21st Century societies are increasingly demanding youth workforces that are creative, flexible, adaptable and innovative and education systems need to evolve with these shifting conditions. However, the conception and the breadth of arts and culture curricula vary in education for professions in the field of Fine Arts. In particular, a new focus on creativity (in relation to its importance in innovation and entrepreneurship) and cultural education (in relation to both individual identity and promoting intercultural understanding) is apparent in the goals of vocational education and training. This raises questions about the ability of the arts and culture curriculum in VET to fulfil such diverse and wide-ranging aims. On the other hand, teaching the arts and culture to a high standard is challenging. Teachers who teach the arts and culture subjects in VET play a fundamental role in developing the creative skills. There is the need for continuing professional development, to enable arts teachers to update their knowledge and develop their skills.Utilising the momentum created by the 2018 European Year of Cultural Heritage, InART2DiverCity project aims to develop new and effective approaches, methods and materials to introduce/reinforce European Cultural Heritage and intercultural learning, with the view to enhance the skills and employability of young adults (age group 18-30) in the creative sectors, as well as the professional skills of trainers (train-the-trainers). InART2DiverCity proposes the following intellectual outputs:1. Research and evaluation analysis of educational and training needs for the specific sector and consolidated report;2. Development of Alternative Pedagogical Methodology & Training practices to train the trainers; 3. Development of training seminars for young VET students; and 4. Creative applications and pilot testing for the re-use of cultural heritage. Essential for the project is the idea of “smart culture”. The intention is to propose ways in which Principles of Cultural Heritage can be taught through ICT tools contributing to the idea of a smart culture. InART2DiverCity project strategic partnership includes countries that have suffered the most from the economic crisis and austerity measures (Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain), while at the same time have undergone extreme pressure from the high influx of immigrants. Inevitably, this project will approach communities of young students / artists with fewer opportunities including young people with cultural differences; in long-term unemployment; young people facing discrimination; young people from remote and rural areas; as well as young art students and art professionals with physical, sensory disabilities.Young students 18-30 studying Fine Arts will be trained in an innovative and creative way, to learn how to employ teaching methods tailored to the teaching of Art and Cultural Heritage, with respect to cultural diversity and through the promotion of cultural awareness. They will have the opportunity to receive international training, experience foreign training and education systems, harvesting new methods, demonstrate their work and exchange knowledge with their European colleagues. The planned training activities will provide them with knowledge on cultural diversity of the European countries aiming to expand their professional horizons. Their involvement is expected to motivate them to influence more young people as they are experts to spread the word to youth network for the need of skills enhancement. Fine Arts Trainers through the “train-the-trainers” activities, will gain important professional experience on how to use innovative methods that foster the cultural awareness of the trainees and the positive value of cultural diversity. The project long term benefits are summarised as follows:• Bringing together young people and young local artists from different culture, abilities and beliefs, enhancing their creativity and developing a cultural map with common points;• Facilitating participation in learning contexts by local arts practitioners and the inclusion of local art forms and techniques in learning processes in order to strengthen local cultures and identity; • Facilitating cooperation between educational institutions, local authorities, experts, so as to enable them to share transmitting cultural values and local art forms; • Providing assistance to enable Fine Arts trainers to harness technological developments which will enable Arts and Cultural Heritage Education to reach marginalized groups, and facilitate the creation of innovative knowledge products and the sharing of knowledge; • Supporting ongoing professional development of young workers and artists, in order to develop an appreciation of cultural diversity and enable them to develop their potential to create, critique and innovate; • Encouraging and promote the development of art practices through digital media.

Description above already in English.

In case of natural disasters/humanitarian crisis experts/teams able to assess what worked well and mistakes in the crisis management unit and act with public authorities are needed and their role is crucial in post-emergency, when new strategies can be defined to improve the ability to be prepared, respond and react to a crisis learning from past mistakes. Evaluation is thus a key concept and evaluators a key profile, able to assess crisis management approaches and identify strategies to prevent future disasters or limit their impacts, making this process part of the civil protection planning. Another key element is facilitation, i.e. the ability to apply participatory approaches aiming at building a constructive relationship among citizens, enterprises and local/regional authorities.In this context, PERCEPTION will create a new profile, the Evaluator and Facilitator on Emergency Planning (EFEP) to catch this opportunity in terms of employability and innovative VET. The EFEP operates in local and entrepreneurial contexts acting as a link between enterprises and public bodies, fully knowing civil protection plans application and safety measures in enterprises/factories located in risk areas. He can transversally read and see complementarities and synergies among the 2 levels (internal and external emergency planning/management) and to ease their assessment and understanding using a participatory approach, which can support recovery and reduce future disaster impacts.PERCEPTION aims at providing learning opportunities to young people (18-35 years, to match the minimum age to be a volunteer in civil protection/humanitarian area and difficulties experienced by youths to access the labour market), unemployed/underemployed, university and/or high-school graduates, with at least one volunteering experience - preferably in Civil Protection/Humanitarian Aid domain - to help them to transform this experience into a career opportunity, by providing them with:-knowledge, skills and competences to improve their volunteering experience with organizational and managerial abilities-specific social/interactive skills, following their passion and attitude to work in emergency conditions-entrepreneurial skills to make them able to build their own career.60 participants will be selected at EU level to experience a blended mobility, made of local class lessons, transnational virtual exchanges, a webinar (piloting course) and a final intensive programme (Summer School) in Italy.To reach its objectives, PERCEPTION will implement:-a Curriculum for the Evaluator and Facilitator for Emergency Planning, defining the transnational professional profile (competences, skills, knowledge and job positioning)-a Training scheme focused on 6 competences areas: emergency management planning, facilitation, social/environmental impacts, strategic evaluation assessment, communication and entrepreneurship, applying work-based (role/simulation games, mentors/learner approach, cases study, etc.) learning tools -a Summer School (an intensive 10-days-programme in Italy) involving the 60 participants to the piloting course. Trainees will test in a real environment competences and skills acquired and further investigate: disruptive events, impacts identification and evaluation, from evaluation to recovery/emergency management strategies, building your own career. The project will be developed with a three steps methodology:1)Analysis, dealing with: EU/national contexts, mentors qualification, volunteer services functions, training courses, specialization, innovative training methodologies/tools/approaches to support the training scheme and the professional profile development2)Implementation, based on the analysis results and mainly dealing with: competences sharing and profile definition, training scheme definition and implementation, course piloting3)Evaluation: efficacy and coherence between training, targeted learning outcomes, competence needed by the labour market and target group needs will be constantly monitored/evaluated.According to previously identified objectives, PERCEPTION expected results refer to: -mutual recognition of the Evaluator and Facilitator for Emergency Planning qualification among all partners’ countries through the certification within the EQF (level 5)-provision of a work-based training for at least 60 young people with at least one volunteering experience through a multilevel, multidisciplinary and immersive training methodology-employability enhancement for young people through the creation of a new curriculum, fostering job opportunities within NGOs, local authorities, private companies or as self-employed-the creation of dialogue formats to reduce the gap between regional and local public authorities and entrepreneurs, specifically in the field of safety when an emergency occurs and in the planning phase-higher sensibilisation on safety, risk prevention, climate change.

Vocational schools are one of the significant organizations which meet the intermediate staff need of the private sector. Qualified vocational schools and qualified graduates provide significant contribution in the sector and national economy. In these days in which the 4th Industrial Revolution takes place and value of the information increases, organizations which value R&D and innovation stand out. In that respect, it is necessary that vocational schools are more effective in R&D and innovation process. It is seen that vocational schools cannot learn R&D and innovation adequately with conventional education methods. Within the scope of this project, an innovative learning method is suggested for vocational schools to learn R&D and innovation in enjoyable and visual ways. Virtual reality is used as learning method. As known, virtual reality triggers sense of reality by transferring the real world concepts into the computer environment. With its 3-dimensional and interactive nature, virtual reality increases persistency in teaching process. In addition, it will ensure and make more attractive that students learn R&D and innovation and develop strategies with its enjoyable aspect.R&D, innovation and information technologies based works will be carried out before virtual reality based learning method is offered to the target audience. First, works will be carried out R&D and innovation in Vocational Education, definitions and applications will be determined with project partners. At the end of this process, Internet Based R & D and Innovation Book in Vocational Education will be created. Curriculum of the teaching process is determined with this study. The final form is obtained by turning all the contents and applications in the related e-book into virtual reality.When intellectual outputs are obtained, the learning method will be implemented to Department of Information Technology, Department of Electrical and Electronics Technology, Department of Machine Technology, Department of Business, Department of Physiotherapy Assistant Department of Obstetrics Assistant. These departments in the partner organization constitute the target audience of the project and it is aimed that 300 students directly benefit from it.As mentioned above, the project has 2 main intellectual outputs. These are: 1) Internet Based R & D and Innovation Book in Vocational Education, 2) Virtual reality applications. In addition, a website which will contain information on all related activities will also be prepared. It will be published with English, Turkish, Greek and Lithuanian language options.7 transnational meetings are planned in order to realize the project and obtain related outputs. To achieve related targets and objectives, 8 organizations are included in the project. Dissemination activities will be carried out to ensure that project outputs reach more people. In that respect, regional meetings will be held in Turkey, England, UK and Lithuania.Project outputs will be published as open to public access without any license fee. With this aspect, it will be ensured that more people benefit from the project on national and international level.