Over the past months, the partnership of #masterprojecteu – coordinated by FORMA.Azione (www.azione.com) has taken several steps towards designing the “MASTER Plan”. The MASTER Plan refers to a bridge programme of tailored learning activities provided to low-skilled adults, aiming to facilitate and support their participation in non-formal and formal educational paths (vocational or further education) and in the labour market.
The programme focuses on developing and/or reinforcing the Personal, Social and Learning to Learn competence (PSL) of adults with low level of skills. As in the European Commission’s definition, PSL represents a wide range of skills that can be cross-cutting across jobs and sectors. Boosting self-awareness PSL can be considered the most urgent competence to be trained for low-skilled adults.
Self-assessment process completed
Before starting MASTER Plan’s development, it was necessary to have a better understanding of learners’ individual needs. The project designed and carried out a process where low-skilled adults identified and assessed their own PSL competences. This process, known as “MASTER self-assessment”, involved about 160 low-skilled adults across Italy, Cyprus, Portugal and United Kingdom.
The self-assessment process was a Pilot Activity, using specific tools that were previously tested for different purposes and target groups. To best fit MASTER target group, the tools were specifically selected and re-adapted during a pedagogical activity. The activity was led by the University of Roma Tre.
Learning outcomes mapped
Building on each process and their outcomes, the project put together the “Learning Outcomes of the MASTER Plan” which have been systematised on the basis of the European framework for Personal, Social and Learning to Learn competence (Lifecomp). Lifecompframework was developed to establish a shared understanding, and a common language on the PSL competence. The framework includes an agreed set of guidelines for the flexible implementation of PSL curricula, while respecting the European subsidiarity principle, under which both education and lifelong learning fall.
MASTER transnational training in July
Furthermore, 19, 20 & 21 July, the partnership will attend the MASTER Transnational Training to discuss and dive deeper into the MASTER Plan. The Training format will be a Peer Learning Activity, to best help in exchanging and strengthening the partner organisations’ competences:
- The training will focus on delivering tailored non-formal learning activities to develop or reinforce PSL competence of low-skilled adults.
- The specific target groups are unemployed, migrants andadults with vulnerable backgrounds.The participants in training will be about 20 internal staff members who will be involved as trainer/facilitator/tutor/guidance professional in the MASTER Plan delivery.
- The participants can contribute in defining the implementation framework of the MASTER Plan.
The Training’s Agenda breaks down to different learning and working sessions that aim to:
- Provide a deeper understanding, on the main policies and initiatives in the field of Adult Education for valorising PSL competence with specific reference to low-skilled adults.
- Produce more content on how the MASTER actions fit into Lifecomp framework and to amend the MASTER Plan, if needed.
- Offer different methodologies and didactic resources, also in the form of possible scenarios, between the different partners. These inputs will be integrated and help to further develop and validate the MASTER Plan.
- Create a common framework to deliver, monitor and evaluate the MASTER Plan, in light of the emerging needs of the selected target groups.
Text: Chiara Marchetta (FORMA.Azione), MASTER project manager
MASTER is an Erasmus+ KA2 project that aims to develop and/or reinforce personal, social and learning competences, which are considered vital for the re-activation and re-engagement of potential learners from vulnerable groups. The project aims to reach adults who fall into the following categories: long term unemployed; socially vulnerable adults; adults from a migrant background.
Partners in the project are FORMA.Azione, Italy; Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Italy; SWAPWest, Scotland; Kerigma, Portugal; DOREA, Cyprus; and EAEA, Belgium.
Visit us on Facebook @eumasterproject and LinkedIn