1. First Partners’ Meeting, Genoa, Italy 9-11 January 2008 Rita Bencivenga, Studio Taf s.a.s. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and he Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein 134430-CP-1-2007-1-IT-GMP

2. Project outline Identification and validation of non-formal learning: makes visible and values the full range of knowledge and competences held by an individual, irrespective of where or how these have been acquired. The Partners are in the legal position to start the official validation of non formal learning activities The Partners will identify which indicators and which monitoring and evaluation activities may lead to the validation of the learning non –formal path of individuals and groups. In other words the project deals with the validation of the Learning Ability of individuals and groups.

3. Project outline Identification and validation are key instruments in enabling the transfer and acceptance of all learning outcomes across different settings. Identification records and makes visible the individual ’ s learning outcomes: this does not result in a formal certificate or diploma, but it may provide the basis for such formal recognition. Validation is based on the assessment of the individual ’ s learning outcomes and may result in a certificate or diploma. Detecting, evaluating and recognizing formal and non formal learning are, for sure, part of the process. LabObs project aims at handling the subject, using specific educational methods which contain elements of formal and non-formal learning (e.g. Study Circles, Exchange Networks of Knowledge, Thematic Clubs of users).

4. Project outline: research The research will be carried out simultaneously by four countries: France, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria (results disseminated also in Romania) Aims: analyzing and comparing different non-formal learning pathways and methods exploring different solutions for the formal recognition of non formal learning. The Partners: a Center aimed at giving information to adults looking for new jobs and for new learning paths in one capital city, one hinterland disadvantaged area which is trying to solve a long-term socio- cultural and economic disadvantage, one trans border area the capital city of a country which has recently entered the EU with educational patterns which are different, for historical and social reasons, from the ones of the other countries.

5. Project outline: research The Partners will promote the activation of non-formal educational methods in four areas with different cultural, occupational and social characteristics. These methods will aim at acquiring different and complementary skills. These non formal educational methods will be monitored to check the final results and in the view of starting the path to obtain formal validation of the Learning Ability of the individuals and groups. A solid research methodology (survey and observation of the work done at national level and international exchange among partners): will allow the interaction in all the phases of the process promoting positive contamination and motivating all the involved realities and will lead to common frameworks leading to formal recognition and applicable in other countries wishing to follow the same path.

6. Project outline: research The research will analyze the 4 local test beds starting from the following points of view : Purposes (short-term & specific and non credential based) Timing (short cycle/recurrent/part time) Content (individualized/practical, where the clients determine the entry requirements) Delivery system: (environment-based, community related; flexible, learner-centered and resource saving) Control: self-governing / democratic and will define the possibility of a validation of the methods.

7. Project outline: dissemination An intensive dissemination program of activities will raise the awareness of all the relevant public and private bodies in the field at different political level, Local, Regional, National and International, all relevant in relation to the validation process of non-formal learning tools. International workshops and seminars, local seminars, a final international conference a meeting in Brussels to present the project to the EU representatives and politicians.

8. Project outline: outputs The project’s outputs will be available in French, Italian, Spanish, Bulgarian and Romanian, in localized versions: research report including guidelines for the validation leaflets newsletter website

9. Role of Partners:Province of Genova Responsible for all deliverables In charge of the integration and coherence of project procedures, outputs and services. It will work in close contact with the coordinating institution, Auxilium. Five Study Circles will be activated in a disadvantaged area which is quickly developing, named Valpolcevera. Aim: promoting socio-economic development. The results of the international research and the identified best practices will start a validation process which will be extended to all levels.

10. Role of Partners:Auxilium Auxilium will be mainly involved in the quality management and evaluation of the project. The main tasks will be to ensure good project quality on product, process and impact level. Auxilium will provide the necessary subject and methodological knowledge and develop the quality management plan for the project. Furthermore Auxilium will support the project on dissemination and valorization level through a large network of co-operation partners in Europe including the largest sector specific network for dissemination and exploitation of project outputs (E.N.T.E.R.).

11. Bidasoa Active Research and analysis of activities, co-ordination of our local tasks collaborators, participation in the transnational meetings, introduction of activities to promote non formal education, organization of 5 Study Circles on relevant topics, participation in the assessment of results and reporting. Topics of the Study Circles will be: TIC and +45, TIC and the elderly (+65), Being an entrepreneur: Experiences, training and guidance tools based on the former work developed with less favoured groups and especially with women; Social and cultural integration of ethnic minorities: study circle fostering integration and exchange of experiences through leisure activities; Health issues: physical and mental health issues. Experiences of citizens and professionals. Recognition of specific training and qualifications.

12. Cité des métiers CDM will be involved in the project by testing, within the international research, “ involvement clubs ” and “ involvement processes ” with two main aims: offering better opportunities to the public in order to access lifelong learning process and validation and involving the public in the governance process of CDM. CDM will specifically work on the monitoring of those “ clubs ” and on the testing of different ways of giving visibility to the skills that are developed during the clubs activities according to the general research framework of the project. Four thematic clubs will organized and monitored during the project. Targets: job-seekers, temporary workers, young graduates or persons with psychiatric disorders.

13. Znanie Znanie will take part in: research and analysis of local Study Circles within the international framework, co-ordination of our local tasks collaborators, participation in the transnational meetings, workshops and seminars. It will also introduce activities to promote informal education, the organization of 5 Study Circles on relevant topics, the participation in the assessment of results and reporting. Topics of the Study Circles will be defined with the local participants and will be relevant to the project aims.

14. Indicators Number of people involved (not lower than the usual 5/15 participants to Study Circles and 8/30 for Thematic Clubs) The activation of at least 19 groups in the countries involved in the research with a total number of participants between 100 and 300. Activities defection less than 20%. Number and quality of proposals originated from Study Circles activated in Italy: at least five projects in the five involved municipalities. Activation from the involved institutions of a path to validate the methods. Activation of official discussion at regional level (in Italy) to promote the validation Presentation of at least one project for a Learning Partnership aimed at promoting non formal educational methods. Activation of at least two new Town Twinning

15. Unimpresa Formazione Unimpresa Formazione will take part in: observation of the research and analysis of activities, participation in the transnational meetings, workshops and seminars, introduction of activities to promote non formal education, organization of 10 local meetings organization of a final international conference, participation in the assessment of results and reporting.

16. Diversity of languages English as a common language for administrative and organizational communication. (e.g. financial activities, periodical balance, coordinators meetings). A slightly bigger problem is the use of foreign languages for the participants when carrying out activities at a national level, but this is a necessity since the local activities will be grounded in an international research: in each Study Circle and Thematic Clubs there will be at least one person speaking one of the languages of the project. Moreover, at least one of the activated and monitored groups in every country will have EU PROGRAMS (LLP and Active Citizenship) as main theme and the use of documents in a foreign language will be part of the main activities. During the international events, it will be possible for all to practice the skills acquired in a real and stimulating context. Last but not least, the project outputs will be localized, translated and distributed in French, Italian, Spanish, Romanian and Bulgarian.

17. The proposal will provide something new … The main new aspect for all those involved directly and indirectly in the proposal activities will be participating to the construction of a process toward validation of non- formal learning methods. They will have the opportunity to analyse new ideas, and define a totally new framework.

18. The proposal will provide something new …Italy The Italian partner has chosen an hinterland area which is changing demographically and which is solving a long term socio-cultural and economic disadvantage. The hoped results consist in the promotion of socio-cultural and economic growth. From a cultural and social point of view, the diffusion of Long Life education, especially if validated, can indirectly effect “social production” of involved individuals. It can activate or re-activate exchange circuits between individuals or groups which would not communicate otherwise and would not find a common field of interest. Finally, an important aspect is related to the connection of the project results with the objectives of the new ESF.

19. The proposal will provide something new …Spain The Bidasoa region has a strategic position within the wider cross-border axis going from Bayonne (FR) to San Sebastián (ES) and it is a unique example of innovative co-operation with the constitution in 1998 of the first cross-border association between municipalities of two different countries. Despite the progress towards “unification” of EU, there still is a great deal of disparity, especially within the cross-border areas where daily relations amongst citizens and enterprises are hindered by social, economic, legal and organisational differences, and even more when taking into account the cross- border mobility within the Bidasoa-Txingudi area. In this sense a number of activities can be considered highly innovative for the Spanish target groups involved in particularly referring to the non formal learning methods.

20. The proposal will provide something new …France The target group of the validation process which will be studied in Paris's CDM is an innovative one: trainers, counselors or other professionals working in social inclusion or lifelong training fields. We have chosen this target group because we have observed an increase in the demand for “collective” use of CDM. The main idea is to train them to consider centers like CDM as empowerment tools. This is an innovative aspect, since CDM is usually well designed for individual use, but, when the target is a group and not an individual (like in Study Circles, RERS or Thematic clubs) some training is needed, in order to use the resources offered by a CDM in the best way.

21. The proposal will provide something new …Bulgaria To individuate the main targets in Bulgaria, we worked on the data collected by the National Bulgarian Agency for Employment in 2005 and 2006. Women unemployment increase from 250886, (55,1%) in 2005 to 219986 (56,5%) in 2006. We know that non formal education tools, the project refers to, are particularly suitable for women (who are often the majority of the participants to these activities). In this case the results will be even more innovative since they are aimed at offering validated educational pathways thus increasing the promotion of women participation and, hopefully, their subsequent enhanced access to the labour market.

22. The proposal will provide something new …Romania In Romania the lack of a government policy for Life Long Learning is an obstacle to the formal inter ministerial connections for the validation of different typologies of permanent education. There is no formal validation or specialization that the instructors can achieve. The lack of pedagogy specialists makes the situation more complicate now that the permanent education strategy should be re-created and there is not enough staff qualified for the task. The project will offer several new opportunities for the targets groups: exchange with experts from other nations, diffusion of the research results, creation of a network of people, public and private institutions interested in formal and non formal education.

23. Cooperation and communication Regular contacts through chat and instant messaging Each person involved in the project is strongly advised to open a mail account and to use it for routine contacts. A folder for the E-mails related to the project will be also created, all the produced material will be exchanged as an attachment to the single E-mails in the “intermediate version” and the final version will be filed in an on-line server, available to all the participants. Yahoo group: ｷ Shared files ｷ Photos and photo album ｷ Group events calendar ｷ Surveys on enrolled people ｷ Shared link

24. WP 1- Management Development of the project working structure Setup of communication basics and rules Setup and introduction of reporting structure together with quality management First transnational project meeting (planning and implementation) Italy Second transnational project meeting (Spain) Preparation of the progress report including financial and administrative issues Third transnational project meeting (France) Fourth transnational project meeting (Romania) Preparation of the final report including financial and administrative issues

25. WP 2 - Research Transnational training workshop in Italy: analysis of the non-formal training tools to be analysed in the different countries Definition of a common framework for the analysis of the research activities Definition of evaluation tools for the analysis of the research activities Definition of the final research report index of contents Local research: 5 Study Circles in Italy, 5 in Bulgaria, 4 Thematic Clubs in France, 5 Study Circles in Spain, duration of each activity 8/12 months plus time needed to identify the participants and evaluate the final results. Translation in local languages of the information agreed on during the transnational workshop Promotion at local level to identify the non-formal groups participants Non-formal groups working under observation of the research team Transnational training workshop in Spain: …… Transnational training workshop in France: Definition of possible validation by the different Partners

26. WP 3 - QPLN Definition of quality criteria on process, product and impact level Operationalisation of quality criteria – development of instruments Development and finalisation of the quality management plan and handbook Implementation of activities of quality management on process, product and impact level Development of a quality interim report with further suggestions and recommendations Development of a quality final report

27. WP 4 - DISS Tools which will accompany the project from the beginning in order to arouse interest and keep it alive: Leaflets, Website, Newsletter (4 Issues), Poster, 3 International Workshops (one day each) in three different countries. The participation to events such as conventions, meetings, showrooms is included and will be evaluated by the partners each time.

28. WP 4 - DISS Brochure: each Partner will produce a brochure based on a common and commonly agreed scheme Website: agreement among partners on contents and structure Newsletter: Definition of the layout and general index, structure, languages Poster: a poster on the project will be printed in the different Countries and used in the future in any public event of dissemination Transnational seminar to arouse awareness and interest on the issues dealt with by the project, in particular the validation of non formal learning (Italy) Transnational seminar to disseminate the first results of the project (Spain) (09/2008) Transnational seminar to disseminate the final results of the project (France) (07/2009) International conference (Romania) (07/2009) Meeting to present the project in Brussels in Casa Liguria. (09/2009) Participation to showrooms, events, local seminars (it is possible to quantify the number of events it will be possible to take part to, (especially the dates). According to former experiences it is possible to assume 4 events per partner for a total of 16 events

29. WP 5 - EXP The partners agree on a common methodology for exploitation of projects activities and results Local meetings (duration 1/2 day, participants 15, starting in 09/08 ) to spread the competence in using the non-formal tools in the view of validating them: 5 in Italy involving personnel working for the Province of Genoa and for the Municipalities involved 3 in Spain involving personnel working for the CDM and associations active in the Region 5 in France involving personnel working for the CDM and Associations for LLL in the Region 5 in Bulgaria involving personnel working for Znanie and for other local Associations for LLL in the Region 10 local meetings in Romania involving personnel working for local Associations, Public and Private bodies involved in LLL in the Region