Ison Psychometrica – ECVET

Funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus + programme, the Project ECVET.OER.NEET (Νο 2015-1-IT01-KA202-004762) – ECVET and OER based assessment and training of guidance practitioners working with NEETs – aims to develop innovative methodologies and tools to enable guidance practitioners who carry out activities with YOUNG

PEOPLE NOT IN, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT OR TRAINING (NEETs).

In December 2014 in the EU-28, around 5 million young people (under 25 years old) were unemployed in the EU-28, including more than 3.2 million in the euro area. 7.5 million young people aged between 15 and 24 were not working or not in education or training (young people not in education, employment or training – NEETs). In order to ensure the employability of young people under the age of 24, the Member States of the European Union have introduced the YOUTH GUARANTEE (YG) programme.

The ECVET.OER.NEET. Project, driven by the efforts of the European Union and the YG project, defined the competence profile of guidance professionals working with NEETs. This profile was also the basis for validating their competences acquired in formal, non-formal and informal
contexts against the ECVET principles. ECVET is an English acronym meaning “European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training” and is a methodological framework for awarding credits in training courses. It is a conversion tool that allows the translation of different learning
experiences into a common unit of measurement.

At the same time, in the framework of ECVET.OER.NEET, an OER (Open Educational Resources) was created, with educational resources accessible to all that can be used for the effective guidance of NEETs. Finally, a training needs analysis report focusing on guidance professionals working with NEETS was also produced. The final product, based on all the research carried out during the project activities, was a training programme for guidance professionals, which helps to fill gaps in their knowledge and skills about young people and the labour market.

The course can be delivered either face-to-face or through e-learning. The project involved 8 organisations, from 5 countries of the European Union, helping young NEETs in different ways within the YG: 2 training and employment agencies, 4 public authorities, 1 private organization dealing with vocational guidance services, and 1 university.

The partners aimed to promote the use, testing and implementation of the ECVET system by applying it to the qualifications of guidance professionals working with NEETs. The eight organizations operate in different countries and in different contexts. ECVET has been the common reference term (a common language) to describe what they do and to standardize the training and assessment methodologies for guidance professionals working with NEETs.

Thanks to the project, 12.200 target group’s members were informed about the project and more than 4.850 trainees and 240 trainers participated in it at different levels.

The implementation of ECVET.OER.NEET was carried out in several stages. The deliverables of each stage are called Intellectual Outcomes (IOs):
 IO1: Identifying the Profile of Career Counsellors working with NEETS
 IO2: List of OER useful in NEETs Counselling
 IO3: Analysis of the Training Needs of Career Counsellors working with NEETS
 IO4: The Profile of Skills of Career Counsellors working with NEETS
 IO5: Skills Assessment Tool for Career Counsellors working with NEETS: Guidelines & Evaluation Tools
 IO6: Development of a Lifelong Learning Programme to Improve the Skills of Career Counsellors working with NEETS
 IO7: Development of an E-learning Training Programme to improve the skills of Career Counsellors working with NEETS

Partners

• Fundacion de la Comunidad Valenciana del Pacto para el Empleo en la ciudad de Valencia, ES;
• ETAIREIA PROIGMENON EFARMOGON SISTIMATON DIOIKISIS-ISON PSYCHOMETRICA, EL;
• Ente di Formazione I.RI.GEM. SOCIETA’ COOPERATIVA, IT;
• Akademia Humanistyczno-Ekonomiczna w Lodzi, PL;
• Provincia di Matera, IT;
• Provincia di Vicenza, IT;
• UNIAO DAS FREGUESIAS DE GONDOMAR (SCOSME) VALBOM E JOVIM, PT