The global economic and social challenges in Europe are common and similar, reflecting into the needs of education and the education provision. The economic recession seems to continue, which means reductions in state funding for education, including the education provided for adults. On the one hand there is a number of adults without any certificate or diploma needing education, on the other hand the educated people need to improve their skills - and in many cases it is necessary to study a totally new profession. To serve these two groups of adults is a matter of social and economic competitive ability.In order to cope with these challenges in the target groups and in the overall society, the adult educators need to keep renewing their skills as well. It is not enough that they update the professional skills of the field in question, but they have to develop and fully understand the teaching skills needed for the new target groups, better understand the essential needs of working life to overcome the economical crisis, and to fully understand and internalize the meaning of entrepreneurship as a driving force of the economy.The big question is how to provide high quality vocational adult education, that supports adults to achieve their goals in skills development and in achieving new qualifications needed in the labor market. The SHAPE –project systematically scrutinized adult education provision and training in five 5-day further training workshops from five thematic perspectives, surveyed the best practices developed and used in partner organizations within these themes, and took a step further by identifying possible next practices that partners can take home and put into practice. Target groups were adult educators, management-level responsable for the adult education provision, staff responsible for quality assurance, development staff, and researchers.The SHAPE furhter training workshop themes and partner countries were - Slovenia: Professional development of adult education staff- Denmark: Qualification labels for professional in higher education, implications to adult education sector- Italy: Quality assurance in Adult Education provision- France: Key competences and entrepreneurship- Finland: Young adult's and adults’ upskilling programmes. Competence-based vocational qualifications as a cost-effective way of providing vocational education for adults. The project produced two artifacts – a video scribing of the outcomes of the project and an article “Shaping vocational adult education and training”. The article consists of an introduction to each theme, the state of the theme in question and best and next practices found during the project. The video scribing described the most valuable things learnt during the project and also good practices to recommend.This project had a very innovative working method. The workshops were organized and prepared by each partner in turns. In each of the 5 thematic workshops, the organizing partner prepared an briefing paper on the chosen theme, gave the guidelines on the topic so that partners were able to prepare their own presentation and paper for the workshop.The projects themes were crosscutting and relevant for all partners. As all partners were working for vocational adult education, the motivation to work for the project was very high.

Education and training is the most important way to active citizenship, better life and self-fulfilment. Migrants and refugees should integrate as soon as possible into our societies. This means not only the language skills, but also the possibility to enter educational programs as soon as possible, and be prepared for finding a job in our labour markets. Sharing experiences and best practices is vital in order to cope and to develop as we go along. Therefore the aim in Reshape the future –project is to systematically scrutinize adult education provision and training for migrants and refugees, from the perspectives especially chosen as necessary and interesting to all partners. The co-operation within Reshape-project helps us to plan the structure for our education and training provision for migrants.The themes in survey were the following:-Recognition of non-formal and formal learning of migrants and refugees-Competencies and continuous training of vocational adult educators and counsellors working with migrants and refugees-Guidance and counselling for migrants and refugees-Entrepreneurial training for migrants and refugees-Quality assurance of vocational education and training provision targeted to migrants and refugees“Reshape the future” has been a co-operation between six European countries - Keuda from Finland, Finska Folkhögskolan from Sweden, Istituto Formazione Operatori Aziendali (IFOA) from Italy, ROC Alfa College from Netherlands, Tietgen from Denmark and Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE) from Slovenia.The project comprised of five chosen themes, with each was studied in 5-days workshops organized by one partner by turn. The WS preparation was teamwork with those taking part to the WS in question. Each partner prepared a thorough presentation (paper + power point, video etc.) on the theme in their own country and organization. Making the presentations and papers meant a lot of studying around the theme and scrutinizing the practises in partner’s own organization. Every 5-day thematic workshop was a training period for teachers and counsellors taking part to the project. These workshops gave an excellent opportunity for adult educators to learn about education and training activities for migrants and refugees through the theme in question. The theme reports, prepared by the host partners, are products of the project and can be found annexed in this report and on the Erasmus+ Projects Results Platform. The theme report is a description of the current practices, key messages and next practices, based on presentations, visits, discussions and debates in workshops. Form of the reports is a pdf. The project has produced also an e-article, which is an abridged synthesis of the WS theme reports, added with the introduction and conclusion chapters. The main points of the project are presented in an explainer whiteboard video.Reshape the future –project with its five different themes is extremely current in the field of education and training. Through this project our staff in partner organizations had the possibility to bring out their experiences, doubts, uncertainty and expertizes. In the other hand they learnt to look the issue from new perspectives and get to know good practices. There are many challenges and matters to take into account in the education and training for migrants and refugees, but at the same time there are activities already in daily running and solutions to be found together. These were the aims for continuous training for teachers, counsellors and managers. Continuous training has been the most important value from the project. In addition to what have been mentioned above, partners’ aim was to create a strong and wide know-how concerning the educations and training of migrants and refugees.

"Learning mental health knowledge and skills will be an essential component of VET in the future since the number of students with mental health challenges is increasing rapidly. Cedefop (2016) has identified students with multiple disadvantage, possibly facing health and psycho-social issues one of the major groups in danger of drop-out. However, vocational education and training in Europe can have a positive effect on mental well-being. Promoting Mental well-being in VET was a Strategic Partnership project which was based on developing pedagogical innovation and the exchange of good practice in mental health promotion, focusing on teachers, tutors, directors and students in VET. In addition the target group included in-company trainers. The priorities and objectives of the project were:a) Reinforcing and establishing a pro-active and preventive view to the concept of mental well-beingb) Developing material promoting mental health c) Piloting and testing new materiald) Translation of mental health promotion in VET through websitese) Planning the training program for the development of competence in mental health promotion in colleges and internship companiesThe project consortium consisted of four VET colleges in Finland, Spain, Denmark and the Netherlands, one higher education college in Lithuania, one expert association focusing in the promotion mental health and well-being issues in Finland and one umbrella organisation for VET in Belgium in order to ensure proper dissemination of the project outcomes. The project activities were carried out according to the project plan. The materials, tools and the training programme were structured around five themes: 1) mental well-being as a resource, 2) self-knowledge, 3) emotions and interaction, 4) coping skills and 5) the learning community. The project consortium piloted and evaluated the new material and the training courses. Meetings focused on training the new methods to other participants and sharing the existing best practices in partner organizations. The theoretical background of each new theme was introduced by a short lecture and a review on the topic. After the theory session the theme and best practices were practiced through functional activities. The choice of the best practices shared were always agreed upon during the previous meeting. The partners translated practices and introduced them in the meetings. There were 3-4 best practices presented at each meeting. The practices were introduced in a functional way by using learning-by-doing methods in order to participants to get idea how they work. After the meeting each presented practice was evaluated. Each organization also piloted the shared practices with their students or staff members. After each pilot, practices were evaluated by the participants (students, staff). Evaluation data was collected from the people who used the material and attended the training programme. The evaluation report describes the findings of the evaluation. One of the key components in the project was to share good practice and learn from each other - how mental well-being and mental health issues were being dealt in VET and how the issue could be further promoted in VET.The teaching staff in all the participating VET colleges were aware of the project through internal dissemination. The awareness of the importance of mental well-being in connection with study success increased. The gained skills in mental well-being promotion can be used in teaching and guidance work in classrooms and distance education, work mentoring and other cooperation. The students have more understanding on their own mental capacity and how to promote it. Unfortunately the project was unable to get the in-company trainers to participate the training sessions. However, the trained teaching staff that is involved in companies through students' on-the-job learning periods, is able to promote the ideas of mental well-being through their discussions and visits in the work places. All the produced tools and materials are freely available in the project blog http://mewebeinvet.blogspot.fi/. The project highlights the importance of the approach that includes everyone to support students’ mental well-being. The ""whole college"" approach provides a simple, low cost way of promoting mental health."

"Context/background of the project:Strategic PartnershipDIGAS – Developing Innovation Agents for SME’sThe inspiration for the DIGAS project origins from the successful Danish ESF project “IGA”, Innovative Globalisations Agent (www.iga-project.dk) that came to an end in March 2015.The consortium behind the DIGAS project consists of partners from Spain, Belgium, Italy, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Denmark. The project has furthermore spread to other European countries through the SPACE network. The DIGAS project has been an European project focusing on bridging students and graduates from studies with high unemployment rates with SMEs in need of academia when striving to bring their business abroad. The activities have therefor been both transnational and cross-cultural. Both for the SMEs involved, for the trainers, and for the students and graduates.Objectives:The project addresses the European target: ""foster citizens' potential and ensure employability"" by:• Matching companies need for young graduates with VET competencies• Smoothing transition of young labor market entrants - with education with low employment rate - to the labor market by integrating world of work in the last year • Enhancing better skills matching • Stimulating higher competitiveness for SMEs in a global market and opening the SMEs for new employee groupsNumber and profile of participating organisations:•Pic: 950186490, Tietgen Denmark (lead), Organisation, Other•Pic: 949316982, Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool Antwerpen, Other•Pic: 949506035, FLORIDA UNIVERSITARIA, Other•Pic: 942767639, SPARK, Other•Pic: 944733441, Istituto Formazione Operatori Aziendali, Other•Pic: 950182222, SPACE European Network for Business Studies and Languages, Other•Pic: 949241613, Högskolan Arcada Ab, Other•Pic: 944452723, V.A. Graiciuno aukstoji vadybos mokykla, Higher education institution (tertiary level)Describtion of undertaken main activities:Management•Management report 2014-2016•Biannual Management Report•Plan for the project results sustainability•Plan for the consortiums futureTraining programme adaption for European focus•Best practice collection•Programme and learning materials developmentAnalysing academic competencies versus company needs•Mismatch pattern reportPilot training•VET training for unemployed and/or last year students•Pilot project reportPlatform for internship and real life assignments•Platform•Online supportQuality monitoring and evaluation•Impact Audit report•Digas quality and evaluation plan•Compilation of Status reports•Expert reviewDissemination•Dissemination strategy and plan•Project website•Project identity manual and templetes•Leaflet and brochure•Video•International conferenceInternational conference•AGM SPACE/DIGAS conference, Ghent, Belgium LTT-activities: Intensive studyprogrammes for learners and Short-term joint staff training eventsDIGAS: Results and impact attained:The target groups were first and foremost graduates, students and SMEs. In addition to these target groups other relevant stakeholders were•NGO’s• former partners and Co-operators and potential partners• HEIs and VET adult learning centers,•Local, Regional and National governments•NPO’s•Universities and other members of educational associations in partner countries•Labour market participantsThe DIGAS project has clarified that SMEs are in need of academia when going abroad. It has also clarified that graduates and student, when given VET competencies, can create jobs in SMEs. Jobs that are not present before academia is introduced. Therefor this project will contribute to creating brand new jobs, leading to growth. ‘Europa 2020’ is the EU’s growth strategy for this decade. In the executive summary of ‘the Europe 2020 strategy’ three mutually reinforcing priorities are put forward. They are:•Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation. •Sustainable growth: Promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy.•Inclusive growth: Fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion.The activities in the DIGAS project have supported these growths pillars.From the beginning of the project the consortium outlined a dissemination plan (see attached) in order to make sure that the results would reach the target groups and stakeholders. We fully believe to have achieved this aim. As an important part of the dissemination plan we set out to create a website including a platform where the different members of the target groups and stakeholders can reach each other, even after the duration of the project."

Please see above as the report is writting in English