Helping vocational education professionals support disadvantaged groups

Here at the National Agency, we have a real interest in encouraging, and funding, projects that help disadvantaged groups. New Directions Rugby is a fantastic example of an organisation that is able to do this. They received Leonardo Mobility funding in order to send eight vocational education professionals (VETPRO) to Germany for one week. These participants work for charities ‘New Directions Rugby’, ‘MENCAP Stratford’ and ‘Way Ahead Support Services’, which support adults with learning difficulties.

The participants who went to Germany are involved in working with the adult learners in the UK and have the capacity to disseminate any best practice methods they learnt whilst on their placement in Germany.

New Directions Rugby applied for funding  to look at their partner organisation (Diakonie Stetten), and the way in which it provides innovative services for the adults it supports. They were focusing on models of service provision related to housing and dementia care; volunteering scheme; vocational training of staff and beneficiaries; supported employment programme and so on.

Preparation, planning and dissemination

Throughout the project, Doreen Woodward, the project contact kept us up to date with the different stages of the project including recruitment of participants, preparation, the training itself and evaluation & dissemination activities. It was fantastic to know that the organisation had such a high attention to detail in making sure that all participants were prepared to a high standard culturally and linguistically at courses taken at the University of Warwick, in addition to independent study. Doreen also planned dissemination activities that would raise awareness, for key stakeholders, of the project’s achievements and sustainability.

Whilst the experience for the participants was of huge benefit on a personal level, New Horizon’s ability to be able to disseminate the information to the wider organisation and national affiliated organisations such as Royal Mencap is vital and could make a huge difference to participants and their families. By evaluating the procedures and culture of the German system of care, it would be possible to look to implement some of these best practice methods into UK organisations and look to carry this further to benefit the care system as a whole.

For me, this is a true example of how funding for Leonardo Mobility VETPRO projects is important as it not only has a great effect on the individual participants, but also has the potential to impact the quality of life of those participants in care, their family and the wider community.

Plan for your own Leonardo Mobility

If you are new to Leonardo funding our Information Days are a great way to find out more, they start in September and are filling up fast! Register for an event near you: www.eventbrite.com/llpUKecorys