The SPECIAL project began in autumn 2021 and focuses on empowering young people who are not in employment, education, or training across Europe; this group is often referred to as NEETs (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) in English. The empowerment is aimed at enhancing their soft skills with the goal of facilitating the group's (re)integration into society and the labour market. This empowerment is particularly important now, following the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the isolation of many.
SPECIAL is a collaborative project involving different organisations from six European countries (Iceland, Sweden, Romania, Spain, Italy and Belgium) and is funded by ERASMUS+. The project aims to design, develop, test and evaluate a comprehensive training framework for staff in vocational and further education, which can be adapted to different groups or individuals.
The project's outputs are developed to provide young people with comprehensive support and resources for lasting empowerment. By combining innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to upskilling, SPECIAL aims to reshape the lives and opportunities of NEETs.
The project partners are now testing and evaluating the project's materials with target groups. The first results are extremely positive, and educators have provided valuable insights and feedback that shed light on the success and impact of the training framework. The feedback from the young people who participated has also been positive, demonstrating a variety of benefits. The young people found the toolkit user-friendly and practical, while the training material was praised for its usefulness and relevance, making it easy for them to acquire new skills and knowledge. The students particularly appreciated the course material on digital entrepreneurship, which provided a good insight into the subject. In addition, the material includes tools for web design, graphics, and search engine optimisation. The young people also suggested that the time to complete each unit should be between 4-8 hours.
Insights and recommendations from partners, based on the pilot testing and the evaluation of the project's outputs, have further contributed to the development of the SPECIAL project. Trainers reported positive trials with the active participation of young people. The courses were tailored to each group, e.g. those familiar with social media and teachers who address social media challenges in their classrooms. The discussion covered app addiction, new career opportunities, the risks of social networks and the potential impact on human interaction.
The content, with its focus on social media, received a great deal of attention, particularly regarding the time spent on apps and a potential loss of reality. The session's trainers expressed concerns about young people's excessive mobile phone use. The digital entrepreneurship unit was praised for introducing practical tools such as Canva and WordPress, but trainers emphasised its importance for individuals interested in starting a business.
Feedback from trainers and young people from other partner organisations echoed the positive results obtained from the testing and evaluation of the toolbox. Trainers appreciated the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of the toolkit, emphasising how easily the material can be adapted for specific groups or individuals. Students reported significant learning outcomes and praised the toolkit's cost-effectiveness and accessibility. The training material was considered useful and modern, and encouraged students to explore various possibilities, e.g. the Fablab platform. The toolkit is a useful resource that encourages young people to continue with their independent learning.
The feedback and recommendations obtained from the testing process provide indications of the quality of the SPECIAL project's training framework. The positive results and the insights provided by the partners contribute to significant improvements and the potential for further development.
Further information about the SPECIAL project, its deliverables and news can be found on the website. https://projectspecial.eu and social media Facebook and YouTube!
