Through this project we wanted to provide an opportunity for disadvantaged students to travel abroad and have access to an international placement experience within their subject area through volunteering. We wanted to provide students with practical experiential learning to broaden their perspective and align theory with practice while developing their own competencies to improve their employability in the future. We also wanted staff from both colleges to have the opportunity to collaborate and develop strategies to enhance curriculum development, student retention. For students, to enhance the personal development so they gain a different perspective through working practices in another country. To increase student’s employability skills such as team working, problem solving, communication, conflict resolution and emotional intelligence through experiential learning in the workplace. Explore in context the cultural diversity & issues impacting young people in education in Germany/ Northern Ireland. To build upon an already successful and established Erasmus project with St. Ursula is which gives Health, Well Being and Inclusion students the opportunity to access an international placement and increase mobility opportunities.
Belfast Met applied for this project to give an opportunity to students, as the majority of the students will be from high social deprivation, under privileged and disadvantaged backgrounds. This mobility opportunity will give students, most who have never been abroad before the opportunity to experience work and study placements across Europe and an insight to a different culture, which will help develop key social and language competencies as well as communication skills. Competencies to be developed include; • Increasing the employability of students. In the current economic climate, it is important that students gain higher vocational transferable skills as well as their technical & academic skills. BMC & the Northern Ireland government believe that periods of mobility greatly enhance vital skills such as adaptability, communication, flexibility, initiative, etc. Increasing the employability of learners in vocational training through work-based learning is a central part of apprenticeship delivery in Northern Ireland. Learners can gain valuable experience outside of the UK and bring their knowledge & skills home to help play a part in a global economy.