Career guidance DROP IN-2

21 Simple practical ideas To Improve Student motivation

1. Give students a sense of control.

While guidance from a teacher is important to keep kids on task and motivated, allowing students to have some choice and control over what happens in the classroom is actually one of the best ways to keep them engaged. For example, allowing students to choose the type of assignment they do or which problems to work on can give them a sense of control that may just motivate them to do more.

2. Define the objectives.

It can be very frustrating for students to complete an assignment or even to behave in class if there are no clearly defined objectives. Students want and need to know what is expected of them in order to stay motivated to work. At the beginning of the year, lay out clear objectives, rules and expectations of the students, so that there is no confusion and students have goals to work towards.

3. Create a threat-free environment.

While students do need to understand that there are consequences for their actions, positive reinforcements are far more motivating for students than threats. When teachers create a safe, supportive environment for students, affirming their belief in a student’s abilities rather than laying out the consequences of not doing things, students are much more likely to get and stay motivated to do their work. At the end of the day, students will fulfill the expectations that the adults around them communicate, so focus on can, not can’t.

4. Change your scenery.

A classroom is a great place for learning, but sitting at a desk day in and day out can make school start to seem a bit dull for some students. To renew interest in the subject matter or just in learning in general, give your students a chance to get out of the classroom. Take field trips, bring in speakers, or even just head to the library for some research. The brain loves novelty and a new setting can be just what some students need to stay motivated to learn.

5. Offer varied experiences.

Not all students will respond to lessons in the same way. For some, hands-on experiences may be the best. Others may love to read books quietly or to work in groups. In order to keep all students motivated, mix up your lessons so that students with different preferences will focus on the things they like best each time. Doing so will help students stay engaged and pay attention.

6.Use positive competition.

Competition in the classroom is not always a bad thing, and in some cases can motivate students to try harder and work to excel. Work to foster a friendly spirit of competition in your classroom, perhaps through group games related to the material or other opportunities for students to show off their knowledge.

7. Offer rewards.

Everyone likes getting rewards, and offering your students the chance to earn them is an excellent source of motivation. Things like pizza parties, watching movies, or even something as simple as a sticker on a paper can make students work harder and really aim to achieve. Consider the personalities and needs of your students to determine appropriate rewards for your class.

8. Give students responsibility.

Assigning students classroom jobs is a great way to build a community and to give students a sense of motivation. Most students will see classroom jobs as a privilege rather than a burden and will work hard to ensure that they, and other students, are meeting expectations. It can also be useful to allow students to take turns leading activities or helping out so that each feels important and valued.

9. Allow students to work together.

While not all students will jump at the chance to work in groups, many will find it fun to try to solve problems, perform experiments and work on projects with other students. Social interaction can get them excited about things in the classroom and students can motivate one another to reach a goal. Teachers need to ensure that groups are balanced and fair, however, so that some students are not doing more work than others.

10. Give praise when earned.

There is no other form of motivation that works quite as well as encouragement. Even as adults we crave recognition and praise, and students at any age are no exception. Teachers can give students a bounty of motivation by rewarding success publicly, giving praise for a job well done and sharing exemplary work.

11. Encourage self-reflection.

Most kids want to succeed, they just need help figuring out what they need to do in order to get there. One way to motivate your students is to get them to take a hard look at themselves and determine their own strengths and weaknesses. Students are often much more motivated by creating these kinds of critiques for themselves, rather than having a teacher do it for them, as it makes them feel in charge of creating their own objectives and goals.

12. Be excited.

One of the best ways to get your students motivated is to share your enthusiasm. When you’re excited about teaching, they’ll be much more excited about learning. It is that simple.

13.Know your students.

Getting to know your students is about more than just memorizing their names. Students need to know that their teacher has a genuine interest in them and cares about them and their success. When students feel appreciated it creates a safe learning environment and motivates them to work harder, as they want to get praise and good feedback from someone they feel knows and respects them as individuals.

14. Harness student interests.

Knowing your students also has some other benefits, namely that it allows you to relate classroom material to things that students are interested in or have experienced. Teachers can use these interests to make things more interesting and relatable to students, keeping students motivated for longer.

15. Help students find intrinsic motivation.

It can be great to help students get motivated, but at the end of the day they need to be able to generate their own motivation. Helping students find their own personal reasons for doing class work and working hard, whether because they find material interesting, want to go to college, or just love to learn, is one of the most powerful gifts you can give them.

16. Manage student anxiety.

Some students find the prospect of not doing well so anxiety-inducing that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. For these students, teachers may find that they are most motivated by learning that struggling with a subject isn’t the end of the world. Offer support no matter what the end result is and ensure that students don’t feel so overwhelmed by expectations that they just give up.

17. Make goals high but attainable.

If you are not pushing your students to do more than the bare minimum, most won’t seek to push themselves on their own. Students like to be challenged and will work to achieve high expectations so long as they believe those goals to be within their reach, so do not be afraid to push students to get more out of them.

18. Give feedback and offer chances to improve.

Students who struggle with class work can sometimes feel frustrated and get down on themselves, draining motivation. In these situations it is critical that teachers help students to learn exactly where they went wrong and how they can improve next time. Figuring out a method to get where students want to be can also help them to stay motivated to work hard.

19. Track progress.

It can be hard for students to see just how far they have come, especially with subjects that are difficult for them. Tracking can come in handy in the classroom, not only for teachers but also for students. Teachers can use this as a way to motivate students, allowing them to see visually just how much they are learning and improving as the year goes on.

20. Make things fun.

Not all class work needs to be a game or a good time, but students who see school as a place where they can have fun will be more motivated to pay attention and do the work that’s required of them than those who regard it as a chore. Adding fun activities into your school day can help students who struggle to stay engaged and make the classroom a much friendlier place for all students.

21. Provide opportunities for success.

Students, even the best ones, can become frustrated and demotivated when they feel like they are struggling or not getting the recognition that other students are. Make sure that all students get a chance to play to their strengths and feel included and valued. It can make a world of difference in their motivation.

PREPARATION TOOL

Our organization has created its own questionnaire for the participants of trainings in the framework of youth exchanges. All training and course participants must fill out the attached questionnaire prior to going abroad, and fill out the contents report on the activities of the exchange after returning. On the basis of these documents, we evaluate the activities of the exchange, which guides us towards actions and finding solutions on how to increase the quality of the trainings. In this way, we collect feedback and make sensible choices when choosing candidates for specific trainings abroad.

Name-Surname

Preparation Tool

Summary

1 The Project

A) Erasmus Programme Presentation

B) Internship methodology

C) Key points

c.1 Preparation of stay:

• Documents and information note

Commitment of participation

Behavioral Notes

• Accommodation information sheet

Internship information sheet

Daily life

Memorandum of compulsory actions

• Pedagogical preparation

Why do an internship abroad?

The objectives of the stay

• (Inter)cultural preparation

The culture and daily life in the host Country

Economic and social features

• Goals and skills

Inside my luggage

The pyramid of professional goals

List of skills

Graph about my skills

c.2 Internship abroad:

• Adaptation board

• My diary

• Tutorship monitoring

• Company evaluation

• Attendance sheets

c.3 Balance of the stay:

• Work on yourself

• Skills acquired

• Evaluation on the internship and the linguistic competences

d) Contacts

1- THE PROJECT

A) Programme Presentation ERASMUS +

It is an alternation project between school and work abroad. Students are placed in foreign companies for two / four weeks. Working on specific topics, learning foreign languages and improving their “practical” skills.

B) Internship methodology

Internship in companies for two / four weeks

Destination: 28 EU Member States

An internship funded by the European Union will have a scholarship during 2/4 weeks of training sessions that will fully cover the cost of the stay in the host Country.

C) Key points

c.1 Preparation of the stay: ____________________________________________________________________________

c.2 Internship abroad: _________________________________________________________________________________

c.3 Balance of the stay: ________________________________________________________________________________

Contacts

You will be assisted during the entire preparation, monitoring and mobility project.

C. KEY POINTS

C.1 Preparation phase

Planning of the mobility preparation

• Documents before the departure

• Pedagogical preparation

• Intercultural

• Expertise

Date

Issue

C.2 Internship abroad

When you arrive, you will be greeted by the host Country partners. Your internship will begin on the day of your arrival. The working days and timetable depend on the organization of the working city. Your internship will end on Friday and you will spend the weekend with your tutor.

IMPORTANT: A series of documents will be completed by the host Country and you will delivered them to us on your return.

C.3 Balance sheet stay

The balance sheet allows you to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. It also allows you to ask yourselves, think about the soft skills you have acquired during your stay in order to use them in the company or to be entrepreneurs yourselves. It includes:

• Work on yourself

• Skills acquired

• An assessment of the work done and the language skills improved

Participation engagement

Name: ____________________________________

Surname: __________________________________

Date: Signature

CORRECTED BEHAVIOUR TO MAINTAIN

Linguistic Internship at __________________

I am aware of the behavioral standards to be maintained during your stay

From the beginning to the end of my stay abroad I’m subjected to the authority and responsibility of the accompanying teacher, with the obligation to respect the rules imposed during the stay; I will not take or hold drugs or alcohol under any circumstances in the knowledge that the local legislation could provide severe penalties and the immediate repatriation, and I must not drive any motor vehicles (including motorcycles) during the period of stay abroad; I delegate the accompanying teacher to take the necessary steps in case of urgent health reasons. I also committed to provide my son/daughter of the health card, which entitles you to health services; I’m aware that before the departure I must give to the organization the health certificte and the authorization signed by the parents, to use any medicines.

Place, date

Signature,

Accommodation Programme: PHOTO

Name & Surname:

Date of Birth: / / Age: F / M

Full address:

Tel: Fax: E-Mail : In case of emergency, please contact:

Name & Surname: Relation: Full Address: Tel: Fax: E-Mail :

If other, please specify:

Do you eat the following: Meat

Are you vegetarian?

Are you vegan? No

Do you have any medical conditions?

If yes, please specify:

Comments:

DATE: STUDENT: SIGNATURE:

Internship information sheet

A) Accommodation information sheet

Address:

Staying abroad

Accommodation description:

Rooms

Roommates

Equipment

Rules: Over sleep

Shower Cleaning room

Nearest public mobility service:

Shops

Daily lifestyle

Local Phone number contact

Mobility abroad

Exit

Life cost

Jet Lag

Public places. Opening and closure times (bank, post, cafes)

Money change

Traffic direction

ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS

VISA

Phone SIM for abroad

Currency/Paypal

Insurance

Why do an internship abroad Pedagogical reasons

On the labor market, increasingly oriented towards the international, doing an internship abroad has many advantages.

• Discoveries and intercultural knowledge

• Personal growth

• Improving your linguistic skills

• Obtaining professional experience

• Acquiring new knowledge, skills and interpersonal skills to build your own future

SMART objectives

It is essential to set goals.

SMART is a mnemonic technique to remember the ideal characteristics of a goal, to make it attainable. The characteristics are the following:

• Specific

• Measurable

• Appropriate

• Realistic

• Temporally defined

• It means

 Specific: because it must be formulated clearly and positively. Example: I want to...

Specific Goal: I will arrive to courses on time;

Vague target: do not bother with courses

 Measurable: you must be able to measure it

Example: my objective is to increase my level of English

Do not say: <<I want to improve in English MA >> <<I want to switch from A2 to B1>>

 Appropriate: should match who you are

Are your goals personal and individual? Can not be the same as a parental or another project.

 Realistic: it should not be daunting

Goals should be realistic, otherwise they are unattainable and frustrating.

Dreams are important but must be modelled on reality.

Example of a realistic and achievable goal: I want to improve my English/Spanish.

Example of an unrealistic goal: I want to become bilingual

 Define the time: 6 months, 1 year...

You must be able to see yourself reach the goal

Example of a goal with a defined time-frame: before my departure, I must write my CV in English

Example of a vague goal: one day, I will write my CV

There are other objectives: professional, linguistic, cultural, personal

It is important to think about your goals and go back in time to see if the Fixed objectives have been achieved.

Date chosen Before departure During stay At home

Cultural You have established a list of things to visit (a museum) during your leisure time

Linguistic Ex.: knowing how to have discussions at the airport in another language

For example, visit a villa. Ex.: visit the museum of…

Know how to express myself using foreign vocabulary, appropriated linguistic register

Know how to have a conversation in another language

Return to the training x Professional ………………..

Personal Trust in myself

Do not forget: you can set the desired date without necessarily going into details... For example: the middle of June and early July.

Culture and everyday life in the hosting Country

In your luggage

Economic and social characteristics

Objectives and competences

List of skills of participants

Group work

Problem solving

Offering explanations

Relations management

Respect for the opinion of others

Conflict management

Bargaining

Reaching compromises

Presenting ideas

Integration

Sharing responsibility

Cooperation

Following the rules

Organization

Making decisions

Planning

Taking initiative

Communication

Making and receiving observations

Accepting new points of view

Interpretation

Constructive debate

Free Expression

Dialogue/conversation

Foreign Languages

Carefully listening to others

Providing instructions

Writing appropriately

Giving presentations

Self-development

Accepting rules

Confidence

Accepting new cultures

Autonomy Flexibility

Analyzing and reflecting

Time management

Risk management

Tolerance and respect

Resilience

Learning from experience

Motivation

Knowing yourself

Patience

My competences

1 - Resilience

Professional pyramid objectives

C.2

At the beginning During

Company integration

Try to get along with the staff

Try to work in a group

Ask questions and talk to the mentor

Be curious

Try to help the team

2 - Adaptation at the work place

At the beginning During At home

Be independent

Take initiative

Be part of the mission

Be on time

Observe the safety and hygiene rules of the company at the workplace

Relation with clients, providers, partners

Name-Surname ………………………………

Company …............................................

Classroom ………..

MY DIARY

In the boxes below, write about what you do and learn.

DATE PERFORMED ACTIVITIES

SCHOLASTIC TUTOR SHEET

Company:

Period: Student:

Indicate the date, performed activities, calls for internship, the company, visiting the company, etc.

DATE PERFORMED ACTIVITIES

Observations on the behavior of the intern

Comments about the company, accommodation and logistical organization

Any problems reported by the trainee or the company

Date

Signature

TEMPLATE to be filled up on company letterhead

CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION IN TRAINING AND GUIDANCE

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT

The student__________________________________ born on ___________ ________________________________ has taken part in an internship training program at (name of the company) to complete his/her education and facilitate career choices through direct knowledge of the working world. The internship lasted 2/4 weeks, from ____________ to _____________.

Date Stamp and signature

ASSESSMENT

COMPANY: ………………………………………….

STUDENT: …………………………………………

CLASS: …………………………………………

Internship :

Tasks assigned

Overall assessment

Understanding of the assigned tasks

Autonomy in carrying out the assigned tasks

Precision in carrying out the assigned tasks

Reliability, punctuality, commitment

Discretion

Reliability, punctuality, commitment

Fail Pass Good Exceptional

Date, ……………………………………….

C.3 WORK ON YOURSELF

Begin to make a point of your experience by identifying your personal and professional weaknesses. Integrating family ties

• What I do

• What I want to do

• What can I do

• I want to do

Answering these questions will build the foundation for a strong and coherent professional project, in line with your personality.

Objectives

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What are my objectives in the field of trades or functions?

• What are the real and practical skills that I have to prove to a prospective employer or to myself?

• What sectors of activity can I reasonably work in?

• What are the objectives?

• The advantages

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What are the factors for success in terms of personal and professional skills?

• What skills have I developed while abroad? What have I learned about myself?

• How can I promote what I learned about myself abroad?

• How can I promote this stay to my future employers?

• What are the differentiating factors, the “more” that I can do?

• What are my motivations for this work or function?

• What are my current opportunities?

Acquired Skills

STUDENT’S FINAL REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE STAGE

The undersigned .......................................................................................... student of class ............... .. at the end of the experience carried out internships at .................................. REPORT

That the training has had a total duration of hours ............

In the course of the experience, the participant has performed the following activities: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………......................................................

and he believes that they have acquired the following skills (basic contents, technical-professional, cross) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………......................................................

During their training, the participant could put into practice the following knowledge acquired in school …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………......................................................

It is my opinion that they showed to possess the following capabilities:

A. Commitment and seriousness (Punctuality - Honoring of commitments - Ability to deliver finished work - perseverance in the face of difficulties) 1.

B. Capacity to work in a team

(Ability to establish correct relationships - active attitude in the group - listening to the contributions of others - ability to organize work)

C. Capacity for initiative and autonomy

(Ability to set their own goals - the capacity to research materials and tools - ability to identify strategies for action)

D. Communication skills and relationships in a foreign language (Ability to use clear and understandable language - ability to present considerations in a clear and understandable way - self-control - the ability to focus on people)

If you were to give a numerical rating on how much you liked the experience, on a scale from 1 to 10, the evaluation would be

• Stage

• Accommodation

• Organization

Observations and proposals for a future edition of this experience: Date

CYPRUS

How CIP promotes Youth Entrepreneurship among ‘NEET’

The Citizens In Power staff has been trained in Cyprus and abroad in a variety of different fields and it seeks to modernize teaching in EU. CIP’s staff has been involved in an abundance of educational projects. CIP is also seeking to expand their contemporary methods to different levels of education, by developing both formal and non-formal methods of teaching. Specifically, CIP develops educational material that can be used by both educators and youth workers (see workshops created for KA2 ‘Drop in’ project)

CIP has organized various online educational modules on e-learning using www.moodle.org. This method is used to reach participants from remote areas. CIP is specialized in the implementation of e-learning platforms/Learning Management Systems (LMS). CIP designs solutions in the field of educational technology that meet the needs of the learners. CIP has specialized staff that can implement, customize and make improvements on Moodle platforms.

Additionally, CIP has organized digital dialogues using applications like Idea Prism and Cogni scope. This enables participants to use a mobile/tablet application in order to discuss a topic. The procedure itself engages participants into a dialogue and creates empathy with other participants and the topic itself. The organization is continuously developing its capacity to support the needs of society by utilizing all relevant opportunities provided by the EU, such as projects E+ with the main purpose of :

1. Decreasing youth unemployment by involving more young people in the agricultural sector.

2. Boost of agro-entrepreneurial culture amongst young people.

3. Increasing the education of the next generation of entrepreneurs by influential multipliers such as youth organizations, equipped and trained through the project online platform of the project and online training course.

4. Applying entrepreneurship activities by using non-formal methods to practice entrepreneurship in such a way that youth workers could provide young people with a range of potentials on entrepreneurship.

5. Equipping those involved with ‘NEET youth work‘ with the necessary skills and competencies in order to be capable to support this vulnerable group in a more effective way.

Practical workshops – good practice Cyprus

Exercise: Name of the session Interviewing an employer and self-assessment for employment

Objective of the session

A) learning how to succeed in an interview and while performing the actual work via an actual employment strategy; (B) learning how to gain access into a specific industry space;(C) building a network, thus obtaining a potential mentor; (D) learning how to evaluate personal potential for employment.

Main activities of the session:

Please explain the context and objectives of the activities you are planning and in which way they meet the objectives of the project.

The participants will interview an employer of their choice. The goal is to get participants to engage with a ‘’real life’’ employer. Ideally, they will choose an employer that they are interested in working with. Participants will have the chance to conduct interviews at the city center or via skype calls. Participants can also reflect on interviews, which have already been conducted and are available online.

Part 1

Task: Interview an Employer

-Prepare the questions in advance

-Ask permission to record the interview on camera

(optional: Form groups of 5 people. Suggestion: 2 interviewers, 2 note-takers, 1 video or sound recorder).

What we will be discussing after the activity

Who is the employer?

What is the employer’s professional experience or background?

What process did the employer use to conduct the interview?

By what criteria can the interview be viewed as successful?

Based upon the interview and your own self-assessment, what is your potential for employment in this sector?

What skills do you need to develop or possess to achieve success in this job setting?

Additional questions for reflection: What was the most important lesson learned?

What was the most surprising quote?

Say THANK YOU to the employer

Develop a preliminary schedule to help you build these skills (optional – based on time availability)?

Part 2 (reflection in the plenary)

-Share visual material like videos and pictures

-Share experiences from the interview

-Reflect on the outcome

Relevant videos to share in the FB group

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxdQG6cBhoo

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2014/06/18/10-job-interview-questions-youshould-ask/2/ (questions to ask employer)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6R1NTrosuM (why employees ask specific questions)

Methods used Informal learning, interview questions, work in groups, discussion and reflection

Competences

gained by this session

Providing youth workers with the techniques that can support NEET by networking with employers and building an emotional connection with them. Youth workers will experience a non-formal method that facilitates NEET to first understand the requirements of the employer and take actions to fulfil them.

Name of the session Employment Cube

Objective of the session

- Identifying the passions and skills of the participants in relation to their professional career.

- Acquiring skills that encourage and inspire potential employees to set goals for employment or self-employment, which reflect their passions.

Main activities of the session: The objective of this exercise is to identify the ‘passion’ of the participants, the drivers of their passion and their own personal skills and strengths. In brief, in this exercise, participants will write down their passions in 6 cube (shape) cards. Lastly, participants will reflect on the intersections of the different cards to come up with at least two jobs that they would like to apply for in the near future.

Triggering questions: Does the participant’s passion match their skills? What skills or competences need to be developed in order to follow their passion successfully?

The steps

Step 1: Take six cards and tear off eight pieces of tape. (5 min)

Step 2 : Take one of the cards and write something you are passionate about. (5 min)

Step 3: Take two more cards and write one thing that describes why you are passionate, referring to what you wrote on the first card. (5 min)

Step 4: Take three cards and write a skill or a strength that you feel you have (5 min)

Step 5: Place the six cards in a T or cross pattern on the floor (letters facing the ground).

Step 6: Make a cube with the cards (5 min)

Step 7: Examine the various intersections of your skills, passion and drivers of your passion. (2 min)

Step 9: Come up with at least two employment opportunities that incorporate both sides of the cube (connect passion and skills). (7 min)

Step 10: Look at other people’s cubes and form a group if you have the same passions or skills. You need to shout your passion out loud! (the new groups announce their passions) (5 min)

Steps 11: Look at the groups that have the same passion (5 min)

Step 12: Reflection (2 min)

Methods used Methods: experiential learning, discussions in groups, reflection.

Competences gained by this session

(LO): Experience a practical method that supports young people in recognizing their passion in order to connect their passions to skills as part of creating opportunities. Understanding the passion of other people and connect with people who share the same passion.

Learning an effective method that inspires and encourages young people to set goals for employment or self-employment, which reflect their passion and skills.

Name of the session SWOT for NEET

Objective of the session

Main activities of the session:

Please explain the context and objectives of the activities you are planning and in which way they meet the objectives of the project.

Developing specialized talents and abilities, which could contribute to the enhancement of the career of NEET, thus helping them to achieve their personal goals.

Young people are most likely to succeed in life if they use their talents to their fullest extent. Similarly, they will suffer fewer problems if they know what their weaknesses are, and if they manage these weaknesses. The SWOT exercise can help young people to uncover opportunities that they would not have spotted otherwise. Accordingly, by understanding their weaknesses, they can manage and eliminate threats that might otherwise hurt their ability to move forward.

Steps

- Participants will reflect on questions, related to SWOT (situation analysis)

- Setting goals based on the analysis

- Evaluating what needs to change (ex.: turning weaknesses into strengths) or be improved (ex.: making better use of opportunities) in order to reach goals

- Selecting a mentor among the participants of the TC, who can help them fulfill their goals (they can also select people that are not part of this TC, and will be contacted after the TC)

- Reflecting on the exercise, for example: How they can use this exercise with NEET in their local environment? What modifications do they need to apply to the exercise in order to fit the needs of different NEET?

Questions samples:

Strengths

What do you do well? What unique resources can you draw on? What do others see as your strengths?

Weaknesses

What could you improve? Where do you have fewer resources than others? What are others likely to see as weaknesses?

Opportunities

How could new technologies help you? Or, in which ways could you get help from others via the Net? Do you have a network of strategic contacts to help you, by offering good advice? Etc. What opportunities are open to you? What trends could you take advantage of? How can you turn your strengths into opportunities?

Threats

Are any of your colleagues competing with you for projects or roles? Is your job (or the demand for the things you are responsible for) constantly changing? Does the rapid growth of technological innovations threaten you? Could any of your weaknesses lead to threats? Which threats could harm you and in which ways? Which threats do your weaknesses expose you to?

The performance in this analysis will often provide key information – it can point out what needs to be done and put problems into perspective. Short video presentations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBOtnyt7BP4

Methods used Short video presentation, SWOT handout list, reflection, discussions

Competences gained by this session

Reflecting on their strengths, in relation to the people around them.

Gaining a tool that can convert the talents/potentials of NEET into opportunities. Gaining the ability to support NEET in making an overall analysis of their current state (Internal factors and external factors) and apply techniques that improve their situation by emphasizing the utilization of their strengths and opportunities.

Name of the session

Objective of the session

Take a step towards entrepreneurship

The objective of the activity is to educate youth workers to empower participants to take a step forward towards entrepreneurship irrespectively of young people’s current chances and opportunities in life. In this activity participants will experience inequality through a role play.

Main activities of the session:

Please explain the context and objectives of the activities you are planning and in which way they meet the objectives of the project.

The trainers will initiate discussions that foster positive thinking and support participants to overcome discrimination and intolerance in situations for taking entrepreneurial action. At the end of the activity, participants will reflect on a video of an entrepreneur, who overcomes the obstacles of discrimination, intolerance and injustice.

Participants will read instructions for their role. They will then be asked to move a step forward if their role matches a specific situation or event. Through the activity, participants will end up taking different positions in the room. This will create the basis for our discussions. At the end, the trainers will invite everyone to come out of their role and debrief after the exercise.

Note: A list of ‘situation and events’’ will be created. The list will reflect both the group that we will be working on with, and the subject of entrepreneurship.

Preparation: Participants will be asked to search for videos that illustrate an entrepreneur who overcomes the obstacles of discrimination, intolerance and injustice. The partners will select videos that will be shown to the rest of the group during the training.

Participants Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKlRRpHsRuc#t=78

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qSPu03gf_4 , https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=KNvRNADsX9c (show part of it),

http://www.mweb.co.za/Entrepreneur/ViewArticle/tabid/3162/Article/16954/3inspirational-entrepreneurs-who-overcame-all-odds.aspx

Methods used Methodology: simulation exercise, role play, video presentations, debriefing

Competences gained by this session

Outcome of the training

- Raising awareness on the inequality of opportunity.

- Developing the imagination and critical thinking, concerning overcoming situations of inequality.

- Fostering empathy with others who are less fortunate and developing bridges of cooperation through a social, non-profitable enterprise.

Name of the session Play and Learn Business

Objective of the session

In this 2 hours workshop, the participants are provided with the opportunity to get in touch with various learning games, related to business, that they can use in a subsequent level in their organizations. Participants will also understand the significance of educational games (like board games, physical games and ‘gamification’) for the deployment of an entrepreneurial culture amongst young people.

Main activities of the session: Please explain the context and objectives of the activities you are planning and in which way they meet the objectives of the project.

Creating or managing a business could be very challenging and risky; for that reason, participants can gain hands-on experience from a list of business simulation games that will be illustrated from this exercise.

Participants will come across various learning games that can be used in their organizations.

The aim of this exercise is to adopt various educational games related to entrepreneurship, which can be used by participants in their organizations. Note: We will not have time to play the games that will be presented by participants.

The trainers will make an introduction on the importance of educational games like board games, physical games and ‘gamification’ (Gamification is the use of game thinking and game design elements. Gamification’s main purposes are to engage, teach, entertain, and measure the improvement of a players’ contributions and participation. Goals include solving organizational problems (e.g., improving flow, return on investment learning, employee recruitment and evaluation) Few simulation games that will be used as an example are:

http://classroom-aid.com/2012/11/09/15-business-simulation-games-could-buildhands-on-business-experience/ or

http://www.wallstreetsurvivor.com/

Preparation: Each participant will be asked to prepare a short presentation (slide shows) prior the training regarding specific educational games, which can be used to educate young people about entrepreneurship. The best presentations will be presented to the rest of the group.

Methods used Presentations by trainers and participants, feedback on the educational methods by trainers and participants, reflection

Competences gained by this session

- Enhancing entrepreneurial knowledge through educational games.

- Critical evaluation competences: Participants will interpret information regarding educational games through which young people can learn about different components of entrepreneurship and business.

- Communication competences – Participants will have the ability to effectively communicate and exchange information with young people though the use of educational games.

Conclusion

Erasmus+ is emphasizing the meaning of informal education. Evidence shows that employers value the skills, obtained via informal education, such as the mobility of young people abroad and voluntary work, which helps young people to improve their key skills, such as foreign language knowledge, communication and IKT. 75 % of the participants in the European voluntary service has said that such experiences have assisted them in improving their employability, which is why we have reserved an important segment of our Career guidance for the examples of good practice from out Italian partners in the framework of the strategic partnership project, such as the voluntary work of young people abroad and in the partner states, which emphasizes the importance of learning skills such as adaptability and the ability to life and work with people from different countries and cultures. The Career guidance also contains instructions and examples of good practice by our partners from Cyprus, which will assist young people in improving their key knowledge, skills and competences from the field of entrepreneurship.

The strategic partnership has contributed to the exchange of information and experiences, as well as becoming familiar with alternative approaches for activating the focus group of young dropouts in accordance with the guidelines and strategies of the EU employment policies. This experience of international cooperation seems especially important for us, since our strategic partnership would like to continue its cooperation in the future and form our future practice with the use of new approaches towards the development and exchange of innovative practices and results in the fields of training, education and youth.

In our opinion, the added value of our strategic partnership and its results stems from the opportunities of the young dropouts to continue their education and training, become familiar with entrepreneurship and learn the skills to manage their career, obtain skills to recognize different interests and competences, recognize the opportunities in their own environments, make decisions and fulfill their employment, education and career goals, perform voluntary work in the countries of our partner organizations and come into contact with other cultures and habits, actively learn a foreign language and obtain competences of international proportion, which increases their competitiveness on the labor market. The Strategic partnership project has helped us to establish suitable basis for future international cooperation in the field of youth.