ECVET for Elderly Care (EFEC) Project Summary

ECVET for Elderly Care (EFEC) Project Summary The general aim of ECVET for Elderly Care project is develop a basic unit of elderly care work based by research or working life needs, test and implement it. Basis for the project is created by change of the demographic context and new challenges in the EU: ageing of population and increasing longevity. These challenges are providing long-term care in the context of changes in family and residence patterns, and enabling older people to participate in society as full citizens. Long-term care is inadequate in many countries and suffers from labour shortages and low quality (Europa 2020). There are new working life needs: increasing need for qualified staff and client places, needs created by the large number of immigrant workers and more international clients. States need help from voluntary workers and third sector in solving employment problems and sustainable balance of public and private sector services. Different service options have different needs (homecare or community care services, rehabilitation), places like elderly homes as well different day care centres, reactivating activities, staff in elderly care field. The overall project objective is simplification of comparability, transparency and mutual recognition in partner countries, implementing of ECVET principles in the elderly care work. The concrete objectives are to research and analyse working life needs in the elderly care sector; compare working life needs and curricula/qualifications in partner countries; collect competence list for elderly care worker based on analyse of working life needs and create from the transnational work group a basic unit for qualifying elderly care workers. Partners from 6 EU countries, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Germany, Italy and UK, both VET providers, stakeholders, qualification accreditation bodies, professional associations and work placements, will create a new sector specific alliance. Many partners have experience in ECVET process and ready descriptions, the others are waiting more guidance for description of Learning Outcomes. The education in social and health care sector, especially elderly care worker, is very differently organized in each partner country. There is a clear need in the elderly care for people working on basic care level. During the project transnational partners will make background analyse, collected new innovations and best practise in elderly care sector, define and describe the skills needs in working life in partner countries, create a basic UNIT for elderly care worker and deliver it. The UNIT, assessment form and criteria as well the other European tools (Europass cv, mobility passport) will be tested in 6 partner countries and modified as model for using in the other countries. All material, created in the project and disseminated in transnational seminars, will be free for use on the project web-side. Expected project results and their use Transnational network between VET providers, education and qualification stakeholders, public and private working life, professional associations, third sector and voluntaries:transnational alliance will support elderly care work, international mobility and free movement of workers, will improve to image of elderly care worker and competitiveness in elderly care, will be implemented. Transnational alliance supports understanding and flexibility by reaction of working life needs (both needs of elderly care worker and needs of skills and competences). Research report about working life needs in the elderly care sector of partner countries: Knowledge about elderly care situation in partner countries, deliver of experiences, best practices and innovative in elderly work. The results and outputs of project will be based on interviews, research and analyse of elderly care placements and labour market needs. Descriptions and comparing of Learning Outcomes (curricula) in elderly care sector in partner countries: Compeering of curricula s, Learning Outcomes and working life needs support the understanding, comparability and mutual trust between partner countries. It simplifies recognition and transparency of Learning Outcomes and support the free movement and availability of workers. 1

The work related competence list for Elderly care worker: This list will be main tool for interviewing (new) staff or voluntaries in work placements and students in VET, recognise and transfer their knowledge, skills and competences. The Basic elderly care UNIT: it will be based on the work related competence list and will be model for free in transnational use. Work placements and VET providers can use collected competence list and Elderly care unit. Elderly worker can improve own knowledge, skills and competence through the Basic Elderly Care UNIT and acquire the Learning Outcomes fixed in the UNIT. Stakeholders and qualification agencies will support improvement of the competence list and basic elderly care UNIT both in VET organizations and work placements. Work placements will give experience to practical learning for students/new staff and feedback to VET providers and stakeholders about new needs. ECVET training (training material) for work placement instructors: Work placement instructors and VET teachers can use ECVET training material free in web. There will be model documentation and guidance how to use European tools. Project web-page and dissemination material: There will be guidance material (assessment criteria, assessment form) and European tools, all material will be for free use on the project web-side. 6 transnational seminars including final dissemination seminar in Tallinn: Transnational seminars will be organised in each partner country. Partners can call to seminar more representative of working life, third sector and voluntaries. There will be some educating and/or training part during each seminar. Seminars are places for cooperation and networking. The competence list and Elderly care UNIT will help students, new workers and employers by recognition and transparency of Learning Outcomes and support the free movement and availability of workers. The members of EFEC projects will be represented by Estonian Ministry of Education and Research, Estonian Qualification Authority and INNOVE. Omnia cooperates with Finnish National Board of Education. These partners/members will disseminate the project results both on national and EU level and the implementation of the basic Unit and competence list. The competence list and Elderly care UNIT will help students, new workers and employers by recognition and transparency of Learning Outcomes and support the free movement and availability of workers and competitiveness of elderly work. Contact: Project Manager Ms Sirje Hassinen +358 50 594 3865 sirje.hassinen@omnia.fi Omnia, the Joint Authority of Education in Espoo Region Finland www.ecvetforec.eu 2

ECVET for Elderly Care (EFEC) Project Progress Report Project Title: ECVET for Elderly Care (EFEC) Coordinating organisation: Omnia, the Joint Authority of Education in Espoo Region Project coordinator: Ms Sirje Hassinen Period covered by the report From:.01/01/2013 To: 10/03/2014 Project on the Leonardo da Vinci Project Portal: http://www.adam-europe.eu/adam/project/view.htm?prj=10484 Project web-site: http://www.ecvetforec.eu A. OVERVIEW Please summarise in this section the past/future activities of your project, in order to provide a correct assessment on current progress. A.1 PAST ACTIVITIES Please describe the past activities undertaken. Partners from six EU countries (Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Germany, Italy and UK), both VET providers, stakeholders, qualification accreditation bodies, professional associations and work placements develop a new Sector Skills Alliances during application and project progress process. The project has 7 Work Packages. WP1 Project management, administration and coordination (leader Omnia, Finland) WP2 Quality management and evaluation (leader Klaipeda State College, Lithuania) WP3 Valorisation: Dissemination and communication (leader Omnia, Finland) WP4 Needs of working life: development of competence for elderly care worker (leader Anniesland College, UK) WP5 Creating of the Basic Elderly Care UNIT (leader Schulzentrum Neustadt, Germany) WP6 Testing and modifying the Basic Elderly Care UNIT (leader Speha Fresia Cooperative Company, Italy) WP7 Implementation (leader Estonian Qualifications Authority, Estonia) The lead partner Omnia (WP1) started working with the project in January 2013 by creating the Project website http://www.ecvetforec.eu. Omnia created by dissemination plan different dissemination material (the flyer and poster in English) and the project Moodle platform for communication between partners and collecting work papers. Partners translated the flyer into their own language. Omnia as the lead partner organised the first kick off meeting and dissemination conference 3

in Espoo, Finland on March 4th 6th 2013. Around 40 participants from 6 partner countries were included. Omnia as the lead partner asked members to Steering Committee and organized the first SC meeting on 4.3.2013. Three SC meetings were held during the first activity year: first one on March 4 th 2013 in Espoo, second on June 7 th 2013 in Bremen and third on October 1 st 2013 in Glasgow. There was a plan to organize 3 SC meetings during the project period. SC pointed out that the piloting Sector Skills Alliance project is very import, and for following the running project, quality analyse, dissemination and implementation there had already been organised 3 SC meetings, one meeting during the international seminar. Steering Committee discussed the outcomes, the research report and Competence list, and gave recommendations. The external evaluator Mr. Kalle Toom, member of EQAVET, participated in the first SC meeting in Finland. Omnia as lead partner is responsible for collecting and sending reports. The following reports were made during the first activity year: 7.5.2013 the first and 14.11.2013 the second flash progress report for EU, February 2014 the progress report and Financial report. Lithuania as the leader of the WP2 created a quality management and evaluation plan and evaluation questionnaire. All partners got a link to the e-questionnaire after the international project meeting. The Quality Manager collected and analysed feedback. The evaluation report was made after first and second meeting and presented in the SC meetings. Two evaluation reports were presented and discussed the results: in the Second meeting of Steering Committee, June 7th 2013 and in the Third meeting of Steering Committee, October 1st 2013. After the third international seminar in Glasgow the third feedback will be collected. All partners are responsible for dissemination and communication (WP3). The project got the dissemination plan. All partners organised different dissemination activities (there were total 65 different dissemination activities during the first project year). During the first activity year 2 dissemination conferences were organised, first in Finland (Omnia) and the second in Germany. After the first dissemination seminar the first E-newsletter was published (on the project website) by Omnia. The associated partner SuPeR published an article about EFEC project and conference in Finland, SuPer 4/2013 (link on the project website). 28.6.2013 article about the EFEC project conference in Bremen. Der Branchendienst der Pflegewirtschaft Nr. 13 (link on the project website). The German team collected and published the second E-newsletter (website) November 2013. The most important communication channel between national and international meetings is internet (e-mails, Skype). The lead partner organised an Adobe connect -meeting but partners had technical difficulties to participate. The national teams organised own meetings monthly. The international meetings and conferences were organised by project plan (3 international seminars during the first activity year). The Finnish, German and Italian teams are deeply working life based and active. WP4 started planning working life interviews during the first seminar in Finland. The project researcher Ms. Merja Suominen presented the earlier-prepared questionnaire and all partners gave feedback. The modified questionnaire form was translated into each partner language for better understanding. Each partner of VET providers/partners was requested to interview work placements. The interviews (total 60) were held during April and May 2013 in each partner country. All answers were translated into English in order for the researcher to analyse them. The German team organised the Second international seminar and dissemination conference June 5 th -7 th 2013 in Bremen, and the project researcher presented there the first 4

results and draft of research report. The project partners gave feedback in workshops: more qualitative and cultural based analysis paying attention to open answers was waited for. The researcher sent the second draft in June, and it was commented during the Third international seminar in Glasgow, September 30 th - October 2 nd 2013 leaded by Glasgow Clyde College, the leader of WP4. The common research report was published in October 2013 on the project s website. During the working seminar all partners agreed with the final Competence list for elderly care worker. The leader of WG4 collected background information about jobs and education in the elderly care sector in partner countries (Collected table of education and jobs in the elderly care field). The Basic Elderly Care UNIT will base on the results of working life interviews, research report, collected Competence list and Learning Outcomes (LO). Working with LO began during the third international seminar in Glasgow. Partners discussed and chose tree LO. The partners agreed to create one international UNIT and additional cultural UNIT for each partner country. There were a lot of material and ideas for the next units and creating the EU elderly care worker qualification. During November 2013 March 2014 all partners are to describe the chosen LO and the descriptions will be discussed in the next international seminar. Associated partners/associations are responsible for dissemination and implementation. Members of partner organisations work during the project period in smaller professional work groups. Partner organisations/members participate in work groups by own profile/working plan. What is the estimated percentage (%) of work completed? 55 % A.2 FUTURE ACTIVITIES Please describe the future activities. The future activities will be 3 international conferences and seminars: 17.-19.3.2014 the next international project meeting and dissemination conference in Klaipeda, Lithuania 10.-12.9.2014 International meeting and dissemination conference in Rome, Italy 3.-5.12.2014, the final dissemination conference in Tallinn, Estonia Unit for elderly care worker will be designed in March 2014. Testing the created material will start in March 2014. Planning the national conference of the elderly care worker in Finland, June 2014 Analyse of the testing and modifying the final results in the international meeting in Rome. Modifying the outcomes. Implementation and dissemination conference in Tallinn, Estonia. Final report. 5

B. RESULTS Describe those results that you have achieved/completed in the period covered by this report. Where applicable include also login and password details. Result title Result description How does the Result contribute to achieve the project objective/s Findings, conclusions and lessons of evaluation and testing. Was the result/product/process modified respectively adapted after evaluation and testing? Target group(s) / potential beneficiaries Target sector Result language/s Medium used Number of copies (if applicable) Research report Research report about working life needs in the elderly care sector of partner countries: A total of 8 10 interviews were asked to be conducted in each country among practical nurses as well as employees in managerial positions. All answers (total 60 interviews) were translated into English. Knowledge about elderly care situation in partner countries, deliver of experiences, best practices and innovative in elderly work. The results and outputs of project will be based on interviews, research and analyse of elderly care placements and labour market needs. The work related competence list for Elderly care worker (result nr 2) and UNIT (in progcess) based on the background research results. Discussions during the project international meetings, time for comments and written comments to the researcher. Evaluation was made in the third meeting of Steering Committee (1.10.2013). The quantitative analyse is more common as the qualitative. The researcher changed the structure of the Report. The project partners waited more qualitative analysis, we have the research material in English and as possible, we like find the other person who will make quantitative analysis. Cultural analyse needs more resources Project partners, working life, educators, impetrator Social and health care: elderly care services English paper and on-line version not applicable (on the project www-page) 6

Result title Result description How does the Result contribute to achieve the project objective/s Findings, conclusions and lessons of evaluation and testing. Was the result/product/process modified respectively adapted after evaluation and testing? Target group(s) / potential beneficiaries Target sector Result language/s Medium used Number of copies (if applicable) The work related competence list for Elderly care worker The competence list based on the research and results of the working life interviews. Partners discussed during the second international meeting most common answers and collected the list. The competence list based on the results of background research/interviews. The new created UNIT will based on the competence list. This list will be main tool for interviewing (new) staff or voluntaries in work placements and students in VET recognise and transfer. The competence list and Elderly care UNIT will help students, new workers and employers by recognition and transparency of Learning Outcomes and support the free movement and availability of workers and competitiveness of elderly work. Each national team had 2 months period to comment the choose competences. The final list was agreed during the third international meeting in Glasgow after analyzing comments and discussion. Testing is in the process and findings/modifying will be made later. Educators, work placements Social and health care, elderly care English + national languages database (on the project web-side) not applicable 7

Result title Result description How does the Result contribute to achieve the project objective/s Findings, conclusions and lessons of evaluation and testing. Was the result/product/process modified respectively adapted after evaluation and testing? Target group(s) / potential beneficiaries Target sector Result language/s Medium used Number of copies (if applicable) The project web-page and dissemination material The web-page was published in January 2013 and during the project process there will upload new material, results and E-newsletters. All results and material will be upload on the web-page. External dissemination channel of the project and results. Uploading new material Uploading new material All (external dissemination) who are interested in the elderly care sector, ECVET-topics, EU-projects Social and health care, elderly care English web-page www.ecvetforec.eu not applicable 8

C. WORK PACKAGES Note: For completed results you do not need to fill in work package boxes, only the result boxes above. Please describe the work in progress and related results. Work package title Work package progress description Methodological/pedagogical framework (if applicable) Deviations from initial proposal or subsequent amendments, including change reasons Project management, administration and coordination Organizing, managing and following up of the project. Taking part to transnational coordination meetings. Preparation and reports of the transnational meetings, organizing the Kick off meeting. Elaboration of the interim report. Support and guidance in ECVET process. Team in the lead partner organization makes active cooperation with Steering Committee and the country team leaders. Steering committee will analyse and discus all reports and results and will give recommendations to country leaders. no Result to which this work package will contribute Result description kick off meeting and dissemination conference in Finland, 4.-6.3.2013 Result description Following the project progress and the budget, collecting 2 Flash progress reports and the interim report, Public summary report. 9

Work package title Work package progress description Methodological/pedagogical framework (if applicable) Deviations from initial proposal or subsequent amendments, including change reasons Quality Management and Evaluation The Quality and evaluation plan and questionnaire for analysing of project progress was created. Quality manager is member of Steering Committee and will give quality reports in each SC meeting. Collecting 3 feedbacks and analysing them. Reporting twice in the SC meetings. Reporting to European Quality Framework team. Planning the QA process evaluation sheet, the evaluation and writing reports. Reporting to SC. SC will give recommendation to the project coordinators. The project manager will report about progress to the external evaluator and he will report to the EQAVET. no Result to which this work package will contribute Result description Quality Assurance Reports (2 reports) and 3 meetings of SC Work package title Work package progress description Methodological/pedagogical framework (if applicable) Valorisation: dissemination and communication Development of Dissemination and communication plan, development of logo and templates, creating the project website and updating it, creating Moodle Platform. Creation of dissemination tools (flyer, poster), informing public via media. Project presentations for seminars (total 65 national and international activities). Main emphasis in dissemination is in dissemination through the networks of each project partner. Each partner works as a contact for their own social partners. Key role in dissemination is held by work life networks in the field and networks on the administrative/decision making level. The involvement of employer and employee organisation (companies, chambers of commerce, trade unions, employer unions) in each country is essential. 10

Deviations from initial proposal or subsequent amendments, including change reasons no Result to which this work package will contribute Result description Dissemination conference, 4.3.2013 in Finland and 6.6.2013 in Germany Work package title Work package progress description Needs of working life: development of competences for elderly care worker Interviewing of work placements, analysing the answers, collecting background material. Summary and the first outcomes of the interviews were presented during the second international meeting in Bremen (5.6.2013). Research report was published on 16.10.2013. Background information was collected from all partners, additional presentations about the education system in partner countries were presented in the 3 rd meeting in Glasgow (October 2013). Methodological/pedagogical framework (if applicable) Development of methodology and questionnaire. Interviews of working life (5 10 stakeholders per partner country, translation of interviews into English). Collecting background research, situation of elderly care in partner countries. Analyse collected material and interviews, creating description of the needs of working life (competence for elderly care worker). Deviations from initial proposal or subsequent amendments, including change reasons no Result to which this work package will contribute Result description Research report about working life needs in the elderly care sector of partner countries Descriptions and comparing of Learning Outcomes in elderly care sector in partner countries Result description The second international seminar in Bremen and The third seminar in Glasgow, organised by Anniesland college 11

Work package title Work package progress description Methodological/pedagogical framework (if applicable) Deviations from initial proposal or subsequent amendments, including change reasons Creation of the elderly care unit Creation of the Elderly care UNIT, assessment form and assessment criteria. SZN provides information about the established units with skills, knowledge and competences in EQF level 3-6 in Germany and adapts units according to the requirements of the partner countries. Description and dissemination of ECVET process, documentation, experiences of ECVET projects. Describing of Learning Outcome (by KSC principles knowledge, skills and competences) in partner countries, comparing curricula and assessment criteria. Creating the Elderly Care Unit and assessment criteria. no Result to which this work package will contribute Result description UNIT in progress Work package title Work package progress description Methodological/pedagogical framework (if applicable) Testing and modifying the elderly care unit Later 2014 spring First they will create a testing plan: each country leader will inform the leader of WP6 about testing places and possible timetables and how many student or worker will test the UNIT. The aim is test the UNIT and documentation in each partner country. Work package title Work package progress description Methodological/pedagogical framework (if applicable) Implementation Promoting the project results. Discussion with social care specialists. Implementing project results in selected work life situation. Later. Recommendations for implementation of project results in partner countries and in the EU level. Implementation plan. 12

D. DISSEMINATION & EXPLOITATION OF RESULTS Describe clearly and briefly the activities for the dissemination and exploitation of results. Activity description Deviations from initial proposal including reasons for change Country/Region City Which institutions/organisations were targeted? Why have these institutions been chosen, and what is their relevance towards the project objectives? The first dissemination conference (dissemination material: flyer, www-page). Total 65 activities during 1.1.2013 31.12.2013. By project plan Finland Espoo international project staff, representation of the elderly care sector (both public and private), voluntaries, association, Espoo city, Finnish National Board of Education, Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (EQAVET), CIMO, teachers of the social and health care sector The project members and associated partners who all work within the Social Care sector and have the common goal support learners/trainees of target groups through addressing suitable training methodologies as addressed by this project. Number of participants 40 Add extra tables on dissemination and exploitation of results as necessary! Describe the results and feedback received from stakeholders (target group or sector) of implemented dissemination activities. FEEDBACK: THE NEEDS OF MORE STAFF AND NEW STRUCTURE OF ELDERLY CARE SECTOR ARE MOSTLY SAME IN ALL EUROPE. THERE IS NEED TO HAVE LOWER LEVEL ELDERLY CARE WORKER. THE COMPETENCES AND SKILLS WHAT NEEDED WILL CHANGE DURING NEXT 20 YEARS (MORE ATTENTION TO PARTICIPATION, COMMUNICATION WITH RELATIVES AND FAMILIES, MORE MOTIVATION ACTIVITIES). THE EFEC PROJECT HAS GOOD IMPACT TO IMAGE OF ELDERLY CARE WORKER. 13

E. TARGET GROUPS E.1 INVOLVEMENT Please describe the involvement of target groups/end user(s), educational structures, sector representatives, VET policy and decision makers in your project THERE ARE ACTIVE PARTNER FROM FOLLOW TARGET GROUPS: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR SPECIFIC EXPERTISE (ELDERLY HOMES), VET PROVIDERS, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION, VET POLICY MAKERS, QUALIFICATION, ACCREDITATION AND AWARDING BODIES AND GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES. E.2 TARGET GROUP STATISTICS Indicate on which target groups the project had impact and quantify. Indicate to which educational field and educational level the respective target group belonged. *For the educational level please use ISCED codes and descriptions. Target group Educational field ELDERLY CARE WORKER (AND ELDERLY PEOPLE) Health and social work, caring *Educational level (for example: 'ISCED 2C-Lower secondary programmes designed for direct access to the labour market' or 'ISCED 4VOC- Post-secondary non-tertiary education - level 4 - vocational programmes') EQF 3 Number of people directly addressed to date Directly in the project team: 46 Larger group (associated partners and student) - later F. LESSONS LEARNED Describe any difficulties encountered during the implementation of the project, and what solutions you found to overcome those difficulties. Language difficulties: we ask each partners/persons opinion, give more time for thinking and discussion, give pre-meeting tasks (material and time for preparing). Different working culture, communicational difficulties: discussions, e-mails, phone calls, working in smaller group. Different understanding of teaching and learning (from teaching based to learner based attitude) we ask ECVET expert to participant, comment and support the project process (participation in the international meetings). ECVET idea is quite new, changing of teaching (by ECVET studying is independent of time and place) - ECVET experts participate in meetings, comment and support the project process. Working life based attitude (vs. VET based) we deeply would like working life (social) partners from each partner country. International project seminars and especially dissemination conferences in each partner country will help us to increase our network and move the general attitude more to working life based. 14