them to both learn new teaching methods but also showed them what they are already doing well. The introduction of Erasmus has created a notable "buzz" or energy in our college which serves to both attract and retain our students in education. It also creates connections and collaborations between students from different courses. They travelled in October 2019 and April 2022 after a project extension due to Covid 19.. We applied for two accompanying staff due to the fact that most of our students would be considered vulnerable learners and have little or no experience in foreign travel. We selected students from the following courses TV and Film, Horticulture, Sports, music and Bio medical/ Laboratory skills. students from these departments travelled to Evora to learn new skills and competencies in the classroom and practical college based sessions. College learning took place on their first day. They then carried out work placements. 2 sports students worked with in a local GYM assisting in personal training and classes 2 students worked with TV company GMT Productions. 2 students worked at a local Vineyard and at E Cork hotel. 2 students worked inn a local water and blood laboratory. 2 students worked with a local music group and performed at 2 different shows. All these companies have a close working relationship with our host college. Students gained accreditation for QQI level 5 course module in Work experience and received a certificate of completion. Staff participated in the exchange of best practice in vocational education training which contributed towards their continuous professional development. Participants learned new skills and competencies that increased their ability to progress in education and obtain future employment. Students developed greater social and inter personal skills. As a result of this mobility students have increased confidence, ambition and a greater sense of the European labor market. The Impact was assessed through evaluation forms, supervisor reports and student surveys. Dissemination activities of project results included displaying information on the school website, on all social media, through local media and information sharing seminars with other schools and colleges within the GRETB. Erasmus Noticeboards informing students, staff and the general public about impact displayed information in our college. There was a significant impact from our participation in Erasmus+ projects at learner, staff and organisational level. An Internationalization strategy and policy continues to grow at Galway Community College. Both staff and students have built European networks in education and industry. A European identity has been fostered by students and staff at GCC. This Erasmus project started our journey in Europe and we are continuing to build European social and cultural capital and networks to expand our Erasmus opportunities. This mobility has had a very positive effect on students, staff and our college as a whole.