#02/2006 newsletter

This is the 2nd newsletter of the international Leonardo da Vinci Project (A/04/B/F/PP-158.130) "PreQual“ - http://www.prequaloniline.org
conducted by 7 partners from 6 countries (maiz- AT, EBG-DE, IEPALA-ES, Antigone-GR, HCA-BG, ADBI-IT, CESV-IT). It's objective is to highlight current information and results of the project's activities.

Maiz (Autonomes Integrationszentrum von und für Migrantinnen; Linz, Austria)
EBG (Europäische Bildungswerke für Beruf und Gesellschaft e.V.; Magdeburg, Germany)

CONTENT:

1. NOW! Pilot Courses
2. Results of the National Workshops (Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy)
3. 3rd Partner Meeting in Rome, February 2006  - Highlights
4. New Partner in Italy: CESV
5. Project Calendar and further Steps
6. Announcements

Leonardo da Vinci Pilot Project – PreQual
Duration October 1st, 2004 – March 31st, 2007

1. Pilot Courses: General Information

Currently the draft of the curriculum and handbook for an “Intercultural Qualification for Migrant Women to Enter the Health and Care Sector” is being tested and evaluated by three partners in Austria (MAIZ), Germany (EBG) and Italy (CESV). It has been developed on the basis of a first draft designed by MAIZ and on the results of the national studies conducted by all partners. These results were further elaborated on within 10 workshops organised by MAIZ, EBG, ANTIGONE, UNI.TS, ANPAS and CESV with the cooperation of more than 100 international experts from the different fields of the health and care sector.
While the purpose of the draft curriculum is to provide a compulsory framework in terms of content, approach and evaluation in all pilot courses, the draft will be adapted to suit the individual country-specific realities.

Methodological approach:
Besides the structure of the course contents, the didactical implementation requires using a method which necessitates the input of the course participants and where that input can be incorporated into the lessons. Paulo Freire’s approach to pedagogy called “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” considers the living conditions and circumstances of the students and concedes to them the ability to summon up the necessary motivation, knowledge and imagination needed to decide what is important for them. Learning is seen as a movement towards dialogue and social responsibility. Preparations, implementations and reflections are realized in participative cooperation.

Evaluation:
The whole course is accompanied by the self-evaluation method, developed by maiz from an antiracist and feminist perspective.

Objectives:
The main goal of the course is to contribute to the improvement of integration of migrant women into the labour market and to improve basic qualification in connection with the principle of self empowerment.

1.1. Pilot Course in Austria - MAIZ
January 06 to June 06, Monday – Friday: 20 hrs weekly

“Intercultural Qualification for Migrant Women to Enter the Health and Care Sector”
Currently being tested and evaluated by a group of migrant women of different nationalities and accompanied by two professional trainers with and without a migration background.

The results of the self-evaluation underline the necessity for critical reflection regarding the themes linked to racism and gender issues.

For the participants the contact with training institutions, hospitals and senior citizens’ homes offers the possibility for additional practical exercises to complement the theoretical input.

The participants are currently in the process of submitting their applications for trainings, internships and jobs within the health sector.

Until now the course has evoked a lot of interest from migrant women as well as experts and representatives of different institutions within the health and care sector.
Course Contents: (648 Training units - 552 hours)  

• Introduction to the field of nursing – from an intercultural perspective (Concept of work and the fields of work in the health and care sector, law, communication and conflict management, first aid course.
• Personal Orientation within the Health and Social Care Sector -  with consideration of intercultural and antiracist aspects (Personal orientation, ethics, law)
• Language and communication skills with an occupational-related focus (Introduction to medical terminology, occupational-related language training, ICT-Training, etc…)
• Internship and Coaching

1.2. Pilot Course in Germany - EBG: March 28 to November 28, 2006

“Intercultural Qualification for Migrant Women in the Health and Care Sector”
Course in Germany will start on Tuesday March 28, 2006 in Halle/Saale (Saxony-Anhalt). Participants will be approximately 10-15 migrant women with different nationalities and accompanied by professional trainers with and without migration background.

During the Education Fair in Halle (March 10 – 12, 2006) the course and its contents were presented and interested migrant women had the possibility to get information and to apply for a participation in the German PreQual-course.
On March 16, 2006 there will be an ‘open day’ in the EBG college in Halle, where further interested migrant women can apply and can have a look at the training facilities. They will also have the possibility to discuss with the teachers.

For the participants the course can offer a basis for further education in the field of health and care and moreover to get in touch with care institutions, e.g. hospitals and senior citizens’ homes. They will get familiar with health and care professions within the practical part of the training.

In the ongoing evaluation process there will be a floor for reflection of migrant issues, racism and gender themes.

The participants are currently in the process of applying for the course. EBG is in contact with the employment agency to check the possibilities of a financial support for the participating women.

In the past months there was a lot of positive feedback from different institutions, political and migrant organisations and also from migrant women themselves for carrying out such a course in Germany. They pointed out the needs and positive effects of training in this field.

Course Contents: (600 hours – 480 hours theory and 120 hours internship and coaching)

See above (1.1.), course contents are a common result of the transnational workshop between MAIZ and EBG in November 2005 in Linz (AT).

1.3. Pilot Course in Italy - CESV:

As CESV's cooperation within this project started with January 2006 they are currently working intensively on the preparations for the pilot course due to start in April.

2. National Workshops (Austria, Greece, Germany and Italy)

Preparing the curriculum as well as the pilot course the partners Antigone (GR), CESV (IT), EBG (DE) and MAIZ (AT) organised altogether 10 Workshops with representatives and experts from the health and care sector as well as the target groups. These results, together with the recommendations of all project partners, were followed up within a further, trans-national Workshop in Linz. There, the partners EBG and MAIZ worked out a draft version of curriculum, including method, self-evaluation, certification, internship/shadowing and further recommendations.
While the purpose of the draft curriculum is to provide a compulsory framework in terms of content and approach in all pilot courses, the draft will be adapted to suit the individual country-specific realities.

3. Transnational Partner Meeting in Rome.

February 2006
From February 15th till 19th the partner organisation ADBI hosted the third trans-national partner meeting within the PreQual-Project. 17 colleagues from all partner organisations stated and exchanged their successes, experiences, improvement, challenges they have faced in implementing the project activities. Further direction, coordination and development of further activities were discussed and decided together.

Some highlights from this meeting:
Partner meetings offer a great opportunity to have face to face communication with all the colleagues with whom we cooperate throughout the several working-phases within this project.
On the basis of former meetings as well as the intense electronic communication we all form a community whose primary goal is to achieve the best results. Of course this implies that discussions take place and decisions are made together.
Some highlights:
We emphasise the importance of the critical reflection – “speaking about racism is necessary, this is the innovative aspect of the project.”
In several countries “migration is a grey area” - we see the impact that the pilot course may raise the interest in migrant issues.
We agree to dedicate the next newsletter to different perspectives in women's migration issues. 

4. New Partner's Profile: CESV

CESV - Centro Servizi per il Volontariato (Centre of Services for Volunteering) – is a non-profit association established in 1997 with the aim to promote and support the development voluntary and cultural organizations in the Lazio region. With 5 provincial structures and about 15 information points CESV - operates in the fields of : health, youth, migrants, environment,  active citizenship, social services etc. with its primary target group being small and medium – sized organisations.
The main activities of CESV are:

• to promote active citizenship and democracy in local society and enhance the culture of solidarity
• to provide assistance and consultancy in  starting  new volunteering organizations
• to conduct research and provide information on  volunteering, Third Sector organizations and networks
• to coordinate services within the local public and private institutions
• to promote the internships by promoting the development of thematic networks
• to design, organize and manage training activities  with particular attention to the groups  at risk of social exclusion. Training activities are also directed at volunteering associations, to non-profit organization, to public and private institutions see: www.cesv.org

5. Project Calendar and further Steps

Phase 1: Planning and Analysis, Study of Labour Requirements
01.11.2004 - 31.05.2005

Phase 2: Development of the Curriculum and Preparation of the Pilot Courses
01.06.2005 – 31.12.2005

NOW! Phase 3: Testing of the Pre-Qualification Course, ongoing Evaluation and Product Modification

Start: 01.01.2006
End: 31.12.2006

Results: Pilot courses, with up to 60 participants, will run in Austria (maiz), Germany (EBG) and Italy (CESV) which will span 6 months during 2006; Handbook; Evaluation; Product adaptation; Translation of the curriculum in all partner languages; 3 Newsletters; 3rd Partners’ meeting in Italy (January 06):

January – March 2007
Final Conference; Handbook production;
Dissemination; Final reports

6. Announcements

This Project has been funded by support of the European Commission’s Educational Programme Leonardo da Vinci. The content of this report reflects the results of the analyses performed by the project partners, and does not necessarily reflect the position of the authorities or the respective National Agencies, nor does it involve any responsibility on thezir part.

The Leonardo da Vinci programme
Leonardo da Vinci is the European Community's vocational training programme whose aim is to implement and support lifelong learning strategies in accordance with the national training strategies. In an effort to increase mobility, foster innovation and improve the quality of training, co-operation between the various players in vocational training are promoted within the framework of transnational projects.