CONTEXT 'Intercambio+: Connecting Cultures through Structured Language Exchange' combined will unite a complementary partnership with experience in language training, cultural heritage and Erasmus+ VET mobilities. The partnership consists of Brighton Third Sector Training (UK) as the applicant organisation, Capacity Ireland (Ireland), Third Sector International (Spain), Materahub (Italy), DSC Formation et Developpement (France), Synopsis Practice Lda (Portugal) and International Exchanges Berlin (Germany). The European Commission has identified language learning in Europe as a specific issue that needs to be addressed. Multilingualism in the workplace is extremely beneficial, nevertheless approximately 50% of EU citizens can only speak and understand their mother tongue. This project intends to overcome some of the barriers of language learning combined with encouraging cultural appreciation, integration and awareness. Objectives - Produce a cultural handbook, which identifies pathways to language training - Develop a toolkit with materials and guidance to run Intercambio+ sessions - Launch the Intercambio+ online platform - Promote professional development of staff and learners from all partner organisations, alongside integration of community organisations. - Foster greater European cooperation in the both culture and language training. Target Groups Vocational providers: We aim to disseminate our project results, Intercambio+ and the cultural handbook to vocational providers, cultural and community groups. The outputs will help them encourage and provide practical advice to learners, which will be especially useful should they embark upon either an Erasmus+ mobility or work experience abroad. Through such providers, we expect the project to have a positive impact on these learners, who are predominantly young and interested in working across Europe in linguistic or culture-orientated jobs. Employers: We hope that the project will result in highly positive impacts for employers looking to hire workers from abroad. The exchange of ideas will inform new ways to implement cultural heritage and language learning in European courses, thus improving the standard of employee for the employers. By discussing these key areas with our partners, we hope to improve the access that these employers have to a workforce with sufficient and relevant skills. Decision-makers and regulators: By engaging these stakeholders with the project, we hope to affect a positive impact in the sense that they will become more aware of the need for discussions on culture and language learning in Europe. We hope to also emphasise to them the importance of providing courses specifically for VET learners who wish to work abroad, as this target audience is likely to continue to grow in the future. Activities The main project activities will include: - Transnational Project Meetings: Brighton (UK), October 2019; Marseille (France), February 2020; Seville (Spain), June 2020; Dublin (Ireland), October 2020; Matera (Italy), January 2021; Berlin (Germany), April 2021; Lisbon (Portugal), July 2021. - Cultural handbook and transnational reports: publications made freely available online, to be translated into English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese - Intercambio+: an online platform whereby learners, staff and representatives from local communities can access learning materials and arrange social, cultural events with language learning at the core - Multiplier events: to coincide with the European Day of Languages and to run an Intercambio+ session with 30 local and foreign participants Methodology To understand and evidence good practices in language learning, the partners will contact previous and current learners; conduct quantitative analysis on the importance of languages and different cultures in a national context; and interview stakeholders in the sector to adopt a broader perspective. In combination with the partners’ own feedback from learners and experience in language training, the project will result in a final transnational report, to be translated into each partner country’s language, as well as the publication of cultural handbooks and Intercambio+ toolkits. Results and Impact The cultural handbook will give vocational providers of teaching qualifications the tools to improve training, work placements and language courses for their learners. This result will indirectly produce a positive impact on learners, especially those who participate in mobility projects, in regard to their language skills and therefore employability within the teaching sector. Transnational reports and the language learning guide will foster interest from VET providers, language schools, community groups and cultural bodies outside the partnership. The primary intangible outcome refers to the professional development of various staff involved in the project, including VET trainers, project managers and researchers.
The idea of this project is to innovate and provide structure to the concept of 'Intercambio', which are language exchange events where both local and foreign participants converse in each other's languages as well as any other language they may have in common. We aimed to create an online platform for resources and tools; learning materials which follow ECVET principles; promotion and features to connect groups across Europe so that events involving language practice could be arranged; and cultural handbooks, translated in the partners' languages, that aim to improve the language support and guidance given to learners on mobility placements. Intangible outcomes included supporting the professional development of various staff involved in the project, including VET trainers, project managers and researchers, as well as increasing cooperation between partner organisations with an appreciation of varying national contexts and improved cultural awareness through regular communication and visits.
Brighton Third Sector Training’s experiences as a sending and host organisation of Erasmus+ VET mobility projects were the main inspiration behind this project. We recognise the significance of language learning and cultural integration and how they can be achieved through multiple methods. The European Commission has recognised language learning in Europe as a key priority. Multilingualism is without a doubt advantageous, particularly in regard to employment, nonetheless approximately 50% of EU citizens could only speak and comprehend their mother tongue at application stage. Furthermore, Eurostat statistics advocate that more than a third of Europeans do not participate at all in cultural activities. Cultural heritage has a significant impact on people's livelihoods as it contributes greatly to their well-being and boosts their sense of belonging to society. These needs were also relevant to the partners selected for the project, who we believed could offer invaluable contributions and perspectives from different parts of Europe. All have been involved in the Erasmus+ Programme and VET mobility projects, recognising the need to support cultural and linguistic exchange particularly for the programme’s participants.