In 2017 more than 22,000 projects have been carried out within the framework of the Erasmus + program throughout Europe and beyond, with more than 84,000 organizations involved and almost 800,000 direct participants in courses, practices, exchanges, seminars and volunteers, among others (Source Commission European). These are very satisfactory numbers, continually increasing and which contribute to strengthening one (if not the best) of the most effective and best-rated European programs in numbers and results. Throughout our history as participants before and coordinators after, we have been able to observe and receive evaluations on aspects to improve that perhaps should be framed in a standard document so that all those organizations that start in the Erasmus + world can have a valuable tool for improve project management. For example: What is the ecological footprint of an exchange, or a training course? How many resources are we consuming and how many end up in the garbage or overused? How can we provide a sustainable project? How can we promote a healthy and active lifestyle? But also: How can we really include participants at risk of social exclusion? For example, those with disabilities? Trainers active in European projects under the Erasmus + program often have a background that has little to do with working with adults. It is necessary that the most experienced Erasmus + organizations, along with others with more specific competences in certain sectors, offer their Know how, adding analysis and exchanging good practices, to offer those who want to approach the world of adult education and those who they already do it, innovative and quality tools and methodologies that allow them to improve in their daily work with adults. Europe to ME allow the organizations to be directly involved in the activities, as they were interviewed and able to contribute with their personal vision on how to organize training activities that respect the environment and are sustainable; also the trainers had participated in the research, study, analysis and content creation activities for the manual, and adults, especially those at risk of social exclusion, were able to make their voices heard, express their feelings, comment on European policies and how organizations should act so that projects are more inclusive and more adults can participate in them collectives. The project was therefore aimed at trainers, leaders and coaches, participating adults and organizations active in training and who develop and / or participate in training projects such as exchanges and training courses. The project reach the following objectives: -improving the competences and skills of trainers and organizations active in Erasmus + on specific and relevant issues such as the environment and inclusion; -develop and strengthen European networks; -increasing the capacity of organizations active in Erasmus + projects to operate transnationally; -promoting learning based on environmental protection and the inclusion of people at risk of social exclusion through mobility projects within the framework of the Erasmus + Program. We consider that the project can generate the following impact: -Ability to plan and carry out learning autonomously -Develop an idea to put it into practice -Recognize the value of different cultures -Planning tasks and activities -Express yourself creatively The main result was a complete manual with interesting and practical information about how to run more sustainable, inclusive and accessible Erasmus+ activities, based on the experience and feedbaks of organizations, trainers and adult already active in Erasmus+ projects. The outreach activities have been designed in order to quickly reach European organizations active in Erasmus + but also trainers, leaders and coaches and adult participants in order to reach different target groups, using the appropriate tools for each one. Europe to Me represents the first in a long series of collaborative activities at European level to improve the quality standards of projects financed through Erasmus +
The priority objectives of the project are: -Improve the competences and skills of the trainers and the organizations active in Erasmus+ in specific and relevant issues such as the environment and inclusion; -develop and strengthen European networks; -increase the capacity of organizations active in Erasmus+ projects to operate transnationally; -promote learning based on environmental protection and the inclusion of people at risk of social exclusion through mobility projects within the framework of the Erasmus + Program. We believe that the project can generate the following impact: -Ability to plan and carry out learning autonomously -Develop an idea to put it into practice -Recognize the value of different cultures -Plan tasks and activities -Express yourself creatively
In 2017, more than 22,000 projects have been carried out within the framework of the Erasmus+ program throughout Europe and beyond, with more than 84,000 organizations involved and almost 800,000 direct participants in courses, internships, exchanges, seminars and volunteering, among others (Source Commission European). These are very satisfactory numbers, which are constantly increasing and which contribute to strengthening one (if not the best) of the most effective and best valued European programs in terms of numbers and results. Throughout our trajectory as participants before and coordinators afterwards, we have been able to observe and receive evaluations on aspects to improve that perhaps should be framed in a standard document so that all those organizations that start in the Erasmus+ world can have a valuable tool to improve project management. For example: What is the ecological footprint of an exchange, or of a training course? How many resources are we consuming and how many end up in the trash or overused? How can we provide a sustainable project? How can we promote a healthy and active lifestyle? But also: How can we truly include participants at risk of social exclusion? For example, those with disabilities? Active trainers in European projects within the framework of the Erasmus+ program usually have a background that has little to do with working with adults. There is usually no specific university degree for this professional profile in almost any European country. Most of the trainers gain experience, coming from more diverse profiles (social, cultural, political...). It is necessary that the most experienced organizations in Erasmus+, together with others with more specific competences in certain sectors, offer their Know-how, adding analysis and exchanging good practices, to offer those who want to approach the world of adult education and those who they already do, innovative and quality tools and methodologies that allow them to improve in their daily work with adults. Europe to ME will allow organizations to be directly involved in the activities, which will be interviewed and will be able to contribute their personal vision on how to organize training activities that respect the environment and are sustainable; to the trainers, who will participate in the research, study, analysis and content creation activities for the manual, at the same time that they will be involved in training activities with disadvantaged groups; adults, especially those at risk of social exclusion, who will be able to make their voices heard, express their feelings, give an opinion on European policies and how organizations should act so that the projects are more inclusive and more adults of these can participate collective.