LP MOBILITY FOR DISABLED LEARNERS GUNTRA CIRULE LATVIA HELSINKI, Oct 5-8, 2006.

EXPERIENCE – GRUNDTVIG 2 project for people with physical disabilities, Mobility to Denmark and Lithuania, 2 x – GRUNDTVIG 2 project for people with physical disabilities, Mobility to Denmark and Lithuania, 2 x – GRUNDTVIG 2 project “DEAF ARE NOT DEAF”, Mobilities to Ireland, Lithuania, Estonia and Slovakia – GRUNDTVIG 2 project “DEAF ARE NOT DEAF”, Mobilities to Ireland, Lithuania, Estonia and Slovakia.

WHY DO PEOPLE UNITE IN SMALL GROUPS ( SG ) ? Need for communication and social contacts, Need for communication and social contacts, Working together at common aim, Working together at common aim, Looking for support in different situations. Looking for support in different situations.

SOCIAL ROLES IN SG ME ME GUNTRA WIFE MOTHER DAUGHTER STUDENT TEACHER SISTER WOMEN PASSANGER LATVIAN CHURCH MEMBER FRIEND PROJECT COORDINATOR

CHARACTERISTICS of SG people.... Up to 30 or even more people.... Up to 30 or even more. Mutual understanding, Mutual understanding, Special role for every group member, Special role for every group member, Leader in the group, Leader in the group, “WE” instead of “I”, “WE” instead of “I”, Common goal, Common goal, Solidity, Solidity,

FORMS of SMALL GROUPS g TIME TYPE CONTACTS PRIMARY - face to face SECONDARY FORMAL INFORMAL REGULAR OCCASIONAL FOR FIXED TIME SPORADICAL

STRUCTURE OF COMMUNICATION Decentralized – Decentralized – Centralized - Centralized -

ATTRACTIVENESS a B E F D C A G REJECTED LEADER

THINGS to be done BEFORE LP MOBILITY Date of Mobility, Date of Mobility, Information for learners about Mobility Information for learners about Mobility (I-net, newspaper+application form), (I-net, newspaper+application form), Meetings with applicants, selecting a group, Meetings with applicants, selecting a group, Improving language skills, 8-10 lessons, Improving language skills, 8-10 lessons, Informal phone calls with participants, Informal phone calls with participants, Supervision of preparation of study visit in destination country (project coordinator). Supervision of preparation of study visit in destination country (project coordinator).

THINGS to be done DURING Mobility Keeping contacts with participants, Keeping contacts with participants, Getting to know each other of whole project group (names, country names, games), Getting to know each other of whole project group (names, country names, games), Social activities in the free time (museums, sight seeing, informal chats, games), Social activities in the free time (museums, sight seeing, informal chats, games), Evaluation of Mobility, Evaluation of Mobility, Discusion with partners about futher steps of the project. Discusion with partners about futher steps of the project.

Serious things=social activities a SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Serious things

THINGS to be done AFTER Mobility Keeping contacts with participants and project partners, Keeping contacts with participants and project partners, Valorisation – placing info on the web page, articles in the newspapers ect, Valorisation – placing info on the web page, articles in the newspapers ect, Meetings with social partners - similar organisations, who are intereseted in project results. Meetings with social partners - similar organisations, who are intereseted in project results.

PROBLEMS Language skills (specially for new EU member states), Language skills (specially for new EU member states), Unknown partner, Unknown partner, Suitable date for Mobility for all partners, Suitable date for Mobility for all partners, Motivation of learners and project workers. Motivation of learners and project workers.