The objectives were: 1)For participants to be better able to secure or create employment in language work 2)Inclusion:addressing language needs of all learners+those with fewer opportunities in the UK,Spain and Portugal 3)To increase skills, generational and cultural interaction and multilingualism in the EU 4)Involve and empower participants throughout and increase involvement of those with fewer opportunities In addition to these objectives, we also noted that the need for innovative ways to reach and teach all learners means the scheme must provide training for participants to experience a variety of ways of practicing their vocation that they could not get in the UK. We wanted our participants to have high quality placements and teaching experiences that would lead them to further opportunities they would not get otherwise. In addition to the teaching, Portugal and Spain are world leaders in the integration of older and younger people. Lisbon and Seville are effective places in which all ages of participants can immerse themselves in teaching but also mix socially and learn from the city and how different ages mix and learn from the overall lifestyle of those places. This would then inform their own work and personal ways.
The answer to this question would be a blend of personal-individual, organisational and societal impulses i guess! Language is key to inclusion and interaction economically, socially and culturally. Learning English and other EU languages is an essential component of the EU's strategy on social cohesion. We need teachers who can contribute to these issues and also operate effectively in a rapidly changing market and we applied to give them that experience. There is also increasing age segregation in the UK and divides between old and young so we applied to give people a mixed group experience. We wanted to create useful employment outcomes for participants whether they were just out of school or university or middle aged 'career changers'. For the organisations involved, international partnerships are a fantastic way for each organisation to strengthen their work, build capacity and enhance their offer internationally. Finally, there are naturally personal motivations and a desire from our team to apply for this project so that we could make a difference to the lives of the participants and to our own lives! We enjoy working on Erasmus projects and it is fantastic work to do and to be part of.